Artificial Intelligence: A Promised Land for Web Services

6 page(s

Building a Tailored Text Messaging System for Smoking Cessation in Native American Populations

When starting new and healthy habits or encouraging vigilance against returning to poor habits, a simple text message can be beneficial. Text messages also have the advantage of being easily accessible for lower-income populations spread over a rural area, who may not be able to afford smartphones with apps or data plans. Users benefit the most from text messages that are customized for them, but personalization requires time and effort on part of the user and the counselor. However, personalization that focuses on the cultural background of a pool of recipients, in addition to general personal preferences, can be a low-cost method of ensuring the best experience for patients interested in taking up new habits. In this paper, we discuss the development of a system for motivating users to quit smoking designed for Native American users in South Dakota, using text messaging as a daily intervention method for patients. Our results show that focusing on modular message customization options and messages with a conversational tone best helps our goal of providing users with customization options that help motivate them to live happy and healthy lifestyles

Avaliação da qualidade de experiência de vídeo em várias tecnologias

Mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica e TelecomunicaçõesNowadays the internet is associated with many services. Combined with this fact, there is a marked increase of the users joining this service. In this perspective, it is required that the service providers guarantee a minimum quality to the network services. The Quality of Experience of services is quite crucial in the development of services in networks. Also noteworthy, the tra c increase in multimedia services, including video streaming, increases the probability of congesting the networks. In the perspective of the service provider, the monitoring is a solution to avoid saturation in network. This way, this dissertation proposes to develop a platform that allows a multimedia tra c monitoring in the Meo Go service provided by the operator Portugal Telecom Communications. The architecture of the adaptive streaming over HTTP has been studied and tested to obtain the quality of experience metrics. This adaptive streaming technique presents the smooth streaming, an architecture made by Microsoft company, and it is used in the Meo Go service. Then, it is monitored the metrics obtained with the video player. This analysis is done objectively and subjectively. In this phase, the objective implementation of the method allows to obtain the prediction value of the Quality of Experience by consumers. The selected metrics were derived from the state / performance of network and terminal device. The obtained metrics aim to simulate human action in video score quality. Otherwise, subjectively, it is conducted a survey based in a questionnaire to compare methods. In this phase it was created an on-line platform to allow the obtain a greater number of rankings and data processing. In the obtained results, rstly in the smooth streaming player, it is shown the adaptive streaming implementation technique. On the next phase, test scenarios were created to demonstrate the functioning of the method in many cases, with greater relevance for those ones with higher dynamic complexity. From the perspective of subjective and objective methods, these have values that con rm the architecture of the implemented module. Over time, the performance of the scoring the quality of video streaming services approaches the one in a human mental action.Nos dias de hoje a Internet é um dos meios com mais serviços associados. Conjugado a este facto, existe um acentuado aumento de utilizadores a aderir a este serviço. Nesta perspectiva existe a necessidade de garantir uma qualidade mínima por parte dos prestadores de serviços. A Qualidade de Experiência que os consumidores têm dos serviços é bastante crucial no desenvolvimento e optimização dos serviços nas redes. É ainda de salientar que o aumento do tráfego multimédia, nomeadamente os streamings de vídeo, apresenta incrementos na probabilidade de as redes se congestionarem. Na perspectiva do prestador de serviços a monitorização é a solução para evitar a saturação total. Neste sentido, esta dissertação pretende desenvolver uma plataforma que permite a monitorização do tráfego de multimédia do serviço do Meo Go, fornecido pela operadora Portugal Telecom Comunicações. Neste trabalho foi necessário investigar e testar a arquitectura do streaming adaptativo sobre HTTP para ser possível obter métricas de qualidade de experiência. Este streaming adaptativo apresenta a técnica de smooth streaming, sendo esta arquitectura projectada pela empresa Microsoft e utilizada no serviço Meo Go. Posteriormente foram monitorizadas as métricas que se obtiveram no player de vídeo. Esta análise foi realizada de forma objectiva e subjectiva. Nesta fase da implementação objectiva do método em que se pretende obter uma predição do valor de Qualidade de Experiência por parte do consumidor, foram seleccionadas as métricas oriundas do estado/desempenho da rede e do dispositivo terminal. As métricas obtidas entram num processo de tratamento que pretende simular a ação humana nas classificações da qualidade dos vídeos. De outra forma, subjectivamente, foi realizada uma pesquisa, com base num questionário, de modo a comparar os métodos. Nesta etapa foi gerada uma plataforma online que possibilitou obter um maior número de classificações dos vídeos para posteriormente se proceder ao tratamento de dados. Nos resultados obtidos, primeiramente ao nível do player de smooth streaming, estes permitem analisar a técnica de implementação de streaming adaptativo. Numa fase seguinte foram criados cenários de teste para comprovar o funcionamento do método em diversas situações, tendo com maior relevância aqueles que contêm dinâmicas mais complexas. Na perspectiva dos métodos subjectivo e objectivo, estes apresentam valores que confirmam a arquitectura do módulo implementado. Adicionalmente, o desempenho do método em classificar a qualidade de serviço de vídeo streaming, ao longo do tempo, apresentou valores que se aproximam da dinâmica esperada numa ação mental humana

Solutions and Tools for Secure Communication in Wireless Sensor Networks

Secure communication is considered a vital requirement in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) applications. Such a requirement embraces different aspects, including confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of exchanged information, proper management of security material, and effective prevention and reaction against security threats and attacks. However, WSNs are mainly composed of resource-constrained devices. That is, network nodes feature reduced capabilities, especially in terms of memory storage, computing power, transmission rate, and energy availability. As a consequence, assuring secure communication in WSNs results to be more difficult than in other kinds of network. In fact, trading effectiveness of adopted solutions with their efficiency becomes far more important. In addition, specific device classes or technologies may require to design ad hoc security solutions. Also, it is necessary to efficiently manage security material, and dynamically cope with changes of security requirements. Finally, security threats and countermeasures have to be carefully considered since from the network design phase. This Ph.D. dissertion considers secure communication in WSNs, and provides the following contributions. First, we provide a performance evaluation of IEEE 802.15.4 security services. Then, we focus on the ZigBee technology and its security services, and propose possible solutions to some deficiencies and inefficiencies. Second, we present HISS, a highly scalable and efficient key management scheme, able to contrast collusion attacks while displaying a graceful degradation of performance. Third, we present STaR, a software component for WSNs that secures multiple traffic flows at the same time. It is transparent to the application, and provides runtime reconfigurability, thus coping with dynamic changes of security requirements. Finally, we describe ASF, our attack simulation framework for WSNs. Such a tool helps network designers to quantitatively evaluate effects of security attacks, produce an attack ranking based on their severity, and thus select the most appropriate countermeasures

Development of Driving Simulation Scenarios Based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Road Safety Analysis

[EN] The analysis of road safety is critical in road design. Complying to guidelines is not enough to ensure the highest safety levels, so many of them encourage designers to virtually recreate and test their roads, benefitting from the evolution of driving simulators in recent years. However, an accurate recreation of the road and its environment represents a real bottleneck in the process. A very important limitation lies in the diversity of input data, from different sources and requiring specific adaptations for every single simulator. This paper aims at showing a framework for recreating faster virtual scenarios by using an Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)-based file. This methodology was compared to two other conventional methods for developing driving scenarios. The main outcome of this study has demonstrated that with a data exchange file in IFC format, virtual scenarios can be faster designed to carry out safety audits with driving simulators. As a result, the editing, programming, and processing times were substantially reduced using the proposed IFC exchange file format through a BIM (Building Information Modeling) model. This methodology facilitates cost-savings, execution, and optimization resources in road safety analysis.This research was funded by the Spanish Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI), as well as the European Regional Development Fund, grant number EXP-00091379/ITC-20161077.Dols Ruiz, JF.; Molina, J.; Camacho-Torregrosa, FJ.; Llopis-Castelló, D.; García García, A. (2021). Development of Driving Simulation Scenarios Based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Road Safety Analysis. Sustainability. 13(4):1-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042039S12113

HISTOLOGICAL STUDIES OF BREWERY SPENT GRAINS IN DIETARY PROTEIN FORMULATION IN DONRYU RATS

The increasing production of large tonnage of products in brewing industries continually generates lots of solid waste which includes spent grains, surplus yeast, malt sprout and cullet. The disposal of spent grains is often a problem and poses major health and environmental challenges, thereby making it imminently necessary to explore alternatives for its management. This paper focuses on investigating the effects of Brewery Spent Grain formulated diet on haematological, biochemical, histological and growth performance of Donryu rats. The rats were allocated into six dietary treatment groups and fed on a short-term study with diet containing graded levels of spent grains from 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 100% weight/weight. The outcome demonstrated that formulated diet had a positive effect on the growth performance of the rats up to levels of 6% inclusions, while the haematological and biochemical evaluation revealed that threshold limit should not exceed 9% of the grain. However, the histological study on the liver indicated a limit of 3% inclusion in feed without serious adverse effect. Thus invariably showing that blend between ranges 1-3% is appropriate for the utilization of the waste in human food without adverse effect on the liver organ. The economic advantage accruing from this waste conversion process not only solves problem of waste disposal but also handle issues of malnutrition in feeding ration

Towards efficient BIM use of underground geotechnical data

Dissertação de mestrado em Sustainable Built EnvironmentA indústria de Arquitetura, Engenharia e Construção (AEC) tem mais recentemente abandonado o uso de métodos tradicionais e optado por se focar em processos colaborativos baseados no Building Information Modelling (BIM), o que por sua vez, tem trazido um conjunto de benefícios à construção. Destes benefícios destaca-se a maior sustentabilidade, com menos riscos, melhor gestão e o melhor desempenho nas construções. A mudança para o BIM teve origem no contexto de edifícios, alargando-se posteriormente também ao setor de infraestruturas. Neste estudo, procurou-se fazer uso de tecnologias de programação em BIM e metodologias de partilha de dados, no sentido de melhorar a forma como os dados geotécnicos podem ser usados e preservados. Será dada especial atenção à definição adequada de ‘Product Data Templates’ (PDT) específicos. As propostas a apresentar compreenderão cuidados específicos relativamente à interoperabilidade IFC. Especificamente, este estudo tem como objetivo propor uma metodologia para uso das informações extraídas de sondagens e relatórios geotécnicos em contexto BIM. Nesse contexto, propõe-se um PDT como padrão para armazenamento de dados de sondagens. A metodologia inclui um programa especificamente desenvolvido em plataforma BIM que utilizará dados coerentes com o PDT no sentido de gerar uma representação visual de sondagens e de camadas subterrâneas, anexando automaticamente dados das sondagens modeladas.The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry has, recently, abandoned the use of traditional methods and chose to focus on collaborative processes based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) that in turn brought many benefits to construction. Within these benefits, greater sustainability can be highlighted, with fewer risks, better management, and better performance in constructions. The move to BIM started in the context of buildings, subsequently extending to the infrastructure sector as well. In this study, it was intended to make use of BIM programming technologies and data sharing methodologies, to improve the way geotechnical data is used and preserved. Particular attention will be paid to the appropriate definition of specific ‘Product Data Templates’ (PDT). Proposals to be submitted will also comprise specific precautions concerning Industry Foundation Class (IFC) interoperability. Specifically, this study aims to propose a methodology for using information extracted from surveys and geotechnical reports in a BIM context. In this context, a PDT is proposed as a standard for storing survey data. The methodology includes a program specifically developed on a BIM platform that will use data consistent with the PDT to generate a visual representation of boreholes and underground layers, automatically attaching data to the modeled boreholes