International Institute of
A Comparison of SOBI, FastICA, JADE and Infomax Algorithms
Sahonero-Alvarez, Guillermo; Calderón, Humberto (Bolivia)
ABSTRACT:
The Blind Source Separation (BSS) problem is present in a variety of engineering applications, including the electroencephalographic (EEG) signal separation for artifact removal procedure in Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI). Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is a widely used technique for this purpose, although, it is also well known to have high computational complexity. Thus, when ‘real time’ operation is the target on BCI systems, hardware solutions and specifically FPGA devices arise as feasible answers to the needs. However, when considering the design constraints and requirements, it is necessary to analyze which ICA algorithm would fit better in hardware. In this work, we evaluate different software implementations of ICA approaches using MATLAB and according to some criteria (running time, allocated memory, accuracy and scalability) targeting four ICA algorithms: Second-Order Blind Identification (SOBI), Hyvarinen’s fixed-point algorithm (FastICA), logistic Infomax (Infomax) and Joint Approximation Diagonalization of Eigenmatrices (JADE). The outcomes have shown that SOBI’s MATLAB implementation is the best procedure among all the analyzed techniques by drastically overcoming the speed of the others algorithms. Moreover, its correlation grades, corresponding to Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients respectively, indicate it as one of the more accurate algorithms.
A Complexity Science Study: Effect of Critical Current Density on Semiconductor Laser Diodes and Integrated Circuits
Huang, Jack Jia-Sheng *; Jan, Yu-Heng ** (* United States, ** Taiwan)
ABSTRACT:
Complexity science is becoming increasingly poplular in order to more effectively tackle with the convoluted and multi-dimentional problems. In this work, we discuss the application of complexity science on the study of reliability physics and design of semiconductor laser diodes (LDs) and integrated circuits (ICs). We show the common effect of critical current density on laser diode and IC interconnect and discuss its implication in device design.
A Discussion of Dynamic Configuration Technology in Complex System
Jiang, Zeyong; Zhao, Tingdi; Ren, Fuchun (China)
ABSTRACT:
Current highly integrated and complex system will cause huge property losses and casualties, if security accident occurs. Dynamic reconfiguration technology has become a practical and effective solution to ensure safety operation of complex system through reconfiguration after a fault occurs in system. However, dynamic reconfiguration technology provides new ideas and methods for security of complex system; meanwhile, it also brings the issues that system behavior tends to be more complex which human can hardly figure out, so that it is difficult to implement effective and credible analysis and evaluation. Therefore, this paper makes a brief discussion of status of dynamic configuration system as well as the issues, and some corresponding advices are also recommended.
A Tool for Analyzing Mutations in Biomedical Microorganisms
Flórez, Héctor; Salvatierra, Karina (Colombia)
ABSTRACT:
Mutations of resistance of drugs are considered a major public health problem. Various mutations associated with the development of resistance of drugs have been described in microorganisms such as virus and bacteria. Analyzing these mutations becomes a challenge because microorganisms are described by a big amount of data that must be processed. Nowadays, scientists in health areas make these analyses manually or using standalone software that provide results in plain text formats, which limit their interpretations. In this paper,
we present an online information system for detecting mutations implicated in resistance to drugs. We have used computer applications, technological tools,
standard languages, infrastructure systems and algorithms, to analyze positions associated with resistance to different drugs. Said information system
allows users to calculate changes in nucleotide and amino acid sequences for each selected sequence from conventional Sanger and cloning sequencing using a friendly graphical interface. In this paper, we present BMA (Biomedical Mutation Analysis), which is the software that we have built to provide sequences analyses with respect to drug resistance. It is available at: http://bma.itiud.org
Acceleration of the Diffusion of Innovation: An Explanation of Rapid versus Classic Technology Adoption Rates among Data Entry and Executive Staff in the Louisiana Public Defender System
Stilling, Erik *; Smit, Peter ** (* United States, ** Netherlands)
ABSTRACT:
This study considers the differing rates adoption of data collection technology and data analytics reporting technology within the context of the Louisiana Public Defender System. The study found that users adopted very rapidly when allowed to design their own technical feature enhancements essentially changing their relationship with the technology from adopters to innovators. Further, when the deployment of the technology is presented as voluntary yet mutually beneficial to management and workers, adoption is much more rapid
Adaptive Deviation Management in Production Control
Meissner, Jan Peter; Schuh, Günther (Germany)
ABSTRACT:
The topics Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 increasingly lead to the fact that the customer is increasingly focused on manufacturing companies. He wants to know delivery date of the product, wants to make changes at short notice, get an individualized product and much more. Technologically, these requirements have already been met, but the structures within the company as well as the operational processes are not yet or only partially prepared to cope with the increasing complexity and dynamics of production. This leads to many deviations with which the production controller must deal, whether they are complex or trivial. In order to counteract the increasing number and frequency of deviation situations which are currently encountered with complex manual interventions, it is necessary to systematically evaluate deviations and then to allocate them a dominant reaction strategy (manual, partially automated, automated) from which a suitable reaction measure can be derived. This relieves the production controller, since assistance systems partially eliminate deviations independently. As a result, the production controller gets more time to deal with the cause of deviations so that a new occurrence of deviations can be avoided and the number of deviations can be reduced sustainably. The following paper provides a solution for the assessment of deviations. In addition, it includes differentiation logic to allocate one of the three different reaction strategies to the identified deviation.
Ameliorating Sources of Human Error in CyberSecurity: Technological and Human-Centered Approaches
Coffey, John W. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
A great deal of effort is expended on technological protections against cyberattack. Still, dangerous vulnerabilities and large-scale systems intrusions disrupt organizations with dismaying regularity. Much of the mayhem stems from human error. Much of that human error is on the part of end-users. A large portion of the effort to address cyber security concerns focuses on the hardening of technological infrastructure while placing less emphasis on the role of humans in creating system vulnerabilities. This article is about the interplay of humans with technologies in both causing and potentially ameliorating cybersecurity threats. It addresses the role of errors individuals make in the use of technology that open vulnerabilities, and the roles of both technology and training to protect systems from vulnerabilities created by the people who use them.
An Appreciative Inquiry into Patient Portal Acceptance by Medical Staff at Physician-Managed Clinics in the Western United States
Bartholomew, Kimberly (United States)
ABSTRACT:
With the passing of the Affordable Care Act by the United States Congress, many healthcare organizations have implemented Patient Portals to help meet the patient engagement requirements of Meaningful Use measures. The
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) 4D Model was the underlying methodology used to understand the key determinants needed for organizational change in the case study comprised of physician-managed independent clinics. The AI method asked caregiver stakeholders to envision an ideal, positive future for the patient health record information system, revise current practices and to construct a plan to move the organization in the desired direction. As organizations like the case study medical group raise patient portal workflow processes to a higher level of importance, patients will begin to adopt these procedures as their preferred methods and bring about a positive change in the patient-provider relationship.
An Approach for EEG of Post Traumatic Sleep Spindles and Epilepsy Seizures Detection and Classification in Rats
Obukhov, K.; Kershner, I.; Komol’tsev, I.; Maluta, I.; Obukhov, Yu (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
The electroencephalographic (EEG) features of post traumatic epilepsy (PTE) are analyzed in the paper. The proposed method allows detection and classification of sleep spindles and epilepsy seizures. The experiments were conducted on a laboratory rats before and after traumatic brain inquiry (TBI). In the introduction, the details of the experiment along with the information about manual markup are provided. In the first part, the new method of Sleep Spindles (SS) and Epilepsy Seizures (ES) detection is described. The method is based on the analysis of the wavelet spectrogram extrema. Moreover, the described procedure of background extraction and ridge segmentation helps to classify signals as epilepsy seizures and sleep spindles. In the second part, the information about the clustering is given. K-means clustering of seizures and spindles was performed based on signals power and frequency. The results of the clustering, along with the research of TBI effect on the EEG, are provided in the third part. It was shown that PTE may be considered as the cause of the frequency variance among clusters of sleep spindles and epilepsy seizures.
