22,252 research outputs found
Fuzzy context adaptation through conceptual situation spaces
Context-adaptive information systems (IS) are highly desired across several application domains and usually rely on matching a particular real-world situation to a finite set of predefined situation parameters. To represent context parameters, semantic and non-semantic representation standards are widely used. However, describing the complex and diverse notion of specific situations is costly and may never reach semantic completeness. Whereas not any situation parameter completely equals another, the number of (predefined) representations of situation parameters is finite. Moreover, following symbolic representation approaches leads to ambiguity issues and does not entail semantic meaningfulness. Consequently, the challenge is to enable fuzzy matchmaking methodologies to match real-world situation characteristics to a finite set of predefined situation descriptions. In this paper, we propose conceptual situation spaces (CSS) which enable the description of situation characteristics as members in geometrical vector spaces following the idea of conceptual spaces. Consequently, fuzzy matchmaking is supported by calculating the semantic similarity between the current situation and prototypical situation descriptions in terms of their Euclidean distance within a CSS. Aligning CSS to existing symbolic representation standards, enables the automatic matchmaking between real-world situation characteristics and symbolic parameter representations. To prove the feasibility, we apply our approach to the domain of e-learning
Context Aware Computing for The Internet of Things: A Survey
As we are moving towards the Internet of Things (IoT), the number of sensors
deployed around the world is growing at a rapid pace. Market research has shown
a significant growth of sensor deployments over the past decade and has
predicted a significant increment of the growth rate in the future. These
sensors continuously generate enormous amounts of data. However, in order to
add value to raw sensor data we need to understand it. Collection, modelling,
reasoning, and distribution of context in relation to sensor data plays
critical role in this challenge. Context-aware computing has proven to be
successful in understanding sensor data. In this paper, we survey context
awareness from an IoT perspective. We present the necessary background by
introducing the IoT paradigm and context-aware fundamentals at the beginning.
Then we provide an in-depth analysis of context life cycle. We evaluate a
subset of projects (50) which represent the majority of research and commercial
solutions proposed in the field of context-aware computing conducted over the
last decade (2001-2011) based on our own taxonomy. Finally, based on our
evaluation, we highlight the lessons to be learnt from the past and some
possible directions for future research. The survey addresses a broad range of
techniques, methods, models, functionalities, systems, applications, and
middleware solutions related to context awareness and IoT. Our goal is not only
to analyse, compare and consolidate past research work but also to appreciate
their findings and discuss their applicability towards the IoT.Comment: IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials Journal, 201
Modeling nature-based and cultural recreation preferences in mediterranean regions as opportunities for smart tourism and diversification
The tourism and recreational o er of Mediterranean destinations involves, essentially,
the promotion of mass tourism, based on the appeal of the sun and beach, and the quality of its
coastal assets. Alongside the impacts of climate change, poor tourism diversification represents
a threat to the resilience of the territory. Thus, heterogenization of noncoastal tourism products
presents an opportunity to strengthen regional resilience to present and future challenges, hence
the need to study, comparatively, the complementary preferences of tourists and residents of these
regions in order to unveil their willingness to diversify their recreational experience, not only in
coastal spaces, but alsoâand especiallyâin interior territories with low urban density. Consequently,
this strategic option may represent a way of strengthening resilience and sustainability through
diversification. In this context, a survey was conducted among 400 beach tourists and 400 residents
of a case studyânamely, three municipalities of the Algarve region in southern Portugalâin order to
analyze their degree of preference for activities besides the sun and beach, such as nature-based and
cultural tourism activities, and to probe the enhancement potential of each tourism and recreational
activity through the various landscape units considered by experts, stakeholders, and tour operators.
The respective degree of preference and enhancement potential were indexed to the area of each
landscape unit. Subsequently, respecting the existing recreational structure and constraints, a
suitability map for territory enhancement and the implementation of smart tourism practices for each
tourism activity and landscape unit is presented. Results show a significant preference for noncoastal
outdoor recreational activities.FCT- Fundação para a CiĂȘncia e Tecnologia: SFRH/BD/102328/2014; PTDC/GES-URB/31928/2017info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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