Search results for: semantic technologies

Authors: Svetlana Pushkar

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Eco-indicator 99 (EI99) considers fundamental life cycle assessment (LCA) uncertainties via egalitarian/egalitarian (e/e), hierarchist/hierarchist (h/h), individualist/individualist (i/i), individualist/average (i/a), egalitarian/average (e/a), and hierarchist/average (h/a) methodological options. The objective of this study is to provide a reliable two-stage nested mixed balanced Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test as a supplemental test to EI99 to address the problematic combination of similarly and not similarly produced materials usually found in building technologies. The robustness of the test was determined from both the “EI99 (all options)” stage (including e/e, i/i, h/h, e/a, i/a, and h/a - all methodological options) and the “EI99 (perspectives)” stage (including e/e, i/i, and h/h methodological options of EI99 - the methodological options with their particular weighting set or e/a, i/a, and h/a methodological options of EI99 - the methodological options with the average weighting set) of evaluating building technologies.

Keywords: building technologies, LCA uncertainty, Eco-indicator 99, two-stage nested mixed ANOVA test

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Authors: Jarbas Lopes Cardoso Jr., Frederic Andres, Alexandre Guitton, Asanee Kawtrakul, Silvio E. Barbin

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The important objective of the CyberBrain Mass Agriculture Alarm Acquisition and Analysis (CBMa4) project is to minimize the impacts of diseases and disasters on rice cultivation. For example, early detection of insects will reduce the volume of insecticides that is applied to the rice fields through the use of CBMa4 platform. In order to reach this goal, two major factors need to be considered: (1) the social network of smart farmers; and (2) the warning data alarm acquisition and analysis component. This paper outlines the process for collecting the warning and improving the decision-making result to the warning. It involves two sub-processes: the warning collection and the understanding enrichment. Human sensors combine basic suitable data processing techniques in order to extract warning related semantic according to collective intelligence. We identify each warning by a semantic content called 'warncons' with multimedia metaphors and metadata related to these metaphors. It is important to describe the metric to measuring the relation among warncons. With this knowledge, a collective intelligence-based decision-making approach determines the action(s) to be launched regarding one or a set of warncons.

Keywords: agricultural engineering, warning systems, social network services, context awareness

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Authors: Efthymios Chondrogiannis, Vassiliki Andronikou, Efstathios Karanastasis, Theodora Varvarigou

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A large amount of data is typically stored in relational databases (DB). The latter can efficiently handle user queries which intend to elicit the appropriate information from data sources. However, direct access and use of this data requires the end users to have an adequate technical background, while they should also cope with the internal data structure and values presented. Consequently the information retrieval is a quite difficult process even for IT or DB experts, taking into account the limited contributions of relational databases from the conceptual point of view. Ontologies enable users to formally describe a domain of knowledge in terms of concepts and relations among them and hence they can be used for unambiguously specifying the information captured by the relational database. However, accessing information residing in a database using ontologies is feasible, provided that the users are keen on using semantic web technologies. For enabling users form different disciplines to retrieve the appropriate data, the design of a Graphical User Interface is necessary. In this work, we will present an interactive, ontology-based, semantically enable web tool that can be used for information retrieval purposes. The tool is totally based on the ontological representation of underlying database schema while it provides a user friendly environment through which the users can graphically form and execute their queries.

Keywords: ontologies, relational databases, SPARQL, web interface

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Authors: Fahad Javed, Tasneem Akhter, Maria Zafar, Adnan Shafique

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Evaluation and quantification of techniques is critical element of research and development of technology. Simulations and models play an important role in providing the tools for such assessments. When we look at technologies which impact or is dependent on an average Joe consumer then modeling the socio-economic and psychological aspects of the consumer also gain an importance. For feed in tariff for home consumers which is being deployed for average consumer may force many consumers to be adapters of the technology. Understanding how consumers will adapt this technologies thus hold as much significance as evaluating how the techniques would work in consumer agnostic scenarios. In this paper we first build the case for simulators which accommodate socio-economic realities of the consumers to evaluate smart grid technologies, provide a glossary of data that can aid in this effort and present an abstract model to capture and simulate consumers' adaptation and behavioral response to smart grid technologies. We provide a case study to express the power of such simulators.

Keywords: smart grids, simulation, socio-economic parameters, feed in tariff (FiT), forecasting

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Authors: Madhavi

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All linguistic units are context-dependent. They occur in particular settings, from which they derive much of their import, and are recognized by speakers as distinct entities only through a process of abstraction. Most of the words have several concepts associated with them and convey a number of meanings in different contexts in any language. For instance, there are different uses of the word good as an adjective from English. The adjective good expresses many senses like (1) ‘high quality of someone or something’ (2) ‘efficient’ (3) ‘virtuous’ (4) ‘reliable’ etc. These senses will be analyzed by using cognitive semantics framework. The context has the power to insulate one meaning from all the other meanings in communication. This paper will provide a cognitive semantic analysis. The basic tenet of cognitive semantics is the sense of a word is the way we conceptualize it. Our conceptualization is based on the physical experience we go through. Cognitive semantics tries to capture this conceptualization in terms of some categories like schema, frame, and domain. Cognitive semantics is a subfield of cognitive linguistics. Cognitive linguistics studies the language creation, learning, and usage by the reference to human cognition. The semantic structure is conceptual structure which is related to the concepts which are the elements of reason and constitute the meanings of words and linguistic expressions. Cognitive semantics studies how our mind works for the meaning of any word and how it perceives meaning from the environment through senses and works to map with the knowledge which already exists in our mind through experience. In the present paper, the senses are further classified into some categories.