An Ongoing Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Hillyer College Bridge Program in Improving At-Risk First-Year Student Performance
Cheser, Elena A. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The present study is a continuation of an ongoing assessment of the Summer Bridge Program at Hillyer College of the University of Hartford; an intensive five-day experiential learning program designed to prepare academically at-risk incoming freshmen for the challenges of college life. Results for the third consecutive Bridge Program are presented, including the overall consolidated 3-year view and impact on the first regular semesters for the Fall semesters of 2014 and 2015. A model developed in 2014 which maps and quantifies the critical path for academic success has been refined to reflect an emphasis on Bridge learning outcomes. Results to-date show that for students who complete the Summer Bridge Program: (1) the overall mean score on the post-Program assessment are statistically significantly greater than the pre-Program assessment mean score; (2) there is a significant relationship between MyMathLab scores and post-Bridge program scores; (3) evidence suggests that progress demonstrated during the Bridge Program carries over into the first regular semester. To provide further support, Bridge Program students recently became members of the Hillyer College First-Year Interest Groups (FIG), which are part of the University of Hartford FIG Learning Community initiative, with the dual goals of improving learning/integrative thinking and creating community. This paper will present a conceptual model and framework for future assessment of the effect of FIG, in combination with the Bridge Program, on first-year student learning experience.
Analogical or Logical Reflection - Cultural Reasoning? (Invited Paper)
Bialaszewski, Dennis (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The following is a reflection on the conversational session presented at the IMCIC Conference in the Spring of 2017. The focus of this session was a comparison of Analogical versus logical thinking. This session was quite thought provoking. However, it lacked completeness as “Cultural Reasoning” was omitted from the discussion.”
Applying the 3-Layer Model in the Construction of a Framework to Create Web Applications
Sánchez, Daniel; Méndez, Oscar; Flórez, Héctor (Colombia)
ABSTRACT:
Currently, there are a lot of frameworks to build web applications working with the architectural pattern MVC (Model View Controller) [1]. One interesting approach is to use the 3-layer model [2], which allows identifying and separating the final application in different layers that facilitates its construction and maintenance. The purpose of this paper is to present our approach of a framework [3] for developing PHP web applications using the 3-layer model. This approach integrates different technologies and design patterns in order to provide one tool that supports the community in the creation of PHP web applications providing build-in tools and applying good practices focused on the pursue of proper development times. In addition, the approach aims to handle common issues in the industry like efficiency, maintainability, and security.
Automatic Code Checking Applied to Fire Fighting and Panic Projects in a BIM Environment - BIMSCIP
Porto, Marcelo Franco; Franco, José Ricardo Queiroz; Viana, Bárbara Flister; Baracho Porto, Renata Maria A. (Brazil)
ABSTRACT:
This work presents a computational implementation of an automatic conformity verification of building projects using a 3D modeling platform for BIM. This program was developed in C# language and based itself on the 9th Technical Instruction from Military Fire Brigade of the State of Minas Gerais which covers regulations of fire load in buildings and hazardous areas.
Automatic Identification of Travel Locations in Rare Books - Object Oriented Information Management
Doherr, Detlev; Jankowski, Andreas (Germany)
ABSTRACT:
The digital content of the Internet is growing exponentially and mass digitization of printed media opens access to literature, in particular the genre of travel literature from the 18th and 19th century, which consists of diaries or travel books describing routes, observations or inspirations. The identification of described locations in the digital text is a long-standing challenge which requires information technology to supply dynamic links to sources by new forms of interaction and synthesis between humanistic texts and scientific observations. Using object oriented information technology, a prototype of a software tool is developed which makes it possible to automatically identify geographic locations and travel routes mentioned in rare books. The information objects contain properties such as names and classification codes for populated places, streams, mountains and regions. Together, with the latitudes and longitudes of every single location, it is possible to geo-reference this information in order that all processed and filtered datasets can be displayed by a map application. This method has already been used in the Humboldt Digital Library to present Alexander von Humboldt’s maps and was tested in a case study to prove the correctness and reliability of the automatic identification of locations based on the work of Alexander von Humboldt and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The results reveal numerous errors due to misspellings, change of location names, equality of terms and location names. But on the other hand it becomes very clear that results of the automatic object detection and recognition can be improved by error-free and comprehensive sources. As a result an increase in quality and usability of the service can be expected, accompanied by more options to detect unknown locations in the descriptions of rare books.
Biomonapp’s Sensing & Monitoring of Plants/Fish & Water Quality for Ag Biotech & Bio Monitoring Environments
Cunningham Yukech, Christine M. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Advanced Bioscience Sustainable Solution’s biomonapp used to bio monitoring environments, especially the aquaponics and hydroponics industry. [4] The app will connect with a sensor or photo spectrometer to show nutrition and crop yield data. We are currently licensing with Biodynamics in Akron to merge a sensor with Biomonapp, and bundle with solar kits, Back to the Roots tanks, and Husky aquatanks. Biomonapp will have students track and monitor lettuce and aqua tanks in Mahoning County Schools. The Family Garden in Jamaica will monitor with the app and sensors to show crop and nutritional yield value, and track data in a local zoo. We are also consulting with the Lettuce Do Good People who sell lettuce kits and will conduct a market sampling with 600 clients in the plant and fish industry found from the NCIS. Virtual simulations and Pod casts will be developed to teach about the optimal plant and fish variables. The mobile app has a platform for iOS or Android and is published in the Google play store. The company advantage is to provide 24/7 optimized monitoring of the plants and fish for crop yield and nutritional value, collect data and send optimized reports via cell phone and instantly through e-mail to the client end users.
Challenges for Using IT in Mexico’s Health Care Industry (Aguascalientes México Case)
Vivanco, Jesús Salvador; González, Martha; Oropeza, Miguel A. (Mexico)
ABSTRACT:
For Mexico it exists a huge number of challenges for to use IT in the Health sector, like what [6], say, about the use of information and communication technology (ICT), or eHealth, that could be developed in the home health care of premature infants through the use of video conferencing or a web application improves parents’ satisfaction in taking care of a premature infant at home and decreases the need of home visits. The families readily embraced the use of ICT, whereas motivating some of the nurses to accept and use ICT was a major challenge. Or like the experience in India about the [15], in which their research observes that electronic healthcare has various advantages, such as easy recording, retrieval, and sharing of patient data anytime and anywhere while providing data privacy. On the other hand, many developing countries still rely on traditional paper-based healthcare systems that are quite vulnerable to data loss, loss of patients'' privacy due to non-secured data sharing, and mandatory consumption of physical space to store patients, so for Mexico this will be a good strategy for improve the health sector administration with more efficiency and in this paper is presented based on the literature revision the principal challenges and the more significant heath services through the use of e-health and the opportunities for e-health use in Aguascalientes State Mexico, due to the water contamination of Rio San Pedro, the aquifer of the Aguascalientes valley.
Classification Models of Early Stage Parkinson’s Disease Based on Electroencephalography Feature Space
Obukhov, K.; Maluta, I.; Obukhov, Yu.; Sushkova, O. (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
The electroencephalographic (EEG) features of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are analyzed in the paper: presence of theta rhythm in low frequency range and disorder of the dominant alpha rhythm of brain activity. Based on these features and the data of 31 patients with clinical diagnosis of 1st stage non-treated PD and 18 control volunteers, the classification model was built. Logistic regression model was used for probability of PD estimation in each of 16 channels. It was shown, that weighted sum of probabilities among channels, where weights refer to classification accuracy AUC in each channel, is a function with high accuracy of classification in accordance with threshold. The model was tested on data of 22 PD patients and 16 normal volunteers. The accuracy of prediction was around 73%. The results of EEG signal analysis, as well as feature extraction techniques and model performance, prove that proposed approach can be applicable to Parkinson’s disease diagnostics on the early stage.
Cognitive Analysis of Forensic Document Examination
Seki, Yoko (Japan)
ABSTRACT:
This paper discusses about the expertise effect of Japanese forensic document examiners (FDEs) by measuring eye movement while observing questioned and known signatures written by Japanese. It has been discussed whether forensic document examiners have special knowledge or technique on handwriting identification because people have a lot of experiences on handwriting and authorship identification. Eye movement, response time, answers and reason of their decision were analyzed. The results showed longer response time, little difference in correct answer ratio between FDEs and non FDEs, no incorrect answers, larger number of inconclusive answers, observation of spacing, more detailed description of reasons in FDEs. These suggest that FDEs consider various kind of information before making decision and take a discreet attitude to avoid mistakes.
Comparison of the Caring Behavior of Nurses Depending on Clinical Experience: What do Nurses Think when Caring for Patients?
