Spoken content retrieval: A survey of techniques and technologies

Speech media, that is, digital audio and video containing spoken content, has blossomed in recent years. Large collections are accruing on the Internet as well as in private and enterprise settings. This growth has motivated extensive research on techniques and technologies that facilitate reliable indexing and retrieval. Spoken content retrieval (SCR) requires the combination of audio and speech processing technologies with methods from information retrieval (IR). SCR research initially investigated planned speech structured in document-like units, but has subsequently shifted focus to more informal spoken content produced spontaneously, outside of the studio and in conversational settings. This survey provides an overview of the field of SCR encompassing component technologies, the relationship of SCR to text IR and automatic speech recognition and user interaction issues. It is aimed at researchers with backgrounds in speech technology or IR who are seeking deeper insight on how these fields are integrated to support research and development, thus addressing the core challenges of SCR

Validation Protocol for Emergency Response Geo-information Products

Europe is making a significant effort to develop (geo)information services for crisis management as part of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security GMES) programme. Recognising the importance of coordinated European response to crises and the potential contribution of GMES, the Commission launched a number of preparatory activities in coordination with relevant stakeholders for the establishment of an Emergency Response GMES Core Service (ERCS). GMES Emergency Response Services will rely on information provided by advanced technical and operational capabilities making full use of space earth observation and supporting their integration with other sources of data and information. Data and information generated by these services can be used to enhance emergency preparedness and early reaction to foreseeable or imminent crises and disasters. From a technical point of view, the use of geo-information for emergency response poses significant challenges for spatial data collection, data management, information extraction and communication. The need for an independent formal assessment of crisis products to provide operational services with homogeneous and reliable standards has recently become recognized as an integral component of service development. Validation is intended to help end-users decide how much to trust geo-information products (maps, spatial dataset). The focus, in this document, is on geo-information products, in particular those derived from Earth Observation data. Validation principles have been implemented into a protocol, as a tool to check whether the products meet standards and user needs. The validation principles, methods, rules and guidelines provided in this document aim to give a structure that guarantees an overall documented and continuous quality of ERCS products.JRC.DG.G.2-Global security and crisis managemen

Ecosystem-Driven Design of In-Home Terminals Based on Open Platform for the

Abstract—In-home healthcare services based on the Internet-of-Things (IoT) have great business potentials. To turn it into reality, a business ecosystem should be established first. Technical solutions should therefore aim for a cooperative ecosystem by meeting the interoperability, security, and system integration requirements. In this paper, we propose an ecosystem-driven design strategy and apply it in the design of an open-platform-based in-home healthcare terminal. A cooperative business ecosystem is formulated by merging the traditiona

Development and implementation of the MobILcaps application for the teaching and development of information literacy in Higher Education

This paper aims at develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the MobIlCaps mobile application. On the basis of cognitive, constructivist and connectivist theories, it has been developed on an instructional design model, based on the user experience. In the context of mobile teaching in higher education, an innovative application is proposed for the self-learning of information literacy by students of Social Sciences. With the collaboration of both teachers and students, the application was developed, following the ADDIE model, through the phases of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The last phase provided the improvement proposals for the optimization of the final version of the tool, a progressive open access website. The application is organized into six capsules that follow the framework of ACRL (2015): learn, search, evaluate, create, research and disseminate. It includes multimedia resources in the form of microcontents that highlight readability, organization and visualization as characteristics. The app focuses on the user and is a relevant instrument to facilitate teaching The different analyses, followed by proposals for improvement and revisions, led to the achievement of a very useful application for students, teachers and librar

Translators' communicative assumptions in subtitling Chinese feature films into English

PhD ThesisMedium-bound features and translation strategies are two central issues in the study of subtitling. However, the translator, who reacts to the medium-bound features and opts for translation strategies, has remained outside the focus in research on subtitling. The scarcity of studies on the translator in the context of subtitling seems to suggest that the translator in this type of translation is simply viewed as a transparent vehicle. This study attempts to shed light on the translator’s discursive presence in subtitling by proposing the use of a new concept, the translator’s communicative assumptions. A bottom-up model, rooted in Descriptive Translation Studies, has been established to investigate the translator’s communicative assumptions. This model consists of a comparative phase followed by an analysis phase. The English subtitles of three Chinese feature films were examined using this model in order to reveal the translators’ communicative assumptions. In the comparative phase, the original dialogues and the subtitles are compared in order to identify and categorise micro-structural shifts in the subtitles. In the following analysis phase, Bordwell’s (1997) approach to filmic perception and cognition, Text World Theory and Relevance Theory are adapted and combined to provide a theoretical framework and analytical tools to further scrutinise patterns and tendencies observed at the comparative phase. The comparative-analysis model proves to be a useful tool to reveal translators’ communicative assumptions in subtitling. The findings show that although translation shifts take place at various levels, the translator makes linguistic adjustments to give priority to syuzhet (plot elements) related to his/her own established fabula (story). Consequently, syuzhet is made more explicit; film characters’ inner worlds and personality are enhanced; culture-specific and stylistic features of the original dialogue exchanges are generally diminished. Viewers seem to be regarded as cultural outsiders who have little knowledge of the Chinese culture in general and need additional assistance in the comprehension of certain syuzhet information

Business Analytics Using Predictive Algorithms

In today's data-driven business landscape, organizations strive to extract actionable insights and make informed decisions using their vast data. Business analytics, combining data analysis, statistical modeling, and predictive algorithms, is crucial for transforming raw data into meaningful information. However, there are gaps in the field, such as limited industry focus, algorithm comparison, and data quality challenges. This work aims to address these gaps by demonstrating how predictive algorithms can be applied across business domains for pattern identification, trend forecasting, and accurate predictions. The report focuses on sales forecasting and topic modeling, comparing the performance of various algorithms including Linear Regression, Random Forest Regression, XGBoost, LSTMs, and ARIMA. It emphasizes the importance of data preprocessing, feature selection, and model evaluation for reliable sales forecasts, while utilizing S-BERT, UMAP, and HDBScan unsupervised algorithms for extracting valuable insights from unstructured textual data

Development of an international written communication audit

Although localization, internationalization, and globalization efforts to meet international customers\u27 product and information needs are accepted strategies in the US computer industry, the needs of second language (L2) English speakers are less directly addressed in the international workplace. Application of strategies similar to these three technical communication strategies may benefit international workplace communication;The international writing approaches represented by these three communication strategies are related to the global management strategies of organizations (e.g., ethnocentric, polycentric, geocentric). This categorization, based on Perlmutter and Hedlund, considers organizations\u27 strategic missions and can be used to align management strategies with international writing approaches and individual rhetorical strategies. For example, an ethnocentric organization, entering the international market from a broad national base, instead of immediately changing its communication approach, might continue to use its source-localized information to communicate internationally. An organization might enter the global arena with an ethnocentric strategy, and, in reaction to emerging problems, focus on localization for each market and rely heavily on translation and translators, becoming more polycentric in its approach. A geocentric organization, balancing between ethnocentric and polycentric management strategies, is in constant communication across national and language borders, and might use both internationalization and globalization approaches in communication. Organizations\u27 global management strategies should align with their international communication practices, both for customers and in the workplace. An organization seeking a larger role in international ventures, yet with ethnocentric, localized communication strategies, might be less successful than one with similar goals and a more geocentric, globalized communication;In recognition of the diverse needs of organizations and individuals, an assessment method, an International Written Communication Audit (IWCA), is developed in this dissertation. The IWCA, based on linguistic and contrastive rhetoric research, focuses on cultural, pragmatic, and translation issues important to international workplace writing in US-English. The basic IWCA combines internationalization and globalization approaches. A localization module for the PRC is offered as an example of tailoring the audit methodology to the needs of L2 English readers from a specific language group. The construction of a workplace sampling frame and the analysis of the IWCA data are discussed