Internet of robotic things : converging sensing/actuating, hypoconnectivity, artificial intelligence and IoT Platforms

The Internet of Things (IoT) concept is evolving rapidly and influencing newdevelopments in various application domains, such as the Internet of MobileThings (IoMT), Autonomous Internet of Things (A-IoT), Autonomous Systemof Things (ASoT), Internet of Autonomous Things (IoAT), Internetof Things Clouds (IoT-C) and the Internet of Robotic Things (IoRT) etc.that are progressing/advancing by using IoT technology. The IoT influencerepresents new development and deployment challenges in different areassuch as seamless platform integration, context based cognitive network integration,new mobile sensor/actuator network paradigms, things identification(addressing, naming in IoT) and dynamic things discoverability and manyothers. The IoRT represents new convergence challenges and their need to be addressed, in one side the programmability and the communication ofmultiple heterogeneous mobile/autonomous/robotic things for cooperating,their coordination, configuration, exchange of information, security, safetyand protection. Developments in IoT heterogeneous parallel processing/communication and dynamic systems based on parallelism and concurrencyrequire new ideas for integrating the intelligent “devices”, collaborativerobots (COBOTS), into IoT applications. Dynamic maintainability, selfhealing,self-repair of resources, changing resource state, (re-) configurationand context based IoT systems for service implementation and integrationwith IoT network service composition are of paramount importance whennew “cognitive devices” are becoming active participants in IoT applications.This chapter aims to be an overview of the IoRT concept, technologies,architectures and applications and to provide a comprehensive coverage offuture challenges, developments and applications

Library purchasing consortia in the UK: activity, benefits and good practice.

Following a brief introduction in Section 1, Section 2 sets out the operational context of library purchasing consortia. A range of key factors have shaped recent developments in the four LIS sectors under consideration (FE, HE, health and public libraries); some have exerted a common influence over all (e.g. information technology, European Commission purchasing directives, new central government, decline in bookfunds); some are sector-specific (e.g. purchasing arrangements, regional administrative frameworks, collaborative partnerships). The structure and markets of the book and periodical publishing industry in the UK are reviewed, with attention paid to historical as well as more recent practice that has had an impact on library supply. Although each component of the LIS purchasing consortia jigsaw displays individual characteristics that have evolved as a response to its own environment, the thread that links them together is constant change. Section 3 presents the results of a survey of identified library purchasing consortia in the four library sectors. It treats common themes of relevance to all consortia arising from information gathered by seminar input, questionnaire and interview. These include models of consortium operation, membership and governance, ‘typical’ composition of consortia in each sector, and links to analogous practice in other library sectors. Common features of the tendering and contract management process are elicited and attention paid to any contribution of procurement professionals. Finally, levels of consortium expenditure and cost savings are estimated from the published statistical record, which readily demonstrate in financial terms the efficiency of the consortial purchase model for all types of library in the United Kingdom. Section 4 presents the results of a survey of suppliers to libraries in the United Kingdom of books and periodicals, the two sectors most commonly represented in current contracts of library purchasing consortia. It sets out in some detail the operating context governing the highly segmented activities of library booksellers, as well as that pertaining to periodicals suppliers (also known as subscription agents). Detailed responses to questions on the effects of library purchasing consortia on suppliers of both materials have been gathered by questionnaire survey and selected follow-up interviews. Results are presented and analysed according to supply sector with attention given to the tendering process, current contracts under way, cross-sectoral clientele, and advantages and inhibitors of consortia supply. Further responses are reported on issues of how consortia have affected suppliers’ volume of trade, operating margins and market stability as perceived in their own business, the library supply sector and the publishing industry. Finally, overall conclusions are drawn and projections made as to future implications for both types of library suppliers. Section 5 synthesises findings, details enabling and inhibiting factors for consortia formation and models of best practice amongst consortia. The scope for cross-sectoral collaboration is discussed and found to be limited at present. Pointers are given for future activity

RURAL AMERICA AND THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION: AN EXPLORATION OF POSSIBILITIES AND POTENTIALITIES

Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Intellectual Property and Opportunities for Food Security in the Philippines

