Internet Filters: A Public Policy Report (Second edition; fully revised and updated)

No sooner was the Internet upon us than anxiety arose over the ease of accessing pornography and other controversial content. In response, entrepreneurs soon developed filtering products. By the end of the decade, a new industry had emerged to create and market Internet filters....Yet filters were highly imprecise from the beginning. The sheer size of the Internet meant that identifying potentially offensive content had to be done mechanically, by matching "key" words and phrases; hence, the blocking of Web sites for "Middlesex County," or words such as "magna cum laude". Internet filters are crude and error-prone because they categorize expression without regard to its context, meaning, and value. Yet these sweeping censorship tools are now widely used in companies, homes, schools, and libraries. Internet filters remain a pressing public policy issue to all those concerned about free expression, education, culture, and democracy. This fully revised and updated report surveys tests and studies of Internet filtering products from the mid-1990s through 2006. It provides an essential resource for the ongoing debate

Watermark: The Alumni Magazine of the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Center for Information Systems. Spring 2014

Watermark is published semiannually for the alumni of Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS).Topics in this issue: Boston Alumni Discuss Marathon Bombings; Evans Named Boston Police Commissioner; Oso Landslide; Response Bolstered with CHDS Alumni; Cadre of CHDS Alumni at Seattle Fire; Cowboy Cop Rounds Up Career as Terrorism Specialist; Wearable Technology Tested in CHDS; Center Expands Educational Portfolio with Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program; Fusion Centers Critical to Nation's Intelligence Network; Criswell Leads FEMA IMAT East; Zambri Steers L.A.’s Unique Cyber Intrusion Command Center; Former FEMA Associate Administrator Carwile Shares Homeland Security Expertise With PEL

BP3 / Apparatus (State + Media): Briefing on London 2012 Olympic Games

Games Monitor is a network of people with a desire to inform and monitor the Olympic process and the local impact. Final editions of Background papers 1, 2 & 3 were updated December 2015

Autonomous Vehicles

This edited volume, Autonomous Vehicles, is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of vehicle autonomy. The book comprises nine chapters authored by various researchers and edited by an expert active in the field of study. All chapters are complete in itself but united under a common research study topic. This publication aims to provide a thorough overview of the latest research efforts by international authors, open new possible research paths for further novel developments, and to inspire the younger generations into pursuing relevant academic studies and professional careers within the autonomous vehicle field

Logic-based Technologies for Intelligent Systems: State of the Art and Perspectives

Together with the disruptive development of modern sub-symbolic approaches to artificial intelligence (AI), symbolic approaches to classical AI are re-gaining momentum, as more and more researchers exploit their potential to make AI more comprehensible, explainable, and therefore trustworthy. Since logic-based approaches lay at the core of symbolic AI, summarizing their state of the art is of paramount importance now more than ever, in order to identify trends, benefits, key features, gaps, and limitations of the techniques proposed so far, as well as to identify promising research perspectives. Along this line, this paper provides an overview of logic-based approaches and technologies by sketching their evolution and pointing out their main application areas. Future perspectives for exploitation of logic-based technologies are discussed as well, in order to identify those research fields that deserve more attention, considering the areas that already exploit logic-based approaches as well as those that are more likely to adopt logic-based approaches in the future

The Proceedings of 14th Australian Digital Forensics Conference, 5-6 December 2016, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia

Conference Foreword This is the fifth year that the Australian Digital Forensics Conference has been held under the banner of the Security Research Institute, which is in part due to the success of the security conference program at ECU. As with previous years, the conference continues to see a quality papers with a number from local and international authors. 11 papers were submitted and following a double blind peer review process, 8 were accepted for final presentation and publication. Conferences such as these are simply not possible without willing volunteers who follow through with the commitment they have initially made, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the conference committee for their tireless efforts in this regard. These efforts have included but not been limited to the reviewing and editing of the conference papers, and helping with the planning, organisation and execution of the conference. Particular thanks go to those international reviewers who took the time to review papers for the conference, irrespective of the fact that they are unable to attend this year. To our sponsors and supporters a vote of thanks for both the financial and moral support provided to the conference. Finally, to the student volunteers and staff of the ECU Security Research Institute, your efforts as always are appreciated and invaluable. Yours sincerely, Conference Chair Professor Craig Valli Director, Security Research Institut