Keywords: cognitive, contexts, semantics, senses

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Authors: Saheed A. Gbadegeshin

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Lean Commercialization (LC) is a transformation of new technologies and knowledge to products and services through application of lean/agile principle. This principle focuses on how resources can be minimized on development, manufacturing, and marketing new products/services, which can be accepted by customers. To understand how the LC has been employed by the technology-based companies, a case study approach was employed by interviewing the founders, observing their high technologies, and interviewing the commercialization experts. Two serial entrepreneurs were interviewed in 2012, and their commercialized technologies were monitored from 2012 till 2016. Some results were collected, but to validate the commercialization strategies of these entrepreneurs, four commercialization experts were interviewed in 2017. Initial results, observation notes, and experts’ opinions were analyzed qualitatively. The final findings showed that the entrepreneurs applied the LC unknowingly, and the experts were aware of the LC. Similarly, the entrepreneurs used the LC due to the financial constraints, and their need for success. Additionally, their commercialization practices revealed that LC appeared to be one of their commercialization strategies. Thus, their practices were analyzed, and a framework was developed. Furthermore, the experts noted that LC is a new dawn, which technologists and scientists need to consider for their high technology commercialization. This article contributes to the theory and practice of commercialization. Theoretically, the framework adds value to the commercialization discussion. And, practically the framework can be used by the technology entrepreneurs (technologists and scientists), technology-based enterprises, and technology entrepreneurship educators as a guide in their commercialization adventures.

Keywords: lean commercialization, high technologies, lean start-up, technology-based companies

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Authors: Nassim Labdaoui, Fabienne Nouvel, Stéphane Dutertre

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The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as a crucial communication technology for the future. Many solutions have been proposed, and among them, licensed operators have put forward LTE-M and NB-IoT. However, implementing these technologies requires a good understanding of the device energy requirements, which can vary depending on the coverage conditions. In this paper, we investigate the power consumption of LTE-M and NB-IoT devices using Ublox SARA-R422S modules based on relevant standards from two French operators. The measurements were conducted under different coverage conditions, and we also present an empirical consumption model based on the different states of the radio modem as per the RRC protocol specifications. Our findings indicate that these technologies can achieve a 5 years operational battery life under certain conditions. Moreover, we conclude that the size of transmitted data does not have a significant impact on the total power consumption of the device under favorable coverage conditions. However, it can quickly influence the battery life of the device under harsh coverage conditions. Overall, this paper offers insights into the power consumption of LTE-M and NBIoT devices and provides useful information for those considering the use of these technologies.

Keywords: internet of things, LTE-M, NB-IoT, MQTT, cellular IoT, power consumption

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Authors: Hossein Mohammadi Rouzbahani, Hadis Karimipour, Evan Fraser, Ali Dehghantanha, Emily Duncan, Arthur Green, Conchobhair Russell

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Human population growth has driven rising demand for food that has, in turn, imposed huge impacts on the environment. In an effort to reconcile our need to produce more sustenance while also protecting the world’s ecosystems, farming is becoming more reliant on smart tools and communication technologies. Developing a smart farming framework allows farmers to make more efficient use of inputs, thus protecting water quality and biodiversity habitat. Internet of Things (IoT), which has revolutionized every sphere of the economy, is being applied to agriculture by connecting on-farm devices and providing real-time monitoring of everything from environmental conditions to market signals through to animal health data. However, utilizing IoT means farming networks are now vulnerable to malicious activities, mostly when wireless communications are highly employed. With that in mind, this research aims to review different utilized communication technologies in smart farming. Moreover, possible cyber-attacks are investigated to discover the vulnerabilities of communication technologies considering the most frequent cyber-attacks that have been happened.

Keywords: smart farming, Internet of Things, communication layer, cyber-attack

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Authors: Patrick O. Bobbie, Prince S. Attrams

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In recent times, the rapid change in new technologies has spurred up the way and manner records are handled in educational institutions. Also, there is a need for reliable access and ease-of use to these records, resulting in increased productivity in organizations. In academic institutions, such benefits help in quality assessments, institutional performance, and assessments of teaching and evaluation methods. Students in educational institutions benefit the most when advanced technologies are deployed in accessing records. This research paper discusses the use of biometric technologies coupled with smartcard technologies to provide a unique way of identifying students and matching their data to financial records to grant them access to restricted areas such as examination halls. The system developed in this paper, has an identity verification component as part of its main functionalities. A systematic software development cycle of analysis, design, coding, testing and support was used. The system provides a secured way of verifying student’s identity and real time verification of financial records. An advanced prototype version of the system has been developed for testing purposes.

Keywords: biometrics, smartcards, identity-verification, fingerprints

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Authors: Muna Al-Siyabi

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When students bring mobile devices into the classrooms, they are frequently viewed as distractions from their daily educational practices rather than developing the twenty-first century skills. Such skills may involve sorting and extracting information, solving problems and evaluating results. Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, have great potential for learning. Currently, schools and universities are embracing these devices with the aim of enhancing education. In Oman, mobile technologies have been introduced in the last ten years in two private schools to keep pace with the technological advancement. The researcher set out to examine the benefits and challenges of employing mobile learning in these two schools with the aim to inform the implementation of mobile technologies in more schools in Oman. The total of 16 teachers and 237 students responded to questionnaires, and 7 teachers and three student focus groups (of 13 students) were involved in interviews to explore how mobile technologies are used in these two schools. The questionnaires indicated that 87.5% of the sample teachers considered mobile learning helpful for learning and teaching. The teachers believed that mobile learning could promote learning, help teaching, offer vast resources, motivate students and save lesson time. Moreover, interviews with the teachers showed that mobile learning could offer several benefits like immediacy, saving lesson time, supporting differentiation, opportunities to learn anywhere, showing understanding, and offering vast resources. Most of the sample were also facing technical and classroom management challenges when employing mobile technologies in their lessons. In the interviews, most teachers complained of the difficulty to control their classes when they had mobile devices, which distracted their attention and understanding. They reported that their students were distracted by games and they needed to be trained to use mobile technologies for educational purposes. Most teachers recommended that certain parameters or restrictions should be established in any mobile learning project that restrict the usage of mobile technologies to educational purposes. In addition, teachers also emphasised that students needed to be trained on the advantages and limitations of mobile technologies. Teachers were also recommending that pedagogical training for using mobile technologies should be considered when implementing mobile learning in schools. These findings reveal that although of the challenges of managing their classes, teachers believe that mobile learning has great potential for learning. These results imply that mobile learning can be effectively implemented in school in Oman if certain factors and restrictions are considered.

Keywords: effective implementation, challenges, mobile learning, opportunities

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Authors: Lim Teck Beng, Thiha Kyaw, Poh Boon Kiat, Lee Ngai Meng

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This work presents discussion on the possibility of merging two emerging technologies in microwave; wireless power transfer (WPT) and RF energy harvesting. The current state of art of the two technologies is discussed and the strength and weakness of the two technologies is also presented. The equivalent circuit of wireless power transfer is modeled and explained as how the range and efficiency can be further increased by controlling certain parameters in the receiver. The different techniques of harvesting the RF energy from the ambient are also extensive study. Last but not least, we demonstrate that a low power wireless sensor network (WSN) can be power up by RF energy harvesting. The WSN is designed to transmit every 3 minutes of information containing the temperature of the environment and also the voltage of the node. One thing worth mention is both the sensors that are used for measurement are also powering up by the RF energy harvesting system.

Keywords: energy harvesting, wireless power transfer, wireless sensor network and magnetic coupled resonator

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Authors: N. Allouache, O. Rahli

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Solar radiation is by far the largest and the most world’s abundant, clean, and permanent energy source. In recent years, many promising technologies have been developed to harness the sun's energy. These technologies help in environmental protection, economizing energy, and sustainable development, which are the major issues of the world. One of these important technologies is the solar refrigerating machines that make use of either absorption or adsorption technologies. In this present work, the adsorbent bed is modelized and optimized using different working pairs, such as zeolite-water, silica gel-water, activated carbon-ammonia, calcium chlorid-ammonia, activated carbon fiber- methanol and activated carbon AC35-methanol. The results show that the enhancement of the heat and mass transfer depends on the properties of the working pair; the performances of the adsorption cycle are essentially influenced by the choice of the adsorbent-adsorbate pair. The system can operate successfully for optimal parameters such as the evaporator, condenser, and generating temperatures. The activated carbon is the best adsorbent due to its high surface area and micropore volume.

Keywords: adsorbent bed, heat and mass transfer, numerical analysis, working pairs

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Authors: Xiaolin Zeng, Lei Cheng, Zhirong Li, Xueping Liu

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Aiming at the problem of low accuracy and susceptibility to cultural relic diseases in the generation of high-resolution archaeology drawings by current image generation algorithms, an archaeology drawings generation algorithm based on a conditional generative adversarial network is proposed. An attention mechanism is added into the high-resolution image generation network as the backbone network, which enhances the line feature extraction capability and improves the accuracy of line drawing generation. A dual-branch parallel architecture consisting of two backbone networks is implemented, where the semantic translation branch extracts semantic features from orthophotographs of cultural relics, and the gradient screening branch extracts effective gradient features. Finally, the fusion fine-tuning module combines these two types of features to achieve the generation of high-quality and high-resolution archaeology drawings. Experimental results on the self-constructed archaeology drawings dataset of grotto temple statues show that the proposed algorithm outperforms current mainstream image generation algorithms in terms of pixel accuracy (PA), structural similarity (SSIM), and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and can be used to assist in drawing archaeology drawings.

Keywords: archaeology drawings, digital heritage, image generation, deep learning

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Authors: Mouheb Mehdoui, Amel Fraisse, Mounir Zrigui

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With the increasing amount of data circulating over the Web, there is a growing need to develop and deploy tools aimed at unraveling semantic nuances within text or sentences. The challenges in extracting precise meanings arise from the complexity of natural language, while words usually have multiple interpretations depending on the context. The challenge of precisely interpreting words within a given context is what the task of Word Sense Disambiguation meets. It is a very old domain within the area of Natural Language Processing aimed at determining a word’s meaning that it is going to carry in a particular context, hence increasing the correctness of applications processing the language. Numerous linguistic resources are accessible online, including WordNet, thesauri, and dictionaries, enabling exploration of diverse contextual meanings. However, several limitations persist. These include the scarcity of resources for certain languages, a limited number of examples within corpora, and the challenge of accurately detecting the topic or context covered by text, which significantly impacts word sense disambiguation. This paper will discuss the different approaches to WSD and review corpora available for this task. We will contrast these approaches, highlighting the limitations, which will allow us to build a corpus in French, targeted for WSD.

Keywords: semantic enrichment, disambiguation, context fusion, natural language processing, multilingual applications

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Authors: Xueying Li

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Different from English, it is common to observe Chinese clauses logically related in an implicit way without any conjunctions. This typological difference has posed a great challenge for Chinese-English translators, as 1) translators may interpret logical meaning in different ways when there are no conjunctions in Chinese Source Text (ST); 2) translators may have questions whether to make Chinese implicit logical meaning explicit or to remain implicit in Target Text (TT), and whether other dimensions of logical meaning (e.g., type of logical meaning) should be shifted or not. Against this background, this study examines a comprehensive arrange of Chinese-English translation choices of logical meaning to deal with this challenge in a systematic way. It compiles several ST-TT passages from a set of translation textbooks in a corpus, namely Ying Yu Bi Yi Shi Wu (Er Ji)) [Translation Practice between Chinese and English: Intermediate Level] and its supportive training book, analyzes how logical meaning in ST are translated in TT in texts across different text types with Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as the theoretical framework, and finally draws a system network of translation choices of logical meaning from Chinese into English. Since translators may probably think about semantic meaning rather than lexico-grammatical resources in translation, this study goes away from traditional lexico-grammatical choices, but rather describing translation choices from the semantic level. The findings in this study can provide some help and support for translation practitioners so that they can understand that besides explicitation, there are a variety of possible linguistic choices available for making informed decisions when translating Chinese logical meaning into English.

Keywords: Chinese-English translation, logical meaning, systemic functional linguistics, translation choices

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Authors: Yasemin Gulsen Yilmaz, Suleyman Hakan Yilmaz, Muhammet Erbay

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The new communication technologies have gradually improved its efficiency in all fields of life and made its presence irreplaceable. These technologies which appear in every aspect of life differently showed itself during the failed coup attempt in Turkey too. The evening of July 15, 2016, have already taken its place in the Turkish political history. In the evening of July 15, Turkish nation confronted to a coup attempted by a group within the Turkish Armed Forces. That evening, the scene of the confrontation between the coup attempters and the resisting civilians were watched minute-by-minute by the people using the new communication technologies. Pro-coup soldiers and the resisting groups that came face to face in the streets of metropolitan cities, made their in-group communications by using new media tools very actively. New media turned into the most important weapon both for coup plotters and for those who resisted. In the morning of next day, whoever used these tools better had the upper hand. The civilians were successful in protecting democracy not only by resisting against tanks and bullets but also by following the internet, organising in social media, sharing information-photos on the net and telling large masses their experiences through these technologies. In this study, we focused on and analysed the use of new media both by coup soldiers and resisting civilians during the failed coup attempt in July 15. Within the scope of this study, coup attempt news that took place in printed media within one week were examined; the information about the use of new media tools during the night of failed coup were compiled; and it was determined how, to what extend and what for these tools were used and how effective they were.

Keywords: communication, July 15, new media, media

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Authors: Fabianna Bacil, Zenathan Hasannundin, Clovis Freire

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The green transition opens green windows of opportunity – temporary moments in which there are lower barriers and shorter learning periods for developing countries to enter emerging technologies and catch-up. However, taking advantage of these windows requires capabilities in national sectoral systems to adopt and develop technologies linked to green sectors as well as strong responses to build the required knowledge, skills, and infrastructure and foster the growth of targeted sectors. This paper uses UNCTAD’s frontier technology readiness index to analyse the current position of Latin America and the Caribbean to use, adopt, and adapt frontier technologies, examining the preconditions in the region to take up windows of opportunity that arise with the green transition. The index highlights the inequality across countries in the region, as well as gaps in capabilities dimensions, especially in terms of R&D. Moving to responses, it highlights industrial policies implemented to foster the growth of green technologies, emphasising the essential role played by the state to build and strengthen capabilities and provide infant industry protection that enables the growth of these sectors. Overall, while there are exceptions, especially in the Brazilian case, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean should focus on strengthening their capabilities to be better positioned, especially in terms of knowledge creation, infrastructure, and financing availability.

Keywords: Green technologies, Industrial policy, Latin America, windows of opportunity

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Authors: E. Maistrou, P. Themelis, D. Kosmopoulos, K. Boulougoura, A. M. Konidi, K. Moretti

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InterArch is an ongoing research project that is running since September 2020 and aims to propose a digital application for the enhancement of the cultural landscape, which emphasizes the contribution of physical space and time in digital data organization. The research case study refers to Ancient Messene in the Peloponnese, one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. The project integrates an interactive approach to the natural environment, aiming at a manifold sensory experience. It combines the physical space of the archaeological site with the digital space of archaeological and cultural data while, at the same time, it embraces storytelling processes by engaging an interdisciplinary approach that familiarizes the user to multiple semantic interpretations. The research project is co‐financed by the European Union and Greek national funds, through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH - CREATE – INNOVATE (project code: Τ2ΕΔΚ-01659). It involves mutual collaboration between academic and cultural institutions and the contribution of an IT applications development company. New technologies and the integration of digital data enable the implementation of non‐linear narratives related to the representational characteristics of the art of collage. Various images (photographs, drawings, etc.) and sounds (narrations, music, soundscapes, audio signs, etc.) could be presented according to our proposal through new semiotics of augmented and virtual reality technologies applied in touch screens and smartphones. Despite the fragmentation of tangible or intangible references, material landscape formations, including archaeological remains, constitute the common ground that can inspire cultural narratives in a process that unfolds personal perceptions and collective imaginaries. It is in this context that cultural landscape may be considered an indication of space and historical continuity. It is in this context that history could emerge, according to our proposal, not solely as a previous inscription but also as an actual happening. As a rhythm of occurrences suggesting mnemonic references and, moreover, evolving history projected on the contemporary ongoing cultural landscape.

Keywords: cultural heritage, digital data, landscape, archaeological sites, visitors’ itineraries

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Authors: Ida Bruheim Jensen, Hulda Mjöll Gunnarsdottir, Ingunn T. Ellingsen

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Digital government is often seen as an enabler or even driver of transformation of public administration, with the objective of creating public value. The increasing use of digital solutions in public services comes with great expectations of new and/or more efficient service provision. Digitalizing public sector services involve multi-level implementation. It involves national policy negotiations and decisions of digital government solutions. It involves co-creation/-production of ideas where planning, design, and implementation involves several groups of actors targeting end-users. Norway is among the most digitalised countries in the world, and Government spendings on digital technologies in public services are high compared to other OECD countries. This contribution studies an ongoing digital transformation in the Norwegian child welfare services. DigiBarnevern (Digi child welfare) is a nationwide project promising better and more efficient child welfare services through various digital technologies. The digitalization process, which is managed by the state and municipalities, is still in its early stages, and as of 2022, only a few services are operative. Digital technologies such as DigiBarnevern are implemented with promises of qualitatively improving child protection work, making the services more effective, foster user participation, and increase availability. There is limited research on the implications of using digital technologies in child protection work. We aim to present findings from an ongoing research project (2022-2024). Drawing on data from focus group interviews with social workers in 5 municipal child welfare services in Norway, we explore social workers’ experiences and expectations towards using digital technologies in child welfare services. Technological solutions may change the services and child protection work in numerous ways. Potential points of departure for discussion are how technologies may change the relationships between social workers, children, youth, and their families, how technologies can alter and obscure responsibilities, and how technologies may demand digital competence among social workers and service recipients.

Keywords: child welfare, social work, technology, digitalisation

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Authors: Thandie Veronicah Sima, Moatlhodi Wiseman Letshwenyo

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Discharge of wastewater is one of the major sources of phosphorus entering streams, lakes and other water bodies causing undesired environmental problem such as eutrophication. This condition not only puts the ecosystem at risk but also causes severe economic damages. Stringent laws have been developed globally by different bodies to control the level of phosphorus concentrations into receiving environments. In order to satisfy the constraints, a high degree of tertiary treatment or at least a significant reduction of phosphorus concentration is obligatory. This comprehensive review summarizes phosphorus removal technologies, from the most commonly used conventional technologies such as chemical precipitation through metal addition, membrane filtration, reverse osmosis and enhanced biological phosphorus removal using activated sludge system to passive systems such as constructed wetlands and filtration systems. Trends, perspectives and scientific procedures conducted by different researchers have been presented. This review critically evaluates the advantages and limitations behind each of the technologies. Enhancement of passive systems using reactive media such as industrial wastes to provide additional uptake through adsorption or precipitation is also discussed in this article.

Keywords: adsorption, chemical precipitation, enhanced biological phosphorus removal, phosphorus removal

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Authors: Faseluka Olamide Tope

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Giving quality education to students with special needs requires that all necessary resources should be harnessed and digital devices has become important part of resources used as instructional materials in educating students with special needs. Teachers who will make use of these technologies are considered as a part of the most important elements in any educational programme and the effective usage of these technologies largely depends on them. Out of numerous determinants of the effective use of these digital devices, this study examines teachers’ attitude and knowledge as predictors of effective use of digital technology for education of special needs student in Oyo state, Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design of the expo-facto type was adopted for the study, using simple random sampling technique. The study was carried out among sixty (60) participants. Two research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated and used. The data collected through the research instruments for the study were analysedusing frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, Pearson, Product, Moment Correlation (PPMC) and Multiple Regression Analysis. The study revealed a significant relationship between teachers attitude (50, < 0.05) and effective use of digital technologies for special needs students. Furthermore, there was a significant contribution F (F=4.289; R=0.876 and R2 =0.758) in the joint contribution of the independent variable  (teacher’s attitude and teacher’s knowledge) and dependent variable (effective use of digital technologies) while teachers knowledge have the highest contribution(b=7.926, t=4.376), the study therefore revealed that teachers attitude and knowledge are potent factors that predicts the effective usage of digital technologies for the education of special needs student. The study recommended that due to the ever-changing nature of technology which comes with new features, teachers should be equipped with appropriate knowledge in order to effectively make use of them and teachers should also develop right attitude toward the use of digital technologies

Keywords: teachers’ knowledge, teachers’ attitude, digital devices, special needs students

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Authors: Daniel Vargas-Herrera, Ivette Caldelas, Fernando Brambila-Paz, Rodrigo Montufar-Chaveznava

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In this paper, we present the advances corresponding to the implementation of a set of educational materials based on video games technologies. Essentially these materials correspond to projects developed and under development as bachelor thesis of some Computer Engineering students of the Engineering School. All materials are based on the Unity SDK; integrating some devices such as kinect, leap motion, oculus rift, data gloves and Google cardboard. In detail, we present a virtual reality application for neurosciences students (suitable for neural rehabilitation), and virtual scenes for the Google cardboard, which will be used by the psychology students for phobias treatment. The objective is these materials will be located at a server to be available for all students, in the classroom or in the cloud, considering the use of smartphones has been widely extended between students.

Keywords: virtual reality, interactive technologies, video games, educational materials

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Authors: Liubov Magerramova, Eugene Kratt, Pavel Presniakov

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A detailed analysis has been performed for several schemes of Gas Turbine Wheels production based on additive and powder technologies including metal, ceramic, and stereolithography 3-D printing. During the process of development and debugging of gas turbine engine components, different versions of these components must be manufactured and tested. Cooled blades of the turbine are among of these components. They are usually produced by traditional casting methods. This method requires long and costly design and manufacture of casting molds. Moreover, traditional manufacturing methods limit the design possibilities of complex critical parts of engine, so capabilities of Powder Metallurgy Techniques (PMT) were analyzed to manufacture the turbine wheel with air-cooled blades. PMT dramatically reduce time needed for such production and allow creating new complex design solutions aimed at improving the technical characteristics of the engine: improving fuel efficiency and environmental performance, increasing reliability, and reducing weight. To accelerate and simplify the blades manufacturing process, several options based on additive technologies were used. The options were implemented in the form of various casting equipment for the manufacturing of blades. Methods of powder metallurgy were applied for connecting the blades with the disc. The optimal production scheme and a set of technologies for the manufacturing of blades and turbine wheel and other parts of the engine can be selected on the basis of the options considered.

Keywords: additive technologies, gas turbine engine, powder technology, turbine wheel

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Authors: Chia-Chen Wu, Chih-Fu Wu, Pey-Weng Lien, Kai-Chieh Lin

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In the past, the most comprehensively adopted light source was incandescent light bulbs, but with the appearance of LED light sources, traditional light sources have been gradually replaced by LEDs because of its numerous superior characteristics. However, many of the standards do not apply to LEDs as the two light sources are characterized differently. This also intensifies the significance of studies on LEDs. As a Kansei design study investigating the visual glare produced by traffic arrows implemented with LEDs, this study conducted a semantic analysis on the styles of traffic arrows used in domestic and international occasions. The results will be able to reduce drivers’ misrecognition that results in the unsuccessful arrival at the destination, or in traffic accidents. This study started with a literature review and surveyed the status quo before conducting experiments that were divided in two parts. The first part involved a screening experiment of arrow samples, where cluster analysis was conducted to choose five representative samples of LED displays. The second part was a semantic experiment on the display of arrows using LEDs, where the five representative samples and the selected ten adjectives were incorporated. Analyzing the results with Quantification Theory Type I, it was found that among the composition of arrows, fletching was the most significant factor that influenced the adjectives. In contrast, a “no fletching” design was more abstract and vague. It lacked the ability to convey the intended message and might bear psychological negative connotation including “dangerous,” “forbidden,” and “unreliable.” The arrow design consisting of “> shaped fletching” was found to be more concrete and definite, showing positive connotation including “safe,” “cautious,” and “reliable.” When a stimulus was placed at a farther distance, the glare could be significantly reduced; moreover, the visual evaluation scores would be higher. On the contrary, if the fletching and the shaft had a similar proportion, looking at the stimuli caused higher evaluation at a closer distance. The above results will be able to be applied to the design of traffic arrows by conveying information definitely and rapidly. In addition, drivers’ safety could be enhanced by understanding the cause of glare and improving visual recognizability.