By 2050, the Philippine population is projected to increase by as much as 41 percent, from 99.9 million to nearly 153 million people. Producing enough food for such an expanding population and achieving food security remain a challenge for the Philippine government. This paper argued that intellectual property rights (IPR) can play a key role in achieving the nation’s current goal to be food-secure and provided examples to illustrate that the presence of sound intellectual property (IP) helps foster research, development, and deployment of agricultural innovations. This paper also offered key recommendations about how the IP system can be further leveraged to enable access, creation, and commercialization of new and innovative agricultural practices and technologies to enhance the nation’s agricultural productivity, meet rice self-sufficiency, and sustain food security

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Integrated Online Media Management Systems For Media Centers: A Model For Selection And Effective Use

The researcher proposed to advice in the selection of an Integrated Online Library System (IOLS) for use in the 103 school media centers in the Palm Beach County Schools, Florida. This was accomplished by evaluating the two finalists of those vendors who answered the district\u27s Request for Proposal (RFP). Of the five vendors who responded to the RFP. CLSI and SIRSI were selected as the systems most likely to meet the needs of the media centers of the school district. An overview and definition of IOLS was first discussed. This overview then related itself to the needs of the school district as presented in the RFP. A selection criteria was then designed from previous research on the subject to help find the ideal system. The history and development of an Integrated Online Library System was important in seeing where the systems have originated in contrast to the systems in the Eighties to the also revealed the present time. Literature IOLS principles of operation. The Request for Proposal reflected the needs assessment discussed over several years of committee meetings of representatives from various schools. The committees explored IOLS automated options and compared these options. The RFP outlined the system requirements. Thoughts on staff attitudes while planning for a system were also considered. Each system was evaluated with the criteria outlined in the RFP. The background and capabilities of both systems were explored. This exploration took place where by the benchmark tests, on-site demonstrations systems were in use daily, conferences with the vendors, systems. And reading literature reviews on both systems. Evaluation guidelines and criteria were found in library resources. The functions required for terminal access requirements, process for data conversion, vendor background and reliability, contained in these library resources. And the cost were contained in these library resources. The results of this study culminated in the official recommendation of the SIRSI to be purchased by the district\u27s school board. It was the expectation of the author of this document to see the purchase of the recommended system by the school board and have it implemented in all the schools in the district within a three year period following the submission of the recommendation

English Universities: Managerial Movement from Academic Collegial Administration to Corporate Managerialism (1960-2013)

The aim of the research in this MA by Research thesis has been to shed light on the development of the notion of “management” and its associated “sociometrics” at UK universities. The research looked at the transformation of university operating strategies in England and Wales, with the objective of capturing the various managerial movements from a traditional collegial administrative operating system to a more diverse entrepreneurial model more aligned with contemporary corporate management beliefs. 8 diverse universities were selected for the case-study to provide “colour and contrast” – namely, Oxford and Cambridge as “Ancient” universities, Cardiff and Royal Holloway as “19th Century-Founded” universities, Birmingham to cover the “Red Brick” category, Lancaster to spotlight the so-called “Plate-Glass” universities, Hertfordshire to embrace the “Post-Polytechnic” universities and Open University to include the “E-University” category. The methodology utilized was a triangulated middle-ground approach to examine qualitatively and quantitatively the universities websites, strategic documents, government committee reports, regulations and financial performance information that reflected surplus/deficit results as outcomes for the targeted group. The lessons learned from this investigation showed that these universities modus operandi and performance reflected an ongoing trend of transformation imposed by continuous government regulatory change requirements on the one hand, and most likely also, the changing sector climate in the higher education community in England and Wales. The findings from the research indicate that scholastic writings and the literature have extensively chronicled the movement from ‘collegial’ administration to academic entrepreneurialism. However, it appears to be an open question as to whether a common corporate strategic wording language had emerged by 2002: though it had basically, by 2012. In both 2002 and 2012 a recognizable core of sociometric wording language was discernible. And finally some slender evidence was uncovered that indicates where substantial effort was put out by the universities in strategic planning, better financial results accrued. Significant contributions to overall knowledge have been uncovered as a result of this thesis research. The movement by UK universities from ‘academic collegial administration’ to academic entrepreneurialism’ has been verified by multiple academic writings. UK universities have developed a measurable increase in the use of common ‘strategic sociometric wording’ and a greatly increased the use of strategic management and corporatised-wording in their published literature. And lastly, some modest evidence supports a finding that better financial results do appear to have emanated where considerable strategic planning effort was put out