Towards Intelligent Playful Environments for Animals based on Natural User Interfaces

Tesis por compendioEl estudio de la interacción de los animales con la tecnología y el desarrollo de sistemas tecnológicos centrados en el animal está ganando cada vez más atención desde la aparición del área de Animal Computer Interaction (ACI). ACI persigue mejorar el bienestar de los animales en diferentes entornos a través del desarrollo de tecnología adecuada para ellos siguiendo un enfoque centrado en el animal. Entre las líneas de investigación que ACI está explorando, ha habido bastante interés en la interacción de los animales con la tecnología basada en el juego. Las actividades de juego tecnológicas tienen el potencial de proveer estimulación mental y física a los animales en diferentes contextos, pudiendo ayudar a mejorar su bienestar. Mientras nos embarcamos en la era de la Internet de las Cosas, las actividades de juego tecnológicas actuales para animales todavía no han explorado el desarrollo de soluciones pervasivas que podrían proveerles de más adaptación a sus preferencias a la vez que ofrecer estímulos tecnológicos más variados. En su lugar, estas actividades están normalmente basadas en interacciones digitales en lugar de explorar dispositivos tangibles o aumentar las interacciones con otro tipo de estímulos. Además, estas actividades de juego están ya predefinidas y no cambian con el tiempo, y requieren que un humano provea el dispositivo o la tecnología al animal. Si los humanos pudiesen centrarse más en su participación como jugadores de un sistema interactivo para animales en lugar de estar pendientes de sujetar un dispositivo para el animal o de mantener el sistema ejecutándose, esto podría ayudar a crear lazos más fuertes entre especies y promover mejores relaciones con los animales. Asimismo, la estimulación mental y física de los animales son aspectos importantes que podrían fomentarse si los sistemas de juego diseñados para ellos pudieran ofrecer un variado rango de respuestas, adaptarse a los comportamientos del animal y evitar que se acostumbre al sistema y pierda el interés. Por tanto, esta tesis propone el diseño y desarrollo de entornos tecnológicos de juego basados en Interfaces Naturales de Usuario que puedan adaptarse y reaccionar a las interacciones naturales de los animales. Estos entornos pervasivos permitirían a los animales jugar por si mismos o con una persona, ofreciendo actividades de juego más dinámicas y atractivas capaces de adaptarse con el tiempo.L'estudi de la interacció dels animals amb la tecnologia i el desenvolupament de sistemes tecnològics centrats en l'animal està guanyant cada vegada més atenció des de l'aparició de l'àrea d'Animal Computer Interaction (ACI) . ACI persegueix millorar el benestar dels animals en diferents entorns a través del desenvolupament de tecnologia adequada per a ells amb un enfocament centrat en l'animal. Entre totes les línies d'investigació que ACI està explorant, hi ha hagut prou interès en la interacció dels animals amb la tecnologia basada en el joc. Les activitats de joc tecnològiques tenen el potencial de proveir estimulació mental i física als animals en diferents contextos, podent ajudar a millorar el seu benestar. Mentre ens embarquem en l'era de la Internet de les Coses, les activitats de joc tecnològiques actuals per a animals encara no han explorat el desenvolupament de solucions pervasives que podrien proveir-los de més adaptació a les seues preferències al mateix temps que oferir estímuls tecnològics més variats. En el seu lloc, estes activitats estan normalment basades en interaccions digitals en compte d'explorar dispositius tangibles o augmentar les interaccions amb estímuls de diferent tipus. A més, aquestes activitats de joc estan ja predefinides i no canvien amb el temps, mentre requereixen que un humà proveïsca el dispositiu o la tecnologia a l'animal. Si els humans pogueren centrar-se més en la seua participació com a jugadors actius d'un sistema interactiu per a animals en compte d'estar pendents de subjectar un dispositiu per a l'animal o de mantenir el sistema executant-se, açò podria ajudar a crear llaços més forts entre espècies i promoure millors relacions amb els animals. Així mateix, l'estimulació mental i física dels animals són aspectes importants que podrien fomentar-se si els sistemes de joc dissenyats per a ells pogueren oferir un rang variat de respostes, adaptar-se als comportaments de l'animal i evitar que aquest s'acostume al sistema i perda l'interès. Per tant, esta tesi proposa el disseny i desenvolupament d'entorns tecnològics de joc basats en Interfícies Naturals d'Usuari que puguen adaptar-se i reaccionar a les interaccions naturals dels animals. Aquestos escenaris pervasius podrien permetre als animals jugar per si mateixos o amb una persona, oferint activitats de joc més dinàmiques i atractives que siguen capaces d'adaptar-se amb el temps.The study of animals' interactions with technology and the development of animal-centered technological systems is gaining attention since the emergence of the research area of Animal Computer Interaction (ACI). ACI aims to improve animals' welfare and wellbeing in several scenarios by developing suitable technology for the animal following an animal-centered approach. Among all the research lines ACI is exploring, there has been significant interest in animals' playful interactions with technology. Technologically mediated playful activities have the potential to provide mental and physical stimulation for animals in different environmental contexts, which could in turn help to improve their wellbeing. As we embark in the era of the Internet of Things, current technological playful activities for animals have not yet explored the development of pervasive solutions that could provide animals with more adaptation to their preferences as well as offering varied technological stimuli. Instead, playful technology for animals is usually based on digital interactions rather than exploring tangible devices or augmenting the interactions with different stimuli. In addition, these playful activities are already predefined and do not change over time, while they require that a human has to be the one providing the device or technology to the animal. If humans could focus more on their participation as active players of an interactive system aimed for animals instead of being concerned about holding a device for the animal or keep the system running, this might help to create stronger bonds between species and foster better relationships with animals. Moreover, animals' mental and physical stimulation are important aspects that could be fostered if the playful systems designed for animals could offer a varied range of outputs, be tailored to the animal's behaviors and prevented the animal to get used to the system and lose interest. Therefore, this thesis proposes the design and development of technological playful environments based on Natural User Interfaces that could adapt and react to the animals' natural interactions. These pervasive scenarios would allow animals to play by themselves or with a human, providing more engaging and dynamic playful activities that are capable of adapting over time.Pons Tomás, P. (2018). Towards Intelligent Playful Environments for Animals based on Natural User Interfaces [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/113075TESISCompendi

