Mobile travel services: A three-country study into the impact of local circumstances

In this paper we explore the difference in acceptance patterns of mobile services that are related to travelling in three countries: Finland, The Netherlands and New Zealand. The objective of this paper is to understand differences in the use of Mobile Travel Services in three countries that differ with regard to national travel patterns. This paper also contributes to the discussion of the relevance of the Technology Acceptance Model for mobile applications by focusing on the importance of context characteristics, such as the degree of mobility of the user, the social situation people are in, and their need for social interaction. Based on surveys in the three countries as executed in 2009, we use structural equation modelling to find differences in patterns. The paper concludes that context factors have an impact on the relation between the core concepts as used in TAM and DOI approach, and that t here is a clear need for closer research in the moderating effect of physical (e.g. mobile and fixed context) and social context, as well as the need for social interaction. Moreover it is clear that country specific characteristics play a role in the acceptance of mobile travel services. As we pointed out in many of our research projects before the acceptance and use of mobile services requires deep understanding from individual, context and technology related characteristics and their mutual interactions

A controlled experiment for the empirical evaluation of safety analysis techniques for safety-critical software

Context: Today's safety critical systems are increasingly reliant on software. Software becomes responsible for most of the critical functions of systems. Many different safety analysis techniques have been developed to identify hazards of systems. FTA and FMEA are most commonly used by safety analysts. Recently, STPA has been proposed with the goal to better cope with complex systems including software. Objective: This research aimed at comparing quantitatively these three safety analysis techniques with regard to their effectiveness, applicability, understandability, ease of use and efficiency in identifying software safety requirements at the system level. Method: We conducted a controlled experiment with 21 master and bachelor students applying these three techniques to three safety-critical systems: train door control, anti-lock braking and traffic collision and avoidance. Results: The results showed that there is no statistically significant difference between these techniques in terms of applicability, understandability and ease of use, but a significant difference in terms of effectiveness and efficiency is obtained. Conclusion: We conclude that STPA seems to be an effective method to identify software safety requirements at the system level. In particular, STPA addresses more different software safety requirements than the traditional techniques FTA and FMEA, but STPA needs more time to carry out by safety analysts with little or no prior experience.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure in Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering (EASE '15). ACM, 201

From backend to Dashmobile: expanding the horizons of the drone engineering ecosystem

The Drone Engineering Ecosystem (DEE) project is a groundbreaking initiative that aims to simplify access to the world of drones and promote their responsible use, particularly in the educational domain. Traditional methods of drone control and interaction have been complex and fragmented. The DEE project seeks to overcome these challenges by integrating various technologies, including Python, Tkinter, FastAPI, MongoDB, Flutter, and Dart, to create a cohesive and user-friendly ecosystem. The project began with a comprehensive analysis of the existing drone ecosystem, identifying its limitations and areas for improvement. This was followed by the formulation of clear objectives and a detailed work plan, visualized through a Gantt chart. The development process encompassed the creation of a robust backend, significant enhancements to the existing dashboard, and the development of a mobile application using Flutter. One of the main challenges was the integration of new technologies like Flutter and Dart, which were learned specifically for this project. Rigorous testing and user experience evaluation were integral to ensuring the system's functionality and usability. The project's success not only achieved most of the set goals but also opened new avenues for future exploration and development in the drone technology field. My passion for programming and the application of my Telecommunications Engineering bachelor's degree were key drivers in the project's success. The project represents a significant contribution to the field, providing a platform for learning and promoting the responsible use of drones. It also reflects my commitment to challenging myself and applying my academic knowledge to real-world problems.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::4 - Educació de Qualita

Disrupting aviation: an exploratory study of the opportunities and risks of tablet computers in commercial flight operations

Commercial flight operational safety has dramatically improved in the last 30 years because of enhanced crew coordination, communication, leadership and team development. Technology insertion into cockpit operations, however, has been shown to create crew distractions, resulting in flight safety risks, limited use given policy limitations and difficulty in establishing standard operating procedures. With the recent introduction of tablet computers into the flight cockpit as a substitute for paper-based manuals and navigation charts, the risk of human error may be increased. Though portable electronics, known as electronic flight bags, have been present of the flight deck for a decade, introduction of tablet computers as their replacements offers unique challenges, given the ability to communicate and share information outside established aviation channels. This research explored the opportunities that this technology insertion offers to commercial aviation in areas such as knowledge sharing and operational performance improvement. The results indicate that the opportunities were not realized with the initial implementation because the pilots did not accept the technology due to inadequate training coupled with restrictive policies concerning use