Semantic-based decision support for remote care of dementia patients

This paper investigates the challenges in developing a semantic-based Dementia Care Decision Support System based on the non-intrusive monitoring of the patient's behaviour. Semantic-based approaches are well suited for modelling context-aware scenarios similar to Dementia care systems, where the patient's dynamic behaviour observations (occupants movement, equipment use) need to be analysed against the semantic knowledge about the patient's condition (illness history, medical advice, known symptoms) in an integrated knowledgebase. However, our research findings establish that the ability of semantic technologies to reason upon the complex interrelated events emanating from the behaviour monitoring sensors to infer knowledge assisting medical advice represents a major challenge. We attempt to address this problem by introducing a new approach that relies on propositional calculus modelling to segregate complex events that are amenable for semantic reasoning from events that require pre-processing outside the semantic engine before they can be reasoned upon. The event pre-processing activity also controls the timing of triggering the reasoning process in order to further improve the efficiency of the inference process. Using regression analysis, we evaluate the response-time as the number of monitored patients increases and conclude that the incurred overhead on the response time of the prototype decision support systems remains tolerable

Ambient-aware continuous care through semantic context dissemination

Background: The ultimate ambient-intelligent care room contains numerous sensors and devices to monitor the patient, sense and adjust the environment and support the staff. This sensor-based approach results in a large amount of data, which can be processed by current and future applications, e. g., task management and alerting systems. Today, nurses are responsible for coordinating all these applications and supplied information, which reduces the added value and slows down the adoption rate. The aim of the presented research is the design of a pervasive and scalable framework that is able to optimize continuous care processes by intelligently reasoning on the large amount of heterogeneous care data. Methods: The developed Ontology-based Care Platform (OCarePlatform) consists of modular components that perform a specific reasoning task. Consequently, they can easily be replicated and distributed. Complex reasoning is achieved by combining the results of different components. To ensure that the components only receive information, which is of interest to them at that time, they are able to dynamically generate and register filter rules with a Semantic Communication Bus (SCB). This SCB semantically filters all the heterogeneous care data according to the registered rules by using a continuous care ontology. The SCB can be distributed and a cache can be employed to ensure scalability. Results: A prototype implementation is presented consisting of a new-generation nurse call system supported by a localization and a home automation component. The amount of data that is filtered and the performance of the SCB are evaluated by testing the prototype in a living lab. The delay introduced by processing the filter rules is negligible when 10 or fewer rules are registered. Conclusions: The OCarePlatform allows disseminating relevant care data for the different applications and additionally supports composing complex applications from a set of smaller independent components. This way, the platform significantly reduces the amount of information that needs to be processed by the nurses. The delay resulting from processing the filter rules is linear in the amount of rules. Distributed deployment of the SCB and using a cache allows further improvement of these performance results

CHORUS Deliverable 2.2: Second report - identification of multi-disciplinary key issues for gap analysis toward EU multimedia search engines roadmap

After addressing the state-of-the-art during the first year of Chorus and establishing the existing landscape in multimedