Desing and Validation of a Light Inference System to Support Embedded Context Reasoning

Embedded context management in resource-constrained devices (e.g. mobile phones, autonomous sensors or smart objects) imposes special requirements in terms of lightness for data modelling and reasoning. In this paper, we explore the state-of-the-art on data representation and reasoning tools for embedded mobile reasoning and propose a light inference system (LIS) aiming at simplifying embedded inference processes offering a set of functionalities to avoid redundancy in context management operations. The system is part of a service-oriented mobile software framework, conceived to facilitate the creation of context-aware applications—it decouples sensor data acquisition and context processing from the application logic. LIS, composed of several modules, encapsulates existing lightweight tools for ontology data management and rule-based reasoning, and it is ready to run on Java-enabled handheld devices. Data management and reasoning processes are designed to handle a general ontology that enables communication among framework components. Both the applications running on top of the framework and the framework components themselves can configure the rule and query sets in order to retrieve the information they need from LIS. In order to test LIS features in a real application scenario, an ‘Activity Monitor’ has been designed and implemented: a personal health-persuasive application that provides feedback on the user’s lifestyle, combining data from physical and virtual sensors. In this case of use, LIS is used to timely evaluate the user’s activity level, to decide on the convenience of triggering notifications and to determine the best interface or channel to deliver these context-aware alerts.

Geographic Information Systems for Real-Time Environmental Sensing at Multiple Scales

The purpose of this investigation was to design, implement, and apply a real-time geographic information system for data intensive water resource research and management. The research presented is part of an ongoing, interdisciplinary research program supporting the development of the Intelligent River® observation instrument. The objectives of this research were to 1) design and describe software architecture for a streaming environmental sensing information system, 2) implement and evaluate the proposed information system, and 3) apply the information system for monitoring, analysis, and visualization of an urban stormwater improvement project located in the City of Aiken, South Carolina, USA. This research contributes to the fields of software architecture and urban ecohydrology. The first contribution is a formal architectural description of a streaming environmental sensing information system. This research demonstrates the operation of the information system and provides a reference point for future software implementations. Contributions to urban ecohydrology are in three areas. First, a characterization of soil properties for the study region of the City of Aiken, SC is provided. The analysis includes an evaluation of spatial structure for soil hydrologic properties. Findings indicate no detectable structure at the scales explored during the study. The second contribution to ecohydrology comes from a long-term, continuous monitoring program for bioinfiltration basin structures located in the study area. Results include an analysis of soil moisture dynamics based on data collected at multiple depths with high spatial and temporal resolution. A novel metric is introduced to evaluate the long-term performance of bioinfiltration basin structures based on soil moisture observation data. Findings indicate a decrease in basin performance over time for the monitored sites. The third contribution to the field of ecohydrology is the development and application of a spatially and temporally explicit rainfall infiltration and excess model. The model enables the simulation and visualization of bioinfiltration basin hydrologic response at within-catchment scales. The model is validated against observed soil moisture data. Results include visualizations and stormwater volume calculations based on measured versus predicted bioinfiltration basin performance over time

Towards an architecture for open archive networks in Agricultural Sciences and Technology

The AGRIS Network is an international initiative based on a collaborative network of institutions, whose aim is to promote free access to information on science and technology in agriculture and related subjects. The paper illustrates how the Open Access (OA) and the Open Archive Initiative (OAI) models can be used within the AGRIS Network as a means of solving the problems of dissemination and exchange of agricultural research outputs. The lack of adequate information exchange possibilities between researchers in agricultural sciences and technology represents a significant weakness limiting their ability to properly address the issues of agricultural development. The OA model promotes the dissemination of research output at international, national and regional levels thus removing the restrictions placed by the traditional scientific publishing model. This paper presents the possibility to address the accessibility, availability and interoperability issues of exchanging agricultural research output

Towards an architecture for open archive networks in Agricultural Sciences and Technology

The AGRIS Network is an international initiative based on a collaborative network of institutions, whose aim is to promote free access to information on science and technology in agriculture and related subjects. The paper illustrates how the Open Access (OA) and the Open Archive Initiative (OAI) models can be used within the AGRIS Network as a means of solving the problems of dissemination and exchange of agricultural research outputs. The lack of adequate information exchange possibilities between researchers in agricultural sciences and technology represents a significant weakness limiting their ability to properly address the issues of agricultural development. The OA model promotes the dissemination of research output at international, national and regional levels thus removing the restrictions placed by the traditional scientific publishing model. This paper presents the possibility to address the accessibility, availability and interoperability issues of exchanging agricultural research output

Linked Open Data for Environmental Protection in Smart Regions – the New Challenge for the Use of Environmental Data and Information.