Ueda, Noriko; Taniura, Yoko; Ishii, Atsue; Inoue, Yoshiaki; Hirano, Masako; Tanigawa, Akane; Horii, Naoko; Shiode, Rieko; Jyo, Ko; Mitani, Rie (Japan)
ABSTRACT:
For patient care, nurses obtain patient information and consider the patient’s status. Attention must be paid to the behavior of nurses to elucidate their thinking processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify characteristic differences in terms of care necessities depending on clinical experience. The
participants were experienced and inexperienced nurses who were required to care for a standardized simulated patient in a mock patient room setting with video recording of the care scene. We detected a few differences in the objective thinking processes of experienced and inexperienced nurses. The results indicated that experienced nurses measured various dimensions of the patient’s respiratory status and gained and integrated more information than inexperienced nurses.
Competency-Based Education: From Theory to Practice (Invited Paper)
Bernikova, Olga (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
Modern educational paradigm demonstrates a shift from learning outcomes to practice-oriented competencies. The present study examines the meaning and role of different types of Competency-
Based Education worldwide. The key idea of Competency-Based Education can be described as providing student with knowledge and skills of applying it. The definitions of Competency-based
approach vary in different parts of the world. The present paper regards the meanings of the term Competency – Based Education, and describes the example of implementation of this approach in Islamic Studies program.
Complex System Co-Design: Pathway to Becoming an Appreciative System
Motloch, John L. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Sees complexity unfolding from physical to biological to conscious. Explores how failure to appreciate complexity places humanity at-risk. Addresses profound need to unlock complexity, transition to appreciative systems, empower metabolic flows and regeneration, and build agility. Reviews how reductive technologies and lifestyles render CAS unable to self-regulate; and how consciousness must co-adapt to sustain bio-capacity and agility. Explores convergence of Internet of Things, intelligent assets, and circular economy as indicators of this change. Explores three traditions of human engagement: the first limited by complexity, second arresting complexity, and emerging third unlocking complexity. Calls for shift from anthropocentric perspective to whole-system view where humanity appreciatively co-adapts with complex adaptive systems and learns-forward to manage the nexus of ecological systems, infrastructural systems, and designed environments. Explores interconnecting these systems to optimize potential of local energy-water-food nexus and build local networks where both human and non-human dimensions thrive. Introduces three-step process: commit, apply appreciative processes, and implement complex system co-design (CSCD) to unlock complexity. Introduces CSCD as seminal 5th generation design processes and leap from anthropocentric to complexity-centric co-design. Speaks to CSCD vision, strategy, and learning-forward action agenda. Closes with vision of unique current opportunity to unlock and accelerate system co-adaptation and complexification.
Complexity in Practice: Development and Deployment of e-Learning System for Secondary Schools in Bangladesh
Mikolajuk, Zbigniew; Shahjamal, Mirja M. (Bangladesh)
ABSTRACT:
Introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in pedagogy is a complex process encompassing inter-disciplinary communications and interactions of practitioners from many disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to outline complexity issues of development and deployment of e-Learning system for secondary level schools in Bangladesh. The complexity results from diversity of expertise needed to solve real life problems and foster communications between all stakeholders.
Construction of Coset Codes in Order to Realize Interference Alignment
Trinca Watanabe, Cibele Cristina *; Belfiore, Jean-Claude **; de Carvalho, Edson D. *; Vieira Filho, Jozué * (* Brazil, ** France)
ABSTRACT:
Interference is usually viewed as an obstacle to communication in wireless networks. Therefore, we develop a new methodology to quantize the channel coefficients in order to realize interference alignment onto a 2-dimensional real lattice. In this work, we provide a method of channel quantization which is related to the real dimension 2 and, for that, we make use of the maximal real subfield of Q(ξ8), where ξ8 is the 8-th root of unity.
Construction Safety Analysis Method Based on the Fuzzy Bayesian Networks
Jiang, Hui (China)
ABSTRACT:
For the insufficient of traditional building construction safety analysis methods, this paper proposes a safety analysis method based on fuzzy Bayesian network. The method introduces generalized trapezoidal fuzzy number theory to Bayesian network security analysis; avoids the situation that exact probability is difficult to obtain because of multi-state in safety influences.
Creativity: The Intellectual Funds of Universities
Wallner, Bernard; Fieder, Martin (Austria)
ABSTRACT:
During the last two decades European universities went through a dramatic change in their reorganizations. In teaching affairs a focus is directed on the implementation of the so-called Bologna Process. Accordingly to the philosophy of the latter study programs should be harmonized to allow individuals to compete within the European market and to change easier and freely between universities. To afford that the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) for studies in higher education was introduced. For example, a bachelor program count 200 and a master 100 ECTS, however, PhDs has no limit [1]. Parallel to this a quality assurance system of teaching and research was established, where each autonomous university creates its own benchmark systems, evaluation processes, defines its performance variables to be competitive in
international higher education rankings. The mentioned developments represent mainly bureaucratic and administrative input to enable increased quality in research and teaching output. These steps are in accordance to adapt university laws of different countries to standardize higher education in Europe. However, we claim the process of creating quality in research and teaching affairs requires more than the definition of controlling variables or the desire to harmonize study programs.
Cyber Threat vs Cyber Defence: Problems and Lessons Learnt
Poulatova, Chaditsa (United Kingdom)
ABSTRACT:
National Security Agency’s (NSA) leaker Edward Snowden together with his revelations about the US government’s hacking activities has brought to the frontline the notion of “cyber security”. But, cyber threat and cyber terrorism is not a new phenomenon. What is “new” is the fact that we live in a digital age with digital interconnectedness and as a result criminals and terrorists are now encoding communications and records using ubiquitous commercial encryption products. Law enforcement
agencies have a hard task to break increasingly sophisticated codes used by wrongdoers. Future cyber assaults can be made on power grids, air traffic controls or even nation states’ military weapon systems. This paper determines whether any lessons have been learned since the Estonian Cyber-attack so that similar
occurrences can be avoided in the future.
Educational Theories, Methodologies and Technology Integration in the Classroom
Jojo, Zingiswa; Mohapi, Soane (South Africa)
ABSTRACT:
This paper reports on educational practices in which behavior is shown to be shaped and maintained by its reinforcing consequences rather than elicited as conditioned or unconditioned response to introduction of technology tools to enhance teaching and learning. The paper reflects on the findings of 500 schools’ research project conducted in five provinces of South Africa. This project was conducted to address a South African primary schools’ underperformance in grade 3 and 6 mathematics, home language and first additional Language with the purpose of coming up with an intervention strategy to assist the sampled schools. In the research conducted the implementation of technology tools favored a shift to a more constructivist way of critical thinking about teaching both grade 3 and 6 language and mathematics content. However, results in this study revealed a mixture of many proponents for a blending of the two theories when it comes to technology integration in the teaching of these subjects. For some teachers it remains to be seen how these theories will be centralized as more teacher preparation for better performance of the subject they teach while existing conditions challenge the integration of technology to improve performance in their classrooms.
Effect of Building Development on the Risk of Flooding under Extreme Rainfall
Lykartsis, Athanasios; B-Jahromi, Ali; Mylona, Anastasia; Fadejeva, Ludmila; Coombs Mciwem, Peter (United Kingdom)
ABSTRACT:
There is clear evidence to show that climate change is happening. According to the UK Climate Projections (UKCP09) we can expect warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events. These extreme weather events in the UK are likely to increase with rising temperatures, causing among others heavier rainfall events with increased risk of flooding. Flooding is currently identified as one of the greatest threats to the UK posed by the climate change. In the UK there is a continuous need for new housing. The UK government has set a goal of 1,000,000 new homes by 2020 in order to cover the country’s housing needs. This study examines the effect of building development on the risk of flooding under extreme rainfall, for an area that has a very low chance of flooding. Two different scenarios of building development were modelled using XP SWMM software. Results show that building development increases the maximum water depth and that the new built houses will flood under extreme rainfall.
Efficient Beacon Collision Resolution Procedure for IEEE 802.15.4 /Zigbee Wireless Personal Area Networks
Zafar, Bassam A. *; Ouni, Sofiane ** (* Saudi Arabia, ** Tunisia)
ABSTRACT:
While IEEE 802.15.4/Zigbee is a promising technology for Wireless Personal Area Networks, several transmission problems are not yet resolved. In particular, the problem of beacon transmission interferences is causing the device connection loss to the network. In order to resolve this problem, we present a new distributed and reactive procedure for beacon collision resolution. It is an extension of the alignment procedure to reorganize randomly the beacon transmission time when a collision has occurred. The detail of the proposed procedure will be fully described and analyzed. The performance of our approach is performed by simulations. The results show that our approach reduces the collision probability and the device disconnections consequently.
Environment for Analysis of Rural School Transportation: A Case Study in Espírito Santo/Brazil
Porto, Marcelo Franco; Nunes, Nilson Tadeu Ramos; Carvalho, Izabela Ribas Vianna de; Barros, Pedro Henrique Guimarães; Baracho Porto, Renata Maria Abrantes (Brazil)
ABSTRACT:
This project was developed in order to support public managers with the necessary tools to the enhancement of the rural school transportation system in Espírito Santo, Brazil. It was developed a virtual platform that enable the visualization of georeferenced data in a simple and intuitive way, making it suitable to the labor founded in the rural environment. It was established a methodology for the data treatment referred to the road network available in a GIS environment. Through the union of maps of territorial boundaries, school locations, students and route data available in a topology network format, the database became usable in the routes analysis. The methodology was validated by a case study of Vila Pavão County, in the state of Espirito Santo.
Evaluation of Cryptographic Algorithms over an all Programmable SoC (AP SoC) Device
Gutiérrez Agramont, Iván; Calderón, Humberto (Bolivia)
ABSTRACT:
This paper runs an evaluation of cryptographic algorithms (block ciphers and public key ciphers) in an All Programmable SoC (AP SoC) device, comparing time, power consumption on two different test beds a PC and the AP SoC, with a taxonomy work done comparing all the previous papers about cryptographic algorithms implemented on FPGAs. The outcomes show that AES and RSA are the fastest in user time and both being well known cryptographic algorithms being AES the fastest with 39139 sec. and RSA with 58964 sec. which means that in 1 sec; 2.55 AES algorithm is run and 1.69 RSA is run in the AP SoC that consumes 0,279W for 100K iterations (Abstract).
Evidence-Based Education: Case Study of Educational Data Acquisition and Reuse
Nagao, Katashi; Morita, Naoya; Ohira, Shigeki (Japan)
ABSTRACT:
We describe a case of evidence-based education that acquires
educational data of students' study activities and uses the data for not only instructors' checking the students' levels of
understanding of classes but also improving the students' levels
of performance. In this paper, we focus on students' presentations and discussions in laboratory seminars closely related to their research activities. We propose a system that supports achieving tasks on research activities and a machine-learning method for making the system sustainable for long-term operation by conducting data mining for discussions and automatically extracting essential tasks. We conducted participant-based experiments involving students and simulation-based experiments for evaluating how efficiently our proposed machine-learning method updated the task extraction model. From the subject-based experiments, we confirmed that informing tasks extracted automatically to the responsible students on our developed system improved their awareness of the tasks. In the simulation-based experiments, we confirmed that our proposed method outperformed other conventional machine-learning methods.
Experts Informing Experts (Invited Paper)
Hammond, Robert (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Equal attention is placed on the transmitter and receiver roles in even the earliest conceptual models for communication. And yet, the primary emphasis of sales training is on who will deliver the training, what will be trained, how to deliver the training, when to train, and where the training will be delivered. Often absent in sales training is a focus on why the salesperson will adopt the training. A key dynamic in the training environment are the multiple levels of expert status that exist within and between business and academic informing activities as well as in both the informer and receiver roles. It is common in sales training efforts to have a sales manager or third party expert (consultant) conduct sales training. This paper summarizes findings of a practitioner – scholar with over 30 years of industry experience conducting a workshop for sales managers at a different company (name disguised as FinanceCo in the paper) and in a different industry. While the practitioner – scholar is an expert, the sales managers who are receiving the training are experts within their domain of knowledge. This dynamic challenges the conventional mindset of a trainer being the expert and the receiver being a novice. The dynamic is then generalized to the broader community of informing actions.
Extending the Consistency Property of Software Transactional Memory Systems with Business Constraints in OCL and Incremental Checking
Fernández-Álvarez, Alberto-Manuel; Fernández-Lanvin, Daniel; Quintela-Pumares, Manuel (Spain)
ABSTRACT:
Software Transactional Memory (STM) systems offer AcId (note the letter case) properties. Consistency is usually regarded from the STM side but not from the business problem point of view. We propose a way to extend current STM systems with a consistency subsystem able to verify business constraints expressed in OCL by the development team. The proposed solution applies OCL incremental checking techniques and code generation to couple seamlessly with the transaction lifecycle with little runtime performance penalty.
From Image to Reality: Instructional Metaphors (Invited Paper)
Baykal, Ali (Turkey)
ABSTRACT:
By analogy, an analogy is an optical device which converts a
reality into a perceivable image. The crucial point is that how
appropriate the analogy is to extract hidden information. The
validity of an analogy depends not only a straightforward
resemblance of only one upfront attribute between the authentic
and the analogue but the further implications of the
representation. The study of instructions must be made two
viewpoints - that of organizational and that of operational.
Organizational description of instructional systems as isolated
from their environment avoids the problems of interaction with
other instructional events. Operational description of instructions
emphasizes the interactivity of instructional affairs with their
environment. The split of the topic into organizational and
operational is of course not absolute. I hope to have established
a catalogue of examples for the structure and function of
instruction abstracted from any empirical field and science. It
will remain for further research to complete this catalogue if
found useful. Some hypothetical but plausible even
commonplace instructional examples have been given for the
description of structure and explanation of functions. This essay
has proven to be a merely conceptual one. It does not study
empirical facts about instructional practices. All conditions
examined are ideal conditions in the sense that they consist of
abstractions existing as perfect logical possibilities. I hope that
the essay as a whole can then serve as a catalog for the
examination of actual instructions in the field of educational
design and assessment
From War Stories to Critical Reflection: Learning through Case Studies in Graduate Leadership Courses (Invited Paper)
Robertson, Lorayne; Muirhead, Bill (Canada)
ABSTRACT:
This paper is an exploration of how case studies may be employed to help graduate students build problem-solving and reflective skills in educational leadership courses. First, the authors examine how case studies are defined in the literature in general and within the field of educational leadership. The authors seek to understand how case studies have been theorized to support learning for adults in higher education. Specifically, the authors explore the possibilities for the use of case studies as a tool for meaningful learning in the specific setting of an online polysynchronous leadership course in graduate education. The authors investigate how case studies may be purposefully designed to support critical reflection in higher education. In this investigation, the authors provide a brief history of the field of educational leadership, highlighting a persistent tension between theory and practice in the field. The case study is explored as a vehicle for graduate student engagement in authentic learning, higher-order problem-solving and reflection in various fields. Finally, the authors consider the case study as a potential tool for the study of educational leadership, concluding that it has some potential as a meaningful amalgamation of theory, practice, and critical reflection.
Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles -A Learning Experience
Tolias, Stamatina; Lunsford, Suzanne K. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Cyclic Voltammetry and Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry were utilized in this experiment to detect phenol with a carbon bi-metallic nanoparticle modified electrode. A green synthesis method using pineapple juice extract assisted in the optimized synthesis of bi-metallic silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd) nanoparticles to enhance the catalytic activity of the electrode to successfully detect phenol. Phenol oxidation is carried out in acidic and basic conditions using Cyclic Voltammetry. Peak potentials are found to be distinct for the pH of acidic substances and the pH of basic substances. The electrochemical oxidation of phenol is possible way to treat the wastewaters containing phenol A method such as this is gaining support and acknowledgement within the scientific community. In electrochemical oxidation, phenol is expected to undergo oxidation on a working carbon electrode versus a modified Ag/Pd nanoparticle carbon electrode. This lab has proven to be gratifying for our students, and it has assisted with education on the uses of novel analytical technology and graphing software.
Hacking Experiment Using USB Rubber Ducky Scripting
Cannoles, Benjamin; Ghafarian, Ahmad (United States)
ABSTRACT:
By leaving your computer unlocked while you are away for seconds can give hackers all the time they need to obtain your personal information from your computer. This paper aims to detail the necessary research and development of a USB Rubber Ducky script and its implementation to obtain clear text logon id and passwords from a Windows machine, in mere seconds. Each stage is laid out discussing applications of Ducky script, powershell, mimikatz, and re-enabling the vulnerability. Details of the attack on Windows 7 operating systems and higher will be presented.
Heterogeneous Networking in C-ITS
Srotyr, Martin; Lokaj, Zdenek; Zelinka, Tomas (Czech Republic)
ABSTRACT:
Cooperative Systems are part of the Smart Cities solutions and the essential part of the cooperative systems represents guaranteed quality of information exchange both between VANET members (V2V) as well as between VANET and Infrastructure (V2I). This article presents proposal of multiplatform routing protocol designed for combination of two most widely accepted mobile technologies. Properties of proposed protocol are in VANET communication simulation compared with selection of mostly discussed routing protocols designed for VANET conditions.
How to Incorporate Technology with Inquiry-Based Learning to Enhance the Understanding of Chemical Composition; How to Analyze Unknown Samples
Lunsford, Suzanne; Slattery, William; Tolias, Stamatina (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The use of technology in our teaching offers numerous amounts of possibilities and can be challenging for physics, chemistry and geology content courses. When incorporating technology into a science content lab it is better to be driven by pedagogy than by technology in an inquiry-based lab setting. Our students need to be introduced to real-world technology in the beginning of first year chemistry or physics course to ensure real -world technology concepts while assisting with content such as periodic trends on the periodic table. This article will describe the use of technology with Raman Spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X -Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to research chemical compositions in the real world of unknown samples. Such unknown samples utilized in this lab were clamshell (parts of clams that look like shark teeth) versus shark teeth. The data will be shared to show how the students (pre-service teachers and in-service teachers) solved the problem using technology while learning important content that will assist in the next level of chemistry, physics and even geology.
Information Exchange in Vehicles Ad-Hock Networks (Invited Paper)
Zelinka, Tomas (Czech Republic)
ABSTRACT:
For wireless vehicular communication both Europe and USA adopted IEEE802.11-2012 (WiFi) based communication systems. These systems are road infrastructure independent type of communication enabling both vehicle with vehicle communication as well as vehicles communication with infrastructure. However, as WiFi radio system architects stressed low system complexity, adopted communication system reaches the only sub-optimal performance with relatively low spectral efficiency, limited communication capacity and principally reduced services guaranteed performance as well as the only restricted possibility of farther system performance enhancement. New generation of 3GPP cellular networks with progressively growing services availability can in future offer alternative solution to WiFi based systems with much higher spectral efficiency and communication capacity and with possibility to guarantee communication services performance. Recently were introduced 3GPP proximity services and their extension devoted for vehicular communication. Such communication system augmentation opens possibility of full 3GPP communication systems engagement in the extensively growing vehicular communication. In this paper is discussed future expected development in this systemic area as well as both communication systems potential coopetition.
Information Management for the Decision Making Process of Alternative Renewable Sources of Energy
Baracho, Renata Maria Abrantes; Bonatti, Rogério Amaral; Baracho, Francisco Ricardo A. C.; Pessanha, Christiano Pereira; Rezende, Marina Mourão S. de; Lima, Fabiana Borges; Silva, Cláudio Homero Ferreira (Brazil)
ABSTRACT:
This paper presents a partial result of the P&D research project, "Information management to foster the sustainability of the electricity generation portfolio by increasing the participation of alternative renewable sources of energy in the energy matrix of CEMIG and the State of Minas Gerais." The objective includes the application of information management aimed at the decision-making process associated with renewable energies. Concepts of knowledge representation, organizational knowledge and decision-making process and economic-financial evaluation of entrepreneurship are presented. The research question considers: where in Brazil there is availability of generation (in force and potential) of wind energy, solar, biomass and SHP and how the decision process can be aided by the information collected. From the analysis of the projects in operation, the planned projects and the opinions of the managers and the specialists, we identified some tangible and intangible parameters that guide the decision making in investments in alternative renewable energies. The partial results presented in this study indicate the potentiality of the benefits of this research.
Integrating Research, Experiential Learning, and Project Management: Websites for Nonprofits and other Projects
Bialaszewski, Dennis (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Too often courses are delivered which separate research from experiential learning. Too often primary research and primary data gathering is separated from delivery and real experiential learning. In this paper we present a delivery a course delivery example which intertwines primary research with experiential learning through a web site development assignment.
Integration of Language Processing and Linguistic Research as the Mainstream in the Arabic Studies
Bernikova, Olga; Redkin, Oleg (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
The paper focuses on analysis of dynamics in the various fields of the Arabic language research. It describes new topics that recently have become of high importance for the challenges of the modern society. To this end, we considered papers, published in the scholar database (“web of science”) in different periods of time. In 2015 speech processing proved to be one of the most popular field of the Arabic research, while in 2005 “pure linguistic” issues (without any mathematical approach) had been more widely spread. The results demonstrate the importance of integration of computer processing into linguistic research. On the current stage, each specialist in humanities should be aware of the computer technologies. Development of the linguistic software and its implementation in the Arabic research influence the language itself. Thus, the spread of ICT made the Arabic language to coin new terminology as well as to create new approaches for the English borrowings adaptation.
Interdisciplinary Research in Field of Biomedical Image Processing
Loncova, Zuzana; Koniar, Dusan; Hargas, Libor; Simonova, Anna; Spanikova, Gabriela (Slovakia)
ABSTRACT:
The paper describes the up-to-date interdisciplinary research that has been established in Slovakia in recent years. It requires the close cooperation between specialists from medical fields as well as technicians as it deals with creating the supporting tool for physicians to evaluate a patient’s diagnosis. The research is based on the need of doctors to create a system reliable enough,
that would help them to assess the health status of human respiratory system. This task first comprises the design of a working station that could serve for capturing series of images (video sequences) of investigated sample obtained by doctors, including a light microscope and a high-speed camera with
appropriate software. Then is comprises also development of sophisticated methodologies for analysis of obtained images and detection of objects of interest within them, and finally the evaluation of behavior of investigated structures which determines the health status of a patient. This interdisciplinary
cooperation is as unique as it is the only one of this kind in our country as there does not exist any other way how to evaluate the health status of human respiratory system using smart technological approach.
Invisible Emotion, Anxiety and Fear: Quantifying the Mind Using EKG with mDFA
Yazawa, Toru (Japan)
ABSTRACT:
Fluctuation or variation of the heartbeat represents momently varying inner emotional tension. Can this psychological variations of the inner world, anxiety for example, is detectable and even quantifiable? Our answer to the question: Using a long-time electrocardiogram (EKG), we quantified them. We recorded EKGs by our own EKG amplifiers. The amplifier has a newly designed electric circuit, which enable us to record a stable EKG. The amplifier made it possible to record a perfect EKG where the EKG trace never jump-out from the PC monitor screen. Using this amplifier, we captured approximately 2000 heartbeats without missing a single beat. For the analysis of the EKGs, we used “modified detrended fluctuation analysis (mDFA)” technique, which we have recently developed by our group. The mDFA calculates the scaling exponent (SI, scaling index) from the time series data, i.e., the R-R interval time series data obtained from EKG. Detecting 2000 consecutive peaks, the mDFA can distinguish between a normal and an abnormal heart: a normal healthy heartbeat exhibits an SI of around 1.0, comparable to the fluctuations exemplified as the 1/f spectrum. The heartbeat recorded from subjects who have stress and anxiety exhibited a lower SI. Arrhythmic heartbeats and extra-systolic heartbeats both also exhibited a low SI ~0.7, for example. We propose that the mDFA technique is a useful computation method for checking health. The functional capabilities of various internal systems, such as the circulatory system and the autonomic nervous system, can be quantified by using mDFA.
