3G - chance for take-off in mobile

It became clear early on that UMTS, also known as 3G (third-generation mobile phone systems), would be a key technology for profitable markets of the future. However UMTS technology offers some major advantages that can be demonstrated under laboratory conditions but which it will not be possible to use fully in the mass market in the medium term. There is a need for services that emphasise the specific advantages of mobile phones and complement conventional wired services. Business models stand a particular chance of success if network operator, content providers and manufacturers of terminals coordinate the steps they take. In summary it may be said, that it is not certain that UMTS will be a success in m-business, but there is a strong chance.ICT, mobile telephony, UMTS

Discrete event simulation and virtual reality use in industry: new opportunities and future trends

This paper reviews the area of combined discrete event simulation (DES) and virtual reality (VR) use within industry. While establishing a state of the art for progress in this area, this paper makes the case for VR DES as the vehicle of choice for complex data analysis through interactive simulation models, highlighting both its advantages and current limitations. This paper reviews active research topics such as VR and DES real-time integration, communication protocols, system design considerations, model validation, and applications of VR and DES. While summarizing future research directions for this technology combination, the case is made for smart factory adoption of VR DES as a new platform for scenario testing and decision making. It is put that in order for VR DES to fully meet the visualization requirements of both Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet visions of digital manufacturing, further research is required in the areas of lower latency image processing, DES delivery as a service, gesture recognition for VR DES interaction, and linkage of DES to real-time data streams and Big Data sets

Refining personal and social presence in virtual meetings

Virtual worlds show promise for conducting meetings and conferences without the need for physical travel. Current experience suggests the major limitation to the more widespread adoption and acceptance of virtual conferences is the failure of existing environments to provide a sense of immersion and engagement, or of ‘being there’. These limitations are largely related to the appearance and control of avatars, and to the absence of means to convey non-verbal cues of facial expression and body language. This paper reports on a study involving the use of a mass-market motion sensor (Kinect™) and the mapping of participant action in the real world to avatar behaviour in the virtual world. This is coupled with full-motion video representation of participant’s faces on their avatars to resolve both identity and facial expression issues. The outcomes of a small-group trial meeting based on this technology show a very positive reaction from participants, and the potential for further exploration of these concepts

The feasibility of using virtual prototyping technologies for product evaluation

With the continuous development in computer and communications technology the use of computer aided design in design processes is becoming more commonplace. A wide range of virtual prototyping technologies are currently in development, some of which are commercially viable for use within a product design process. These virtual prototyping technologies range from graphics tablets to haptic devices. With the compression of design cycles the feasibility of using these technologies for product evaluation is becoming an ever more important consideration. This thesis begins by presenting the findings of a comprehensive literature review defining product design with a focus on product evaluation and a discussion of current virtual prototyping technologies. From the literature review it was clear that user involvement in the product evaluation process is critical. The literature review was followed by a series of interconnected studies starting with an investigation into design consultancies' access and use of prototyping technologies and their evaluation methods. Although design consultancies are already using photo-realistic renderings, animations and sometimes 3600 view CAD models for their virtual product evaluations, current virtual prototyping hardware and software is often unsatisfactory for their needs. Some emergent technologies such as haptic interfaces are currently not commonly used in industry. This study was followed by an investigation into users' psychological acceptance and physiological discomfort when using a variety of virtual prototyping tools for product evaluation compared with using physical prototypes, ranging from on-screen photo-realistic renderings to 3D 3600 view models developed using a range of design software. The third study then went on to explore the feasibility of using these virtual prototyping tools and the effect on product preference when compared to using physical prototypes. The forth study looked at the designer's requirements for current and future virtual prototyping tools, design tools and evaluation methods. In the final chapters of the thesis the relative strengths and weaknesses of these technologies were re-evaluated and a definitive set of user requirements based on the documentary evidence of the previous studies was produced. This was followed by the development of a speculative series of scenarios for the next generation of virtual prototyping technologies ranging from improvements to existing technologies through to blue sky concepts. These scenarios were then evaluated by designers and consumers to produce documentary evidence and recommendations for preferred and suitable combinations of virtual prototyping technologies. Such hardware and software will require a user interface that is intuitive, simple, easy to use and suitable for both the designers who create the virtual prototypes and the consumers who evaluate them

Supporting shop floor workers with a multimedia task-oriented information system

This paper reports the work carried out as part of an industrial research project sponsored by a major telecommunication industry based in the UK. The main aim of the research was to investigate the extent to which a multimedia- based information system, developed for shop floor workers, has contributed to the increased efficiency and productivity Of manufacturing operations. To achieve this, the work has focused on the design and execution of the evaluation of the system. Due to the fact that the direct impact of the implementation of the information system developed was difficult to demonstrate, it was decided to adopt the system usage as a surrogate of the system's Success and the User acceptance of the system was evaluated using both the Technology Acceptance Model and the Task-Technology Fit model. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Seeing is believing; or is it? An emperical study of computer simulations as evidence.

Relying on the old adage, seeing is believing, we conclude that the jury may give undue weight to an animated reconstruction of the accident .... It would be an inordinately difficult task for the plaintiff to counter, by cross-examination or otherwise, the impression that a computerized depiction of the accident is necessarily more accurate than an oral description of how the accident occurred. Because the expert\u27s conclusion would be graphically depicted in a moving and animated form, the viewing of the computer simulation might more readily lead the jury to accept the data and premises underlying the defendant\u27s expert\u27s opinion... than it might if the jury were forced to evaluate the expert\u27s opinion in the light of the testimony of all of the witnesses, as generally occurs in such cases

How gamification can influence the webdesign and the customer to use the e-banking systems

The gamification is growing in e-business and the banks are looking for new ways to get more customers on their websites. Therefore, it is important to study what are the most appreciated features of the website that could influence the behaviour of the customer to use an electronic banking system with game features. The gamified e-banking suggests that rich elements/features associated with the games could influence other variables and therefore increasing the client loyalty, to spend more time and increasing the transactions on the website. The aim of this study is to look into the influence of gamification in the e-banking system. Based on the research of 180 publications and 210 variables that could influence the intention to use a certain technology this study develops a theoretical model representing the gamification influence on ease of use, information, web pages characteristics, web design and on the intention to use an e-banking with game features. The results from an online survey of 219 e-banking customers show that the gamification had a positive impact on all variables; special has a medium positive influence in web design and information and a large positive influence on customer intentions to use. Further analysis shows that the website ease of use plays has also a medium positive influence on the intention to use an e-banking gamified. Our findings also show that the clients give more importance to an attractive graphical and architecture website design, and less to web pages with so much information or having pleasure in using an e-banking system.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio