Application of IoT and Machine Learning techniques for the assessment of thermal comfort perception.

Abstract Thermal comfort is traditionally assessed by using the PMV index defined according to the EN ISO 7730:2005 where the user passively interacts with the surrounding environment considering a physic-based model built on a steady-state thermal energy balance equation. The thermal comfort satisfaction is a holistic concept comprising behavioral, physiological and psychological aspects. This article describes a workflow for the assessment of the thermal conditions of users through the analysis of their specific psychophysical conditions overcoming the limitation of the physic-based model in order to investigate and consider other possible relations between the subjective and objective variables

Праћење параметара физичког окружења применом Интернета интелигентних уређаја у циљу анализе њиховог утицаја на квалитет предавања

Предмет овог истраживања је праћење параметара физичког окружења применом Интернета интелигентних уређаја и анализа њиховог утицаја на квалитет предавања. Главна хипотеза од које се полази и која је доказана је да се применом технологије Интернета интелигентних уређаја у настави може побољшати процес одвијања наставе. Задатак интелигентних уређаја је да мере релевантне параметре физичке средине, као и активности предавача и студената, који ће потом бити послати на обраду. Побољшање процеса одвијања наставе остварено је имплементацијом система за одређивање квалитета предавања који у готово реалном времену омогућава анализу прикупљених података и приказује обрађене резултате. Како би се реализовао систем који је у могућности да у реалном времену пружи информацију о квалитету предавања, урађен је преглед релевантних истраживања и достигнућа у области техничких и друштвених наука. Урађен је преглед и класификација постојећих имплементација паметних учионица. Да би се идентификовали параметри физичке средине који утичу на квалитет предавања, проучена је литература релевантних области, спроведена анкета и обрађени добијени резултати, па су на основу тога издвојени они који би могли утицати на квалитет предавања. С обзиром на то да се систем бави и анализом предавачевог понашања, проучени су и радови из области образаца понашања и социолошких сигнала као и њихова веза са технологијама које се баве препознавањем активности посматраних субјеката...The subject of this dissertation is monitoring the parameters of the physical environment and analysing their impact on the lecture quality using Internet of Things. This research has proved the main hypothesis that using Internet of Things during lectures can enhance the learning process. The aim of the Internet of Things is to measure relevant parameters of the physical environment, as well as the lecturer's and students' activity which will then be sent for further analysis. Enhancement of the learning process is achieved through the system which is able to analyse the collected data in order to distinguish the lecture quality in almost real time. To this end and for the purpose of developing such system, relevant researches and achievements from both technical and social sciences were reviewed. Existing smart classroom systems were reviewed and classified. In addition, relevant researches from related fields were also studied and leveraged with the results obtained from the questionnaire analysis, in order to identify parameters of the physical environment that could have impact on the lecture quality. Bearing in mind that the aim of such system to analyse lecturer’s behaviour, researches related to behaviour pattern and social signals analysis were also examined together with their relationship to the technologies dealing with recognizing subject’s activities. After defining system requirements, the system architecture that meets the specified requirements was presented. The system is essentially based on the classifier that is trained to determine if students are satisfied with the lecture quality at a given moment. The classifier’s accuracy on the training dataset was up to 93.2%. The system is entirely implemented in Matlab and has the ability to process digital signal in order to extract different sound features, as well as to analyse data received using the accelerometer. These values are later used as the input for the classifier with the aim to..

SmartLET: learning analytics to enhance the design and orchestration in scalable, IoT-enriched, and ubiquitous Smart Learning Environments

Proceeding of: 6th International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality (TEEM 2018), Salamanca, Spain, 24-26 October 2018This paper presents the SmartLET project, a coordinated research project funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which just started in 2018. The main aim of this project is to provide support for the design and orchestration of Smart Learning Environments (SLEs) with the support of learning analytics and the Internet of Things. This paper gives an overview of our conception of SLEs based on previous works, provides some ideas about the connection of learning design and orchestration with SLEs, and analyses different ethical and privacy issues for SLEs. In addition, an initial hypothesis and some specific objectives for a support environment for SLEs are proposed

The Effect of Classroom Environment on Satisfaction and Performance: Towards IoT-Sustainable Space

The physical classroom environment includes the overall design and layout facilities that are provided in a classroom. Classroom facilities should be organised to maximise the satisfaction and performance of students. With the increased demand of well-equipped classrooms, upgrades in new high-technology need to be adopted to enable the optimisation of the students’ perceptions and behaviours. A number of studies have investigated the impact of classrooms in high schools. However, few studies have investigated the impact of the physical classroom environment in university settings. This paper examines the impact of the physical classroom environment on students’ satisfaction and performance in a university setting. A total of 173 responses from students were obtained regarding their perceptions of five physical classroom environment factors, namely, classroom layout, noise, temperature, lighting and colour. The questionnaire results showed that students have different demands for the physical classroom environment. Using the guidance of the person-environment fit theory, a smart IoT-enabled classroom has been proposed. The results of this study could be used by managers who make capital decisions on classroom construction upgrades and facility managers who aim to improve the satisfaction and performance of students in higher education institutions

Affective evaluation of the luminous environment in university classrooms

[EN] Universities worldwide are adopting new teaching methods and using new educational technologies. This progress requires changes in their physical environment, especially in the case of lighting, which is regarded as fundamental because of its recognised effect on the learning process. Different light levels are needed for new classroom tasks. The aim of the present paper is to analyse the affective impressions of university students with regard to the luminous environment in their classroom, in relation to the different tasks they carry out there. This analysis is conducted in the frame of Kansei Engineering. A sample of 854 students assessed in situ the luminous environment of 29 classrooms. In the first stage, subjective evaluation scales adapted to the students were defined and then related to the classroom tasks. The results show that students' affective responses in the assessment of the luminous environment in their classroom can be explained through the following dimensions: Clear-efficient, Uniform, Cheerful-colourful, Warm cosy, Surprising-amazing and Intense-brilliant. The relation of these dimensions to the tasks shows that the luminous environments in the classrooms need to be changed in accordance with the nature of the tasks. The environment should be different for the tasks groups of Writing-reading, Reflecting-discussing (for collaborative work) and Paying attention. It seems, therefore, that new classroom lighting guidelines, tailored to the new methodologies and technologies, are needed.This research was supported by Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad, Spain (project BIA2017-86157-R).Castilla-Cabanes, N.; Llinares Millán, MDC.; Bisegna, F.; Blanca Giménez, V. (2018). Affective evaluation of the luminous environment in university classrooms. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 58:52-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2018.07.010S52625

Subjective assessment of university classroom environment

[EN] Research into the design of learning environments is warranted as the classroom space impacts on students' wellbeing and learning performance. Studies on subjective evaluation of classrooms usually focus on the influence of more objective aspects like temperature, light, sound, etc., based on concepts or attributes defined by experts. Thus, the attributes used to find relations with design parameters might not be recognised by users, thereby conditioning the evaluation process itself. This paper aims to analyse students' affective response to a university classroom in their own words, and then, after obtaining the semantic space, to identify the design elements that generate a positive affective response. This analysis was carried out implementing the Semantic Differential method in the framework of Kansei Engineering. A sample of 918 university students was assessed in situ in 30 university classrooms. The results show that students' affective structure in relation to their classroom comprises six independent factors: functionality and layout, cosy and pleasant, concentration and comfort, modern design, daylight and outward facing, and artificial lighting. From these factors, efforts to improve the classroom environment should be directed mainly towards two aspects: improving classroom functionality-layout, which is significantly related to the work space allocated to students; and the sensation of cosy-pleasant which is generated by all the classroom design parameters, but in particular, those that refer to the relationship of the classroom with the outdoor environment.This research was supported by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, Spain (project TIN2013-45736-R)Castilla-Cabanes, N.; Llinares Millán, MDC.; Bravo, JM.; Blanca Giménez, V. (2017). Subjective assessment of university classroom environment. Building and Environment. 122:72-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.06.004S728112

A modified approach to metabolic rate determination for thermal comfort prediction during high metabolic rate activities

Environmental conditions in buildings are linked to the physical and mental wellbeing of occupants. Thus, it follows that the internal environment affects human performance and user experience during sport and activity. There are several indices that are used to evaluate occupant thermal comfort, the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index being the metric most commonly used. PMV is designed to evaluate comfort for sedentary occupants with low metabolic rates; however, PMV has also been used to evaluate comfort for individuals engaged in high metabolic rate activities, such as those common in sport facilities. This paper investigates the implication of using PMV to evaluate thermal comfort in sport facilities using empirical data recorded over 24 months in a multi-purpose sports hall in the North of England. Data are used to develop and propose methodological modifications to improve the standard PMV model prediction to account for occupants having higher metabolic rates. The paper evaluates the use of metabolic rate data from different sources including the Compendium of Physical Activities and quantifies the impact that the metabolic weighting approach has on predicted comfort. Finally, a novel method is proposed to modify PMV for use where occupants have high metabolic rates. Despite the improvements made, the findings suggest that even a modified PMV may not be able to accurately evaluate the thermal comfort of people engaged in non-sedentary activity, recommending that use of the PMV index is restricted to activities with metabolic rates <2 MET

Internet of Things (IoT) implementation in learning institutions: a systematic literature review

Internet of Things (IoT) is a computing concept facilitating the management of collaborative activities from one central area. Millennial learners, growth in enrolment numbers in universities, and the need for equity and quality learning necessitate the use of IoT technologies in education. The focus of this paper is to examine IoT implementations in learning institutes, their application areas, the themes presented, the models and methodologies used, and the benefits. This study concentrated on publications from 2008 to 2017. The outcomes revealed that the utilization of IoT for tracking and tracing a learner’s attendance had been one of the application areas of IoT in education. This study further categorized the papers and presents novel research opportunities based on concentrated themes and areas that had not been fully exhausted. Most research studies employed qualitative methods, with a few utilizing a quantitative approach with surveys. Research themes exhibited a shortcoming in other important themes, such as the models and methodologies used for implementing IoT. Finally, the results of this study agree that IoT implementation could help solve some issues in learning institutions like equity and quality learning. The results from this research also provide a base for future research works on the successful implementation of IoT in learning institutions

Internet of things as a support to students in teaching with special attention to disadvantaged students

Internet stvari su koncept koji se zasniva na tome da su sve stvari povezane s Internetom. Tehnologija Internet stvari obuhvaća sva područja ljudskog življenja pa tako i obrazovanje. Primjena tehnologije Internet stvari u obrazovanju donosi značajne prednosti kod studenata u nepovoljnom položaju u odnosu na tradicionalni sustav obrazovanja. U ovom radu fokus je na primjeni Internet stvari kao pomoći studentima u nepovoljnijem položaju te potrebi integriranja Internet stvari u nastavu kako bi se poboljšalo i olakšalo učenje putem informacijskih i komunikacijskih tehnologija. Analizom znanstveno-stručne literature te provedenim vlastitim istraživanjem predstavljen je pregled korištenja tehnologije Internet stvari u obrazovanju, s posebnim osvrtom na studente u nepovoljnijem položaju. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na to da su studenti koji su sudjelovali u istraživanju upoznati s prednostima korištenja tehnologije Internet stvari u obrazovanju i svi oni su mišljenja kako im tehnologija Internet stvari može pomoći u savladavanju raznih prepreka s kojima se susreću tijekom obrazovnog procesa. Rad također donosi i pregled glavni prepreka koje stoje na putu k adekvatnom uvođenju tehnologije Internet stvari u obrazovanje, kao što su: orijentiranost tradicionalnom sustavu obrazovanja, nedostatak educiranog osoblja, zastarjela komunikacijska i tehnološka opremljenost učilišta, interoperabilnost informacijskih sustava, tehnologije i uređaja, i sl.Internet of Things is a concept that is based on the fact that all things are connected to the Internet. The technology Internet of Things encompasses all areas of human life and also education. The use of the Internet of Things technology in education brings significant benefits to disadvantaged students compared to the traditional education system. In this paper, the focus is on the use of the Internet of Things to help disadvantaged students and the need to integrate the Internet of Things into teaching to improve and facilitate learning through information and communication technologies. By analyzing scientific-professional literature and carrying out our research, we present an overview of the use of Internet of Things technology in education, with special emphasis on disadvantaged students. Research results suggest that the students who participated in the research are familiar with the benefits of using the Internet of Things technology in education and they all think that the Internet of Things technology can help them overcome the various obstacles encountered during the educational process. The paper also provides an overview of the main obstacles to the adequate introduction of Internet of Things technology in education, such as: orientation to the traditional education system, lack of educated staff, obsolete communication and technological equipment of the institution, interoperability of information systems, technology and devices, and similar