The Digital Samaritans

Bystanderism is becoming largely digital. If being subjected to perilous situations was once reserved almost solely for the physical world, individuals now might witness those in peril digitally from afar via online livestreams. New technological developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) might also expand bystanderism to new fields, whereby machines—not just humans—are gradually positioned to better compute their surroundings, thus potentially being capable of reaching a high statistical probability that a perilous situation is currently taking place in their vicinity. This current and future expansion of bystanderism into the digital world forms a rather new type of digital bystander that might challenge the legal and social meaning of bad Samaritan laws—legal duties to act on the behalf of others in a perilous situation by reporting the events or aiding those in the perilous situation, when the burden or risk of such aid is low. With the rise in the availability of livestreaming crimes on social media platforms, and the rise in AI capabilities, the current legal framework that governs bad Samaritans might become inappropriate in regulating social behavior and personal safety, which in turn might shift to the almost sole prerogative of platform governance—transforming online users and platforms into becoming the new digital Samaritans

Security and the smart city: A systematic review

The implementation of smart technology in cities is often hailed as the solution to many urban challenges such as transportation, waste management, and environmental protection. Issues of security and crime prevention, however, are in many cases neglected. Moreover, when researchers do introduce new smart security technologies, they rarely discuss their implementation or question how new smart city security might affect traditional policing and urban planning processes. This systematic review explores the recent literature concerned with new ‘smart city’ security technologies and aims to investigate to what extent these new interventions correspond with traditional functions of security interventions. Through an extensive literature search we compiled a list of security interventions for smart cities and suggest several changes to the conceptual status quo in the field. Ultimately, we propose three clear categories to categorise security interventions in smart cities: Those interventions that use new sensors but traditional actuators, those that seek to make old systems smart, and those that introduce entirely new functions. These themes are then discussed in detail and the importance of each group of interventions for the overall field of urban security and governance is assessed