Lifestyles and Health of Italian College Students: An Interdisciplinary Approach. The Results of Research Promoted by the Generational Observatory of the “Aldo Moro” University of Bari
Da Molin, Giovanna; Montagna, Maria Teresa; Fornasari, Alberto (Italy)
ABSTRACT:
The purpose of the present research was to increase knowledge about youth lifestyles, with a particular focus on university students. Indeed, the study was fostered by the Standing Committee “Generational Observatory” of the University of Bari Aldo Moro which is interested in monitoring its students’ living and health and studying conditions in order to implement active policies. The Committee is primarily aimed at detecting the needs and the expectations of young people in order to translate them into active policies on their behalf. With this intent, the periodic monitoring of students at the University of Bari is inserted among the multiple areas of intervention in which the Observatory is actively involved. A web survey was used. Subsequently, data were performed using SPSS software. Univariate analyses, i.e., frequency distributions, and bivariate analyses, i.e., cross-tabulations, were computed. Several aspects related to university students’ lifestyle were analyzed, e.g., physical activity, eating behaviours, tobacco smoking habits and alcohol consumption. This paper illustrates the results of the first survey led by the Observatory. It aims at outlining the students’ lifestyle and its risk factors in order to undertake some specific prevention actions and their related information, to bring a new culture of health and wellbeing to the light.
Linguistics and Islamic Studies in Historical Perspective: The Case of Interdisciplinary Communication (Invited Paper)
Bernikova, Olga; Redkin, Oleg (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
Islamic Studies and the Arabic language are indivisible from each other starting from the appearance of Islam and formation of the Classical language. The present paper demonstrates correlation between linguistics and religion in historical perspective with regard to peculiarities of the Arabic language which distinguish it from other prophetic languages. Arabic is considered to be one of the most powerful examples of a sacred language in the history. The authors underline the role of written tradition in Islamic Studies and analyze the importance of the text of the Qurʾān for those who study Islamic civilization. Without understanding of the polyphony of this sacred text, indivisible unity of its form and content it is impossible to understand social developments both in present and past. The text of the Qurʾān like any other phenomenon is a multifaceted object that should be studied from different points of view.
Managing IT Complexity in the Manufacturing Industry – An Agenda for Action
Schuh, Günther; Hoffmann, Jörg; Gruber, Marie; Zeller, Violett (Germany)
ABSTRACT:
Growing information systems (IS) often come along with grow-ing IT complexity, because of emerging rag rug landscapes [15]. This development causes rising IT costs and dependencies, which hinder the maintenance and expansion of the IS landscape. This article outlines the current research on published and presented methods to manage the rising IT complexity in a literature re-view. Because definitions of “IT complexity” vary a lot in litera-ture, this paper also includes a definition of the term. In addition to that, it delivers a presentation of the used research methodol-ogy. Subsequently, it presents the findings in literature, high-lights the research gap and – based on the literature analysis – presents, the steps that need to be taken. A discussion of the re-sults and a summary complete the article.
Modeling of the Motion and Interaction of Carbon Particles in the Plasma Electric Arc Discharge Using Parallel Programming Technologies
Abramov, Gennady; Gavrilov, Alexander; Ivashin, Alexei; Tolstova, Irina (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
The questions of application of various parallel programming technologies for the solution of the problem of modeling of carbon nanostructure synthesis are studied in the article. The description of the developed algorithms with application of the graphic accelerator and the central processor is considered and the calculation of algorithms efficiency is made as well.
Moving Object Identification Tools Based on Virtual Instrumentation Used in Medical Environment
Hargas, Libor; Koniar, Dusan; Loncova, Zuzana; Hrianka, Miroslav; Simonova, Anna (Slovakia)
ABSTRACT:
Modern medical diagnostic methods are based on sophisticated hardware and software platforms. Such platforms may lie in an intersection of classical medicine and technical branches such as physics, electrical engineering, information and communication technologies. Diagnostic methods are characterized by influence of electronics to conventional and subjective diagnostics. In this article the integration of virtual instrumentation based on
LabVIEW into diagnostic of respiratory system is proposed. Designed LabVIEW instruments can be applied within each phase of implementation: acquisition, signal filtering and processing, representation and results visualization. Flexible
LabVIEW instruments can replace many specialized and expensive tools and detectors.
Multidisciplinary Approach for Investigation of Injury Formation in Sensitive Tissue Structures
Spanikova, Gabriela *; Spanik, Pavol *; Frivaldsky, Michal *; Pavelek, Miroslav *; Loncova, Zuzana *; Bassetto, Franco **; Vindigni, Vincenzo ** (* Slovakia, ** Italy)
ABSTRACT:
In this paper the method of human organ (liver tissue) modelling in the COMSOL environment is presented. Mentioned problems are motivated by the occurrence of negative events during operations utilizing electrosurgery in the tissues with high level of heterogeneity, in particular, the emergence of peroperative complications within abdominal operations. The proposed model of hepatic tissue (respecting its heterogeneous character up to the microstructure of hepatic lobulus) is used for analysis of current field distribution within this tissue. Both complex model of tissue structure (respecting heterogenous structure) and approximated model are mutually compared. The obtained results are exploitable for the analysis of probability of injury formation in sensitive tissue structures, while approximated model shall serve for optimization of complex and time consuming analyses.
No Warranty Express or Implied: Why do We Have so many Problems with the Computer Systems that Pervade our Lives? (Invited Paper)
Coffey, John W. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Computer systems, large and small, are everywhere. From the 100+ electronic control units in a modern car to mobile devices, to tablets and desktop computers, to petabyte databases that are mined for information, computers pervade our lives. When any factor in our lives becomes so pervasive, a range of problems will certainly follow ranging from basic frustration and inconvenience, to lost productivity, to losses due to using the devices apart from problems with the devices themselves, to loss of life. This article explores the unique role of computers in our lives from the perspective of their complexity, limits on our ability to ensure that systems are built without errors, tradeoffs inherent in the design of computer systems, and measures that can be taken to address these problems.
Overall Development Management Model: A New Approach for Emerging Countries. Comparative Analysis of Six Countries on Two Continents
Sciarelli, Fabiana; Rinaldi, Azzurra (Italy)
ABSTRACT:
This article, resulting from two qualitative and quantitative
researches - From Welfarism to self-development: India and
Ethiopia in Comparison; Overall Development Management:
Asia and Africa in comparison -, is oriented to the solution of
real life problem and, for this reason, wants to provide the
management tools for the strategic planning of growth in the
developing countries.
This is an innovative approach to development that uses
different tools from Economics and Management and introduces
a new model and a new vision based, for the first time, on the
concept of Macro Management, the idea that development can
be managed like any other process.
In our article, we firstly carried on an analysis of the
development actors: organizations, stakeholders, institutions
that are involved in the development process of countries.
Then, we analyzed many development plans implemented in
Asia (India, Philippine, Myanmar) and in Africa (South Africa,
Ethiopia and Benin), including the cultural and social ones, in
order to understand if these countries had a vision of their longterm economic and human development. Finally, we used the macroeconomic data to compare the economic performance of the six countries, to verify if economic development may be carried on together with social and human development. These steps allowed us to introduce the Overall Development Management Model, the Macro Management Strategic Model for the development of the weak areas. The characteristics of the Overall Development Management Model are then given by: the consideration of human development as a whole; the hybridization of different approaches; the division of development into three phases temporally differentiated (Development Lifecycle); a two-way approach, Top Down and Bottom Up; the strategic planning based on the use of instruments from different systems of economic and social science; the decreasing of the dependence between national and international public actors (Development Matrix Actors), that characterizes the implementation of national autonomy; the peculiar structure of the development plans; the involvement of the population; and the need for countries to define their own unique development process. Indeed, the key factors to ensure that the emerging countries may be able to manage their growth process is the spread of expertise: material resources and foreign assets must be used for the creation of an independent development path, not a welfare state dependent on foreign aid.
Ozone Problem: Final Solution
Statnikov, Konstantin; Kruchenitsky, Gregory (Russian Federation)
ABSTRACT:
Fields of seasonal and long-period variability of the total ozone content (TOC), including circumpolar regions, have been studied. It is shown that long-period variability of all TOC series (with spatial resolution of 3° latitude x 5° longitude) comes down to parametric resonance with the lowest frequency of tidal oscillation (18.6-year period). After eliminating this effect, series trends for all cells (3° x 5°) become vanishingly small (having different signs) and statistically insignificant. The obtained results are completely incompatible with the anthropogenic version of “ozone depletion”. It is demonstrated that the revealed phenomenon of parametric resonance is also observed in the lithosphere with regard to the global tectonic activity.
Parallel Implementation of the Bat Algorithm on a Single Computer
Čep, Aleš; Novak, Damijan; Verber, Domen (Slovenia)
ABSTRACT:
The Bat algorithm is an optimization algorithm based on the echolocation behavior of bats. In this paper, we propose different parallel implementation of the algorithm on a single computer. The first implementation was accelerated on multicore processors using OpenMP, the second one used the graphical processors and was implemented in CUDA. The experiment was conducted on standard benchmark functions and results show that the CUDA implementation achieved significant speedup in comparison to both single threaded and OpenMP implementation. CUDA implementation also shows that execution time was nearly the same regardless of the number of dimensions.
Passfault: An Open Source Tool for Measuring Password Complexity and Strength
Rodrigues, B. A. *; Paiva, J. R. B. *; Gomes, V. M. *; Morris, C. **; Calixto, W. P. * (* Brazil, ** United States)
ABSTRACT:
Most intelligent systems need a reliable authentication method in order to assure the security of sensitive information and devices, and vulnerable combinations of username and password make it easy for devices and accounts to be compromised by attackers. Big corporations have had their databases stolen, leaving millions of accounts compromised. Although many systems encourage users to select good passwords by enforcing policies, modern cracking techniques have proved such strategies to be insufficient. Along with easily guessable passwords, password reutilization is a common practice among average users, which might lead to a wide range of social engineering and privilege escalation techniques. An accurate evaluation of a password's resistance to being cracked has proved to be a critical challenge. This paper describes Passfault, which is an Open Source tool maintained by OWASP that poses as a promising method of making sure passwords will not be cracked. A solid mathematical foundation is presented, and Passfault's results over the famous password list RockYou are described. Then, the most popular password rules found in the list are used to simulate an attack against a recently leaked
hash list, providing statistical insight about how corporations and users are managing their passwords.
Prediction of Length of Hospital Stay Using a Growing Neural Gas Model
Lella, Luigi; Licata, Ignazio (Italy)
ABSTRACT:
Length of stay (LoS) prediction is considered an important research field in Healthcare Informatics as it can help to improve hospital bed and resource management. The health cost containment process carried out in Italian local healthcare systems makes this problem particularly challenging in healthcare services management. In this work a novel unsupervised LoS prediction model is presented which performs better than other ones commonly used in this kind of problem. The developed model detects autonomously the subset of non-class attributes to be considered in these classification tasks.
Reflections on Analogical and Logical Thinking (Invited Paper)
Hammond, Robert (United States)
ABSTRACT:
As part of the 2017 IMCIC the author was fortunate to attend the conversational session Analogical Thinking, Inter-Disciplinary Communication, and Case Studies moderated by Dr. Nagib Callaos. Dr. Callaos selflessly shared a draft paper that makes the case for added focus on analogical thinking. As a practitioner-scholar, the author’s focus was drawn to his work experiences and the practical application of the material. Dr. Callaos draft paper presents a closed loop representation of hybrid thinking depicted as analogical and logical thinking intersecting circles and an exterior loop providing bidirectional flow from interdisciplinary communication, case studies, case study methodologies, and integrating academic activities. While the diagram is extraordinarily helpful in communicating the concepts, missing from the diagram are the concepts of time, state, velocity, and the turbulent nature of the collision of the two thinking patterns. This reflection suggests an alternative conceptual scheme for the interaction of analogical and logical thinking as a vortex, specifically a tornado.
Rethinking Public Transportation and Logistics as Collaborative Scenarios
Teichmann, Gunter; Dittes, Frank-Michael; Arnold, Uwe (Germany)
ABSTRACT:
A collaborative approach to optimizing resource utilization of vehicles by the formation of dynamic networks in logistics and passenger transport has been developed. It maintains knowledge about free partial freight and free transport capacities as well as the transport possibilities of the participating companies. Privacy interests of different companies are taken into account by defining trust circles sharing among their members only specific kinds of information. The approach is implemented in a prototypic way as a cloud computing solution capable of optimization and cost simulations carried out on the basis of real data.
Scheduling Parameters in Production Planning and Control
Reschke, Jan; Schuh, Günther (Germany)
ABSTRACT:
Nowadays one of the most challenging tasks of producing companies is the growing complexity due to the globalization and digitalization. Especially in high wage countries, the ability to deliver fast and to a fixed date gets more and more important. To achieve this logistic targets, it is necessary to optimize the
Production Planning and Control (hereinafter PPC). In times of Cyber-Physical Systems and the horizontal and vertical connection of whole producing companies, the PPC has to deal with huge and real-time data. In the practice as well as in theoretical models there is a research deficit regarding to scheduling parameters (hereinafter SP). These parameters determine, for example, the planning frequency, planning length or planning resolution. A suitable setting of these parameters is indispensable in order to be able to process the data mentioned above. This is why, this study investigates the effects of a change of the scheduling parameters on a target system. The focused research questions are: How can the effect of a scheduling parametersvariation on the target system of the PPC can be displayed efficiently? Is it possible to review the effect of the scheduling parameters-variation quantitatively and to derive action options?
Seed Differential Processing Technique for Sequential Estimation Acquisition in the Presence of Data Modulation
Chae, Keunhong; Yoon, Seokho (South Korea)
ABSTRACT:
This paper addresses the pseudo-noise (PN) code acquisition based on the sequential estimation (SE) under the influence of data modulation. Despite its advantages such as rapid acquisition and simplicity, the SE acquisition scheme performs poorly in the presence of data modulation, which is often the case when the acquisition is not achieved within the allocated time frame or when the receiver loses the acquisition and needs re-acquisition. In this paper, thus, a signal processing technique named the seed differential processing (SDP) is proposed to remove the influence of data modulation on the SE acquisition scheme. Numerical results demonstrate that the SDP not only can be incorporated into various SE acquisition schemes, but also can remove the influence of data modulation effectively, thus enabling the SE acquisition scheme to attain the theoretical minimum mean acquisition time (MAT) even under the influence of data modulation, as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increases.
Selected Issues of IT Risk Management in the Cloud Computing Model. Theory and Practice
Rot, Artur (Poland)
ABSTRACT:
Cloud computing transforms the way IT is consumed and managed, promising improved cost efficiencies, accelerated innovation, faster time-to-market, and the ability to scale applications on demand [9]. However, as the cloud computing is developing rapidly, the legal, economic, service quality, interoperability and especially security and privacy issues pose significant challenges [13]. The risk connected with the wide application of this technology in business grows together with the increase of organization’s correlation from its customers, business partners and outsourced operations. Technological progress generates dependencies which evoke growth of diversities, complexity, non-descriptiveness and quantity of risk factors. In insufficient investments on information security the issue of IT risk management becomes more significant, concentrating on searching optimal proportion between threats and costs of IT systems protections. In such a dynamic development of Information Technologies, especially Cloud Computing, the time needed for appropriate reaction on risk is decidedly shortened. Failure to ensure appropriate security protection when using cloud services could ultimately result in higher costs and potential loss of business, thus eliminating any of the potential benefits of cloud computing. This article outlines the issue of IT risk in the cloud computing model, it describes various risks in cyberspace, identifying major challenges for cloud computing. In particular, the paper discusses IT security risk management as critical challenge in cloud computing. These issues were presented both in their theoretical aspect and in the light of selected empirical research studies.
Solving the Economic Load Dispatch Problem Using Crow Search Algorithm
Sheta, Alaa F. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) problem concern on scheduling the committed generating units outputs such that the load in demand can be provided with minimum operating cost while satisfying all units and system equality and
inequality constraints. This paper proposes the use of Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) to solve the ELD Problem. CSA is yet another metaheuristic search algorithm that adopt the method of crows when they search, hide and retrieve food when needed. CSA is explored to solve the nonlinear ELD constrained optimization problem for a three units power system. The results obtained by CSA are compared with various results obtained in the literature. Simulation results shows that using CSA can lead to finding stable and adequate power
generated that can fulfill the need of both the civil and industrial areas.