This paper will introduce the specific objectives of the recently initiated project SmartOpenData - “Linked Open Data for Environmental Protection in Smart Regions” (SOD project) that is supported by Seventh Framework ENV.2013.6.5-3: Exploiting the European Open Data Strategy to Mobilize the Use of Environmental Data and Information. The main concept of the project is to create a Linked Open Data (SOD) infrastructure (including software tools and data sets) fed by public and freely available data resources, existing sources for biodiversity and environment protection and research in rural and European protected areas and its national parks. The aim of the SOD project to develop real proposals for building a SOD infrastructure for biodiversity and environment protection in European protected areas that satisfy the requirements of four kinds of target users: public bodies, researchers, companies (also small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and citizens. The SOD project will focus also on how the SOD Initiative can be linked with the INSPIRE directive, GEOSS Data-CORE, GMES, completed European scale Geographic Information System (GIS) projects (like a Habitats project, which defines models and tools for managing spatial data in environmental protection areas), and external third parties, as well as how it can impact economic and sustainability progress in European environmental research and protection. The key elements of the project will be five target pilot projects in related areas (agro forestry management, environmental research and biodiversity, water monitoring, forest sustainability and environmental data re-use), where harmonization of metadata, improvement of spatial data fusion, as well as visualization and publication of the resulting information according to user requirements will take place. Key words: Linked Open Data, Geographic Information Systems, GIS, INSPIRE directive, environmental data, natural resources, sustainable development and research

Context Aware Computing for The Internet of Things: A Survey

As we are moving towards the Internet of Things (IoT), the number of sensors deployed around the world is growing at a rapid pace. Market research has shown a significant growth of sensor deployments over the past decade and has predicted a significant increment of the growth rate in the future. These sensors continuously generate enormous amounts of data. However, in order to add value to raw sensor data we need to understand it. Collection, modelling, reasoning, and distribution of context in relation to sensor data plays critical role in this challenge. Context-aware computing has proven to be successful in understanding sensor data. In this paper, we survey context awareness from an IoT perspective. We present the necessary background by introducing the IoT paradigm and context-aware fundamentals at the beginning. Then we provide an in-depth analysis of context life cycle. We evaluate a subset of projects (50) which represent the majority of research and commercial solutions proposed in the field of context-aware computing conducted over the last decade (2001-2011) based on our own taxonomy. Finally, based on our evaluation, we highlight the lessons to be learnt from the past and some possible directions for future research. The survey addresses a broad range of techniques, methods, models, functionalities, systems, applications, and middleware solutions related to context awareness and IoT. Our goal is not only to analyse, compare and consolidate past research work but also to appreciate their findings and discuss their applicability towards the IoT.Comment: IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials Journal, 201

Knowledge-Intensive Fusion for Situational Awareness: Band Sultan Dam Failure Scenario

This report provides a detailed specification of a humanitarian relief scenario involving significant civil-military cooperation. The scenario aims to highlight some challenges and opportunities for semantic integration and knowledge processing in support of humanitarian relief efforts undertaken against a backdrop of military conflict. The scenario depicts an earthquake and associated flood event occurring in Afghanistan at the time of the US-led coalition effort to displace the former Taliban regime. The flood event occurs as a secondary phenomenon to the earthquake and precipitates a full-scale humanitarian relief effort co-opting the resources of both humanitarian and military agencies. This scenario will serve to showcase the capabilities of the AKTiveSA TDS with respect to enhanced situation awareness and improved information fusion. Such capabilities depend on the ability to exploit multiple sources of information and sophisticated query capabilities in order to expedite the dissemination of relevant information to executive agencies in a timely and appropriate fashion. The scenario narrative draws attention to some of the information requirements demanded by military and humanitarian decision makers in the context of complex emergency situations. It also serves to illustrate the critical knowledge processing capabilities of agents with respect to the assessment of disaster situations and relief effort planning. Finally, the scenario provides an indication of the requirements for visualization and interaction that should be afforded to end-user agents in order to optimise their exploitation of system capabilities. This report also provides background information about the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of humanitarian agencies with respect to disaster relief and reviews guidelines on the nature of civil-military coordination in the context of disaster relief efforts in conflict situations

Open data governance: civic hacking movement, topics and opinions in digital space

AbstractThe expression 'open data' relates to a system of informative and freely accessible databases that public administrations make generally available online in order to develop an informative network between institutions, enterprises and citizens. On this topic, using the semantic network analysis method, the research aims to investigate the communication structure and the governance of open data in the Twitter conversational environment. In particular, the research questions are: (1) Who are the main actors in the Italian open data infrastructure? (2) What are the main conversation topics online? (3) What are the pros and cons of the development and use (reuse) of open data in Italy? To answer these questions, we went through three research phases: (1) analysing the communication network, we found who are the main influencers; (2) once we found who were the main actors, we analysed the online content in the Twittersphere to detect the semantic areas; (3) then, through an online focus group with the main open data influencers, we explored the characteristics of Italian open data governance. Through the research, it has been shown that: (1) there is an Italian open data governance strategy; (2) the Italian civic hacker community plays an important role as an influencer; but (3) there are weaknesses in governance and in practical reuse

IETF standardization in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT): a survey

Smart embedded objects will become an important part of what is called the Internet of Things. However, the integration of embedded devices into the Internet introduces several challenges, since many of the existing Internet technologies and protocols were not designed for this class of devices. In the past few years, there have been many efforts to enable the extension of Internet technologies to constrained devices. Initially, this resulted in proprietary protocols and architectures. Later, the integration of constrained devices into the Internet was embraced by IETF, moving towards standardized IP-based protocols. In this paper, we will briefly review the history of integrating constrained devices into the Internet, followed by an extensive overview of IETF standardization work in the 6LoWPAN, ROLL and CoRE working groups. This is complemented with a broad overview of related research results that illustrate how this work can be extended or used to tackle other problems and with a discussion on open issues and challenges. As such the aim of this paper is twofold: apart from giving readers solid insights in IETF standardization work on the Internet of Things, it also aims to encourage readers to further explore the world of Internet-connected objects, pointing to future research opportunities