Keywords: LED, arrow, Kansei research, preferred imagery

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Authors: Vasile Caunii, Andreea D. Serban, Mihaela Ivancia

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The paper presents a new approach in terms of the circular economy of technologies for feeding and aeration of accumulations and water basins for fish farming and aquaculture. Because fish is and will be one of the main foods on the planet, the use of bio-eco-technologies is a priority for all producers. The technologies proposed in the paper want to reduce by a substantial percentage the costs of operation of ponds and water accumulation, using non-polluting technologies with minimal impact on the environment. The paper proposes two innovative, intelligent systems, fully automated that use a common platform, completely eco-friendly. One system is intended to aerate the water of the fish pond, and the second is intended to feed the fish by dispersing an optimal amount of fodder, depending on population size, age and habits. Both systems use a floating platform, regenerative energy sources, are equipped with intelligent and innovative systems, and in addition to fully automated operation, significantly reduce the costs of aerating water accumulations (natural or artificial) and feeding fish. The intelligent system used for feeding, in addition, to reduce operating costs, optimizes the amount of food, thus preventing water pollution and the development of bacteria, microorganisms. The advantages of the systems are: increasing the yield of fish production, these are green installations, with zero pollutant emissions, can be arranged anywhere on the water surface, depending on the user's needs, can operate autonomously or remotely controlled, if there is a component failure, the system provides the operator with accurate data on the issue, significantly reducing maintenance costs, transmit data about the water physical and chemical parameters.

Keywords: bio-eco-technologies, economy, environment, fish

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Authors: Bashayer Alsana

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Communication technologies are changing the way we experience life. More specifically, such technologies have changed the interaction system through which women express themselves. Interaction with the other gender, accessibility to useful content, and creative public expression are but a few facets of the new living experience now being offered to women through the use of technology, especially in areas where females are bounded by societal taboos and traditions. An evaluation of the new female experience of expressing themselves through technology is yet to be done. This study aims to fill the void of research conducted around that topic. The study explores women’s use of communication technologies in Kuwait in terms of reasons and effects. women’s responses to survey questions present an overview of the new and changing female experience in this traditional middle eastern country, and draws a framework through which implications and suggestions for future research are discussed to better serve the advancement of women in developing countries.

Keywords: communications, kuwait, social media, women

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Authors: M. Maleki Sadabad, A. Pointing, N. Marashi

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With respect to the role and increasing importance of technology for countries development, in recent decades technology development has paid attention in a systematic form. Nowadays the markets face with highly complicated and competitive conditions in foreign markets, therefore, evaluation and selection of technology effectiveness and also formulating technology strategy have changed into a vital subject for some organizations. The study introduces the standards of empowerment evaluation and technology attractiveness especially strategic technologies which explain the way of technology evaluation, selection and finally formulating suitable technology strategy in the field of drilling in South Azadegan oil field. The study firstly identifies the key challenges of oil fields in order to evaluate the technologies in field of drilling in South Azadegan oil field through an interview with the experts of industry and then they have been prioritised. In the following, the existing and new technologies were identified to solve the challenges of South Azadegan oil field. In order to explore the ability, availability, and attractiveness of every technology, a questionnaire based on Julie indices has been designed and distributed among the industry elites. After determining the score of ability, availability and attractiveness, every technology which has been obtained by the average of expert’s ideas, the technology package has been introduced by Morin’s model. The matrix includes four areas which will follow the especial strategy. Finally, by analysing the above matrix, the technology options have been suggested in order to select and invest.

Keywords: technology, technology identification, drilling technologies, technology capability

Procedia PDF Downloads 142

Authors: Olga Kononova, Sergey Lyapin

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Global information society requirements are transparency and reliability of data, as well as ability to manage information resources independently; particularly to search, to analyze, to evaluate information, thereby obtaining new expertise. Moreover, it is satisfying the society information needs that increases the efficiency of the enterprise management and public administration. The study of structurally organized thematic and semantic contexts of different types, automatically extracted from unstructured data, is one of the important tasks for the application of information technologies in education, science, culture, governance and business. The objectives of this study are the contextual knowledge typologization, selection or creation of effective tools for extracting and analyzing contextual knowledge. Explication of various kinds and forms of the contextual knowledge involves the development and use full-text search information systems. For the implementation purposes, the authors use an e-library 'Humanitariana' services such as the contextual search, different types of queries (paragraph-oriented query, frequency-ranked query), automatic extraction of knowledge from the scientific texts. The multifunctional e-library «Humanitariana» is realized in the Internet-architecture in WWS-configuration (Web-browser / Web-server / SQL-server). Advantage of use 'Humanitariana' is in the possibility of combining the resources of several organizations. Scholars and research groups may work in a local network mode and in distributed IT environments with ability to appeal to resources of any participating organizations servers. Paper discusses some specific cases of the contextual knowledge explication with the use of the e-library services and focuses on possibilities of new types of the contextual knowledge. Experimental research base are science texts about 'e-government' and 'computer games'. An analysis of the subject-themed texts trends allowed to propose the content analysis methodology, that combines a full-text search with automatic construction of 'terminogramma' and expert analysis of the selected contexts. 'Terminogramma' is made out as a table that contains a column with a frequency-ranked list of words (nouns), as well as columns with an indication of the absolute frequency (number) and the relative frequency of occurrence of the word (in %% ppm). The analysis of 'e-government' materials showed, that the state takes a dominant position in the processes of the electronic interaction between the authorities and society in modern Russia. The media credited the main role in these processes to the government, which provided public services through specialized portals. Factor analysis revealed two factors statistically describing the used terms: human interaction (the user) and the state (government, processes organizer); interaction management (public officer, processes performer) and technology (infrastructure). Isolation of these factors will lead to changes in the model of electronic interaction between government and society. In this study, the dominant social problems and the prevalence of different categories of subjects of computer gaming in science papers from 2005 to 2015 were identified. Therefore, there is an evident identification of several types of contextual knowledge: micro context; macro context; dynamic context; thematic collection of queries (interactive contextual knowledge expanding a composition of e-library information resources); multimodal context (functional integration of iconographic and full-text resources through hybrid quasi-semantic algorithm of search). Further studies can be pursued both in terms of expanding the resource base on which they are held, and in terms of the development of appropriate tools.

Keywords: contextual knowledge, contextual search, e-library services, frequency-ranked query, paragraph-oriented query, technologies of the contextual knowledge extraction

Procedia PDF Downloads 359

Authors: Ghada Elshafei, A. Elazim Negm

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Recently, Green architecture becomes a significant way to a sustainable future. Green building designs involve finding the balance between comfortable homebuilding and sustainable environment. Moreover, the utilization of the new technologies such as artificial intelligence techniques are used to complement current practices in creating greener structures to keep the built environment more sustainable. The most common objectives are green buildings should be designed to minimize the overall impact of the built environment on ecosystems in general and particularly on human health and on the natural environment. This will lead to protecting occupant health, improving employee productivity, reducing pollution and sustaining the environmental. In green building design, multiple parameters which may be interrelated, contradicting, vague and of qualitative/quantitative nature are broaden to use. This paper presents a comprehensive critical state of art review of current practices based on fuzzy and its combination techniques. Also, presented how green architecture/building can be improved using the technologies that been used for analysis to seek optimal green solutions strategies and models to assist in making the best possible decision out of different alternatives.

Keywords: green architecture/building, technologies, optimization, strategies, fuzzy techniques, models

Procedia PDF Downloads 475

Authors: Carmit Noa Shpigelman, Michal Isaacson

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Over the last decades, the improvement in welfare and health services and the increase in awareness of the needs of people with intellectual disability has led to an increase in their life expectancy, and many of them enter into old age. Furthermore, many older adults with intellectual disability live in out-of-home residence. This situation, in addition to the parents' aging process as the main caregivers, may lead to a reduction in contact with the family and, as a result, decreased level of the residents' (older adults with intellectual disability) well-being. A plausible solution for this condition may be using communication technologies. Previous studies indicate that using communication technologies among older adults contributes to maintaining the relationship with others, decreasing the older adult's sense of loneliness, and increasing their level of well-being. Using communication technologies may be especially valuable for older adults in the current global pandemic of COVID-19 and the associated restrictions of social distancing. However, to date, research on using communication technologies among people with intellectual disability has focused on younger cohorts. Moreover, research on the adoption of technologies among older adults with intellectual disability has focused more on assistive technologies and less on communication technologies. To address these practice and research gaps, the present study focuses on the adoption process of communication technology among older adults with intellectual disability (over the age of 45 years) who live in supported accommodation. Fifteen residents participated in an intervention program where they received a tablet with a video communication application and through which they were able to contact their families. A multiple-case study methodology was applied to capture the experiences, including barriers and needs, of the residents from three perspectives: the resident, the family member, and a staff member from the residential setting. The data was collected via quantitative and qualitative measures at different time points over the intervention. The findings demonstrate the contribution of using communication technology for the well-being of older adults with intellectual disability in supported accommodation. The findings also map the adoption process among this population, including pitfalls. The present study contributes to developing best practices on how to accommodate communication technologies to older adults with intellectual disability for maintaining contact with others.

Keywords: adoption, aging, communication, intellectual disability, technology

Procedia PDF Downloads 235