Study and Practice of Double-Certificate Integration Training Mode of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
Li, Guang-Bu; Liu, He-Xia (China)
ABSTRACT:
Talent demands for higher vocational education in mechanical and electrical engineering is studied. Based on double-certificate integration, the training mode of skilled personnel is built. The curriculum system, practical training base, college-enterprise cooperation, staff construction and the standardize of training details are discussed. The curriculum system is proposed based on professional standards. Professional ability is divided into several sub modules, and corresponding projects and tasks are developed combined with the production and capacity requirements. The evaluation criteria and methods are developed in accordance with the above requirements. Practical training base within and outside of the college are required. The equipment and venues for the vocational certificates of the machining centers operators, CNC lathe operators, maintenance electrician are perfect. College-enterprise cooperation develops work-integrated training courses, introduces corporate standards and technical standards, as well as designs the evaluation system for teaching and training. The construction for technician outside and internal double-type teachers is taken into account. The implementation effect shows Double-certificate integration training mode is feasible. This new modes promote overall college students ' practical ability and the comprehensive quality. Double-certificate integration training mode enables each student to find a job well in recent five years.
The Doctoral Studies Paradox: Indigenous Cultural Paradigms versus Western-Based Research Practices (Invited Paper)
Padró, Fernando F. (Australia)
ABSTRACT:
This is an exploratory conceptual paper regarding the ontological and epistemological premises that are present in the enrollment of Indigenous peoples in doctoral programs at higher education institutions (HEIs). The paradoxical nature of navigating through distinct points-of-view about two distinct cultural perspectives, that of the doctorate representing a culminating recognition of a professional culture based on Western tradition and the norms and values of Indigenous cultures. There are personal risks involved in undergoing an education predicated on conflicting messages paradoxes represent from prior personal and collective experience and from institutional dicta and expectations. This paper looks at how an individual brings these elements together in a transformative manner that accepts or rejects governmental preference for enhanced participation by Indigenous peoples in doctoral education programs.
The Information Flow Development Process of the International Student Reception Department at UFMG
Baracho, Renata Maria Abrantes; Pimenta Rioga, Danielle do Carmo; Porto, Marcelo Franco (Brazil)
ABSTRACT:
The university internationalization demands of the universities an information management work applied to the internal departments involved in the institution. The main objective of this work is to contribute to the internationalization of Minas Gerais Federal University Reception Department and Welcome Program, through the development of its informational modeling flow. The way that this model was created is exposed in detail in this paper, focusing on renowned authors of the Information Science area, and consequently, in its practical development. The methodology that allowed this process was the Design Science Research. The specific objectives include proposing improvements to the internal work of the Reception Department and Welcome Program team and the International Relations Board from the improvement of processes and information flows and to facilitate the information flow process (documents, data and information) between the sector and among international students and Brazilians, with the feasibility of a direct communication channel. It has been designed manually and through a graphic software the Visual Information Flow, which was followed by a team evaluation through a questionnaire. After the results, it's been concluded that the activities will be reviewed with the team and the Information flow will be remade through a Business Intelligence software.
The Review Function in Organizations and its Implications for Organization Theory, Cybernetics, and Ethnography
Nugent, Paul D.; Montague, Richard (United States)
ABSTRACT:
This paper analyzes the “review function” in organizations and its
implications for theory and for ethnographic methods. Whether it
is scholars peer-reviewing each other’s work, or a quick informal
“bouncing of one’s ideas” to another, or a formal product review
with a powerful customer, the review is a function within and
across organizations that is so ubiquitous that it has eluded
exploration as a distinct structural entity. Yet it is also at the heart of the signaling and feedback features undergirding cybernetic systems. Therefore this paper looks at the kinds of
signals/feedback that review activities reveal as well as drawing
on foundational works in ethnography to consider how
ethnographic methods can be better attuned to acknowledging the centrality of feedback and signaling in any social system.
The Weaving of a Spectacle: The Interdisciplinarity in the Process of Artistic Creation (Invited Paper)
Araújo Barroso, Magali Maria de (Brazil)
ABSTRACT:
The ideas, methodology and creativity involved in the conception of a dance performance are presented as the fabric of a process, which can support and inspire the development of scientific work.
Thinking in Systems. Quantum-Level Thought Experiments
Mills, Melissa J. (United States)
ABSTRACT:
We live in a Newtonian world full of complex systems and quantum probabilities. We understand the quantum-level defies classical understanding, and at the same time, that it resolves into the macro-level world where classical mechanics remains the operative model. We continue to rely upon classical mechanics to inform our daily thinking. Primary among our governing mental models is the classical concept of cause and effect, succinctly stated in Newton’s Third Law: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” While this is
true, we are not taking into account all of the action. By imagining the quantum-level energy flows, we can expand our capacity to predict, and thus to strategically manipulate the macro world, including ourselves. This paper offers a series of thought experiments based on the evidence and formulas developed by physicists over the past century. The thought experiments invite the reader to consider the evidence through the lens of four-dimensional space-time. Looking at the evidence in this way yields surprisingly simple dynamics, provides a ground to reconcile General Relativity with Quantum Field Theory, and highlights the power of human imagination as a force in the world.
Transport Critical Infrastructure in Slovak Republic
Sventekova, Eva; Leitner, Bohus; Dvorak, Zdenek (Slovakia)
ABSTRACT:
Critical infrastructure protection as a term was used significantly about 20 years. The research of all parts of critical infrastructure protection is one important part of societal research. Many different European and world universities, research institutes, private companies and state bodies realise research oriented for protection mainly on transport, energy and communication infrastructure. The paper deals with the transport as a part of critical infrastructure in EU countries and in Slovak Republic especially.
Using Informatics to Examine How Knowledge Influences Retirement Savings Behavior
Yoong, Joanne; Chard, Richard E.; Rogofsky, David (United States)
ABSTRACT:
In this case study, we analyze data from an innovative resource for the rapid collection of nationallyrepresentative survey data on respondents in the United
States, the Understanding America Study (UAS) to assess current levels of Social Security knowledge as well as retirement preparedness, to identify gaps and disparities in both, and to understand the association between them.
Opportunities to utilize rich and relatively high-frequency data such as the UAS can lead to insights that inform evidence-based policymaking in the case of retirementrelated financial behavior and beyond.
Using Simulation Modeling Approach to Analyze the U.S. County-Level Adult Obesity Rate
Chen, Chau-Kuang (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The obesity epidemic has increasingly spread around the world in the past two decades. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown the prevalence of U.S. adult obesity doubling during this period of time. This increase may be attributed to the changes in human behavior and environment.
Purpose: This study was designed to: (1) investigate the important risk factors that contributed to the U.S. adult obesity rate; and (2) quantify the effect of changing a specific crucial factor on the reduction of adult obesity rate, in consideration of other risk factors. It was hypothesized that at least one of the
risk factors--behavioral factor, food environment, built environment, and socioeconomic status contributed to U.S. adult obesity rate.
Method: The full and reduced simulation models via linear regression and partial least squares (PLS) regression were constructed to determine the relationship between U.S. countylevel adult obesity rate and its multiple risk factors.
Findings: Of the 23 risk factors related to adult obesity, the top seven risk factors with high correlation in tornado charts were identified in both full and reduced simulation models as: physical inactivity, households with no car and low access to grocery stores, and natural amenity index. The study showed
that adult obesity rate was influenced by behavioral factor, followed by socioeconomic status, and physical environment.
Also, the results of sensitivity analysis indicated that if physical inactivity for adults decreases by 5%, from 30% to 25%, the adult obesity rate would drop to 28% from current rate of 30%.
Conclusion: The research findings in this study were consistent with the literature reviews, indicating that the simulation modeling approach was robust and applicable to inform population-based intervention strategies.
Using Simulation Modeling Approach to Predict USMLE Steps 1 and 2 Performances
Chen, Chau-Kuang; Hughes Jr., John; Samuels, A. Dexter (United States)
ABSTRACT:
The prediction models for the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Steps 1 and 2 performances were constructed by the Monte Carlo simulation modeling approach via linear regression. The purpose of this study was to build the robust simulation models to accurately identify the most
important predictors and yield the valid range estimations of the Steps 1 and 2 scores. The application of simulation modeling approach was deemed an effective way in predicting student performances on licensure examinations. Also, sensitivity analysis (a/k/a what-if analysis) in the simulation models was
used to predict the magnitudes of Steps 1 and 2 affected by changes in the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Basic Science Subject Board scores. In addition, the study results indicated that the Medical College Admission Test
(MCAT) Verbal Reasoning score and Step 1 score were significant predictors of the Step 2 performance. Hence, institutions could screen qualified student applicants for interviews and document the effectiveness of basic science
education program based on the simulation results.
Copyright © 2017 by International Institute of Informatics and Systemics
Published by International Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics
