Internet of robotic things : converging sensing/actuating, hypoconnectivity, artificial intelligence and IoT Platforms

The Internet of Things (IoT) concept is evolving rapidly and influencing newdevelopments in various application domains, such as the Internet of MobileThings (IoMT), Autonomous Internet of Things (A-IoT), Autonomous Systemof Things (ASoT), Internet of Autonomous Things (IoAT), Internetof Things Clouds (IoT-C) and the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) etc.that are progressing/advancing by using IoT technology. The IoT influencerepresents new development and deployment challenges in different areassuch as seamless platform integration, context based cognitive network integration,new mobile sensor/actuator network paradigms, things identification(addressing, naming in IoT) and dynamic things discoverability and manyothers. The IoRT represents new convergence challenges and their need to be addressed, in one side the programmability and the communication ofmultiple heterogeneous mobile/autonomous/robotic things for cooperating,their coordination, configuration, exchange of information, security, safetyand protection. Developments in IoT heterogeneous parallel processing/communication and dynamic systems based on parallelism and concurrencyrequire new ideas for integrating the intelligent “devices”, collaborativerobots (COBOTS), into IoT applications. Dynamic maintainability, selfhealing,self-repair of resources, changing resource state, (re-) configurationand context based IoT systems for service implementation and integrationwith IoT network service composition are of paramount importance whennew “cognitive devices” are becoming active participants in IoT applications.This chapter aims to be an overview of the IoRT concept, technologies,architectures and applications and to provide a comprehensive coverage offuture challenges, developments and applications

Interoperability Maturity Model: Orchestrator Tool for Platform Ecosystems

The orchestration of platform ecosystems is becoming increasingly complex due to the growing number of players, complementary services and technological innovations. Interoperability is an important prerequisite for convincing customer journeys as well as functional and quality-assured data exchange and offers increasing potential for automation, especially with the help of machine learning or artificial intelligence. The interoperability maturity model developed in this study can be used as a conceptual framework to measure the interoperability of current and future platform ecosystem components and complements. The model, developed as an artifact of design science research, was evaluated using an iterative approach with orchestrators of health data platforms and their ecosystem. The results suggest that it can contribute to achieving and sustaining integrated value chains with multiple actors and diverse technologies, and can be used to assess the interoperability of care chains (e.g., care scenarios such as diabetes or cardiac insufficiency) and guide future interoperability considerations

Final FLaReNet deliverable: Language Resources for the Future - The Future of Language Resources

Language Technologies (LT), together with their backbone, Language Resources (LR), provide an essential support to the challenge of Multilingualism and ICT of the future. The main task of language technologies is to bridge language barriers and to help creating a new environment where information flows smoothly across frontiers and languages, no matter the country, and the language, of origin. To achieve this goal, all players involved need to act as a community able to join forces on a set of shared priorities. However, until now the field of Language Resources and Technology has long suffered from an excess of individuality and fragmentation, with a lack of coherence concerning the priorities for the field, the direction to move, not to mention a common timeframe. The context encountered by the FLaReNet project was thus represented by an active field needing a coherence that can only be given by sharing common priorities and endeavours. FLaReNet has contributed to the creation of this coherence by gathering a wide community of experts and making them participate in the definition of an exhaustive set of recommendations

Open Source Integrated Library Systems in Public Libraries

One of the most fundamental decisions a library makes is choosing an integrated library system, or ILS. A public library can remove unwanted outside influence and save money by switching their ILS to free and open source software, or FOSS. This article is an examination of the progress made by FOSS ILSs to become not only contenders against proprietary systems, but also an appropriate choice for financial, functional, and philosophical reasons. Included is a timeline of published evaluations, the milestone of 14% adoption, a summary of the current landscape, and example implementation cases. A functional analysis shows why a public library can now safely make the switch. A philosophical analysis shows why they should do so. Finally, a proposal is made to “Buy Back America’s Libraries, and return ownership of the keystone of our public information infrastructure to the people

A framework for digital model checking

Dissertação de mestrado em European Master in Building Information ModellingDigital model checking (DMC) is a solution that has the power to become a primary key player for the AEC industry concerns. Despite the research achievements on DMC, there are still gaps to make it practical to solve real-world problems. DMC, as an emerging research discipline, is still an area of development and not yet completely formalized. This means that there is still a need for enhanced system capabilities, updated processes, and adjustments to the current project delivery documents and proper standardization of DMC aspects. The work of this dissertation proposes a diagnostic approach based on using pre-defined principles to analyse digital model checking (DMC) and a formal framework and implementation plan. These principles are the Digital Information model (DIM), Rule-set, and checking platform. To set up a formal framework a modularization approach was used focused on “what things are”, “what is the logic behind extending the pre-existing concepts” and “how it assists the DMC process”. These modules play a fundamental role and they must be captured, tracked, and interconnected during the development of the framework. Throughout the expansion of principles, modules were built on a basis that 1) DIMs are the wholeness of information that should include existing physical systems not only buildings, 2) verification rules are not only sourced from regulatory codes and standards, and there are other sources of rules that should be taken into consideration, 3) the role of involved stakeholders, native system and project phases has not been ignored, 4) evaluate the effectiveness of DIMs to integrate, exchange, identify, and verify its content and 5) highlight on the existent classifications that could aid the DMC process. Moreover, DMC is a dependent activity that has cause and effect on former and subsequent activities. Thus, this dissertation also proposes a DMC implementation plan that could fit within the other project activities.A verificação de modelo digital (DMC) é uma solução que tem o poder de se tornar um ator principal para as preocupações da indústria de AEC. Apesar dos resultados da investigação sobre DMC, ainda existem lacunas para torná-lo prático para resolver problemas do mundo real. DMC, como uma área de investigação emergente, é ainda uma área em desenvolvimento e não completamente formalizada. Isso significa que existe ainda necessidade de aprimorato das capacidades dos sistemas, atualização de processos, ajustes aos atuais documentos de entrega do projeto e padronização adequada dos aspectos de DMC. O trabalho desta dissertação visa propor uma abordagem de diagnóstico baseada no uso de princípios pré-definidos para analisar o processo de verificação de modelo digital (DMC), um framework formal e um plano de implementação. Esses princípios são o modelo digital de informação (DIM), o conjunto de regras e a plataforma de verificação. Para configurar uma metodologia formal, uma abordagem de modularização foi usada com foco em “o que as coisas são”, “qual é a lógica por trás da extensão dos conceitos pré-existentes” e “como isso auxilia o processo DMC”. Esses módulos desempenham um papel fundamental e devem ser capturados, verificados e interconectados durante o desenvolvimento da metodologia. Ao longo da expansão dos princípios, os módulos foram construídos com base em: 1) os DIMs representam a totalidade da informação os quais devem incluir todos sistemas físicos existentes, não apenas os edifícios, 2) as regras de verificação não são apenas originárias de códigos e padrões regulatórios, existindo outras fontes de regras que devem ser levadas em consideração, 3) o papel das partes interessadas envolvidas, sistemas nativos e as fases do projeto não foram ignorados, 4) avaliar a eficácia dos DIMs para integrar, trocar, identificar e verificar seu conteúdo e 5) destacar a existencia de systemas de classificação que poderiam auxiliar no processo de DMC. Além disso, o DMC é uma atividade dependente que tem causa e efeito nas atividades anteriores e subsequentes. Assim, esta dissertação também propoe um plano de implementação do DMC para se enquadrar nas outras atividades do projeto

FAIR Metadata Standards for Low Carbon Energy Research—A Review of Practices and How to Advance

The principles of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability (FAIR) have been put forward to guide optimal sharing of data. The potential for industrial and social innovation is vast. Domain-specific metadata standards are crucial in this context, but are widely missing in the energy sector. This report provides a collaborative response from the low carbon energy research community for addressing the necessity of advancing FAIR metadata standards. We review and test existing metadata practices in the domain based on a series of community workshops. We reflect the perspectives of energy data stakeholders. The outcome is reported in terms of challenges and elicits recommendations for advancing FAIR metadata standards in the energy domain across a broad spectrum of stakeholders

An overview of benefits and challenges of building information modelling (BIM) adoption in UK residential projects

Purpose This paper aims to present a state-of-the-art review of building information modelling (BIM) in the UK construction practice. In particular, the aim is to examine the scope, value and practical implications of BIM implementation in residential projects by evaluating practitioners’ perspectives working in the Greater London Area (GLA). Design/methodology/approach The paper outlines the general status quo of BIM adoption and maturity in the UK. It then discusses the feasibility of BIM use in residential projects drawing on an online survey and complementary semi-structured interviews with building professionals. The cross-comparison between the evidence base and literature review uncovers the specific benefits, challenges and risks to BIM implementation in the house building sector. Findings BIM is an evaluation methodology that helps the management of digital information throughout the project lifecycle. At a conceptual level, a BIM-enabled project offers quality assurance and on-time delivery, collaboration and communication improvement, visual representation and clash detection and whole lifecycle value. The findings, however, suggest that the most frequently reported benefits are related to collaboration and the blend of product (software) and process innovation, whilst lifecycle thinking and waste reduction are often overlooked. At present, there is widespread awareness on BIM but with a financial barrier to invest in developing digital capabilities, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Practical implications The paper concludes with a critical commentary on the lack of strategic leadership in both the supply and demand side. The role of policy to streamline commercial drivers for whole lifecycle costing in procurement is endorsed to drive the change management required to address the short-term mind-set of senior management and wider fragmentation of the construction industry, also serving as a research question for further research and development in the field. Originality/value There are relatively few studies evaluating BIM perspectives in UK residential projects. This paper explores the feasibility and “real-life” value of BIM in housing practice, drawing on views and experiences of building professionals in GLA. In particular, the research findings provide an evidence base evaluating the extent to which the house building industry has the expertise and capability to operate in a BIM environment and to comply with the Level 2 mandate and explore which of the generic barriers and drivers of BIM-readiness are more relevant to the design and construction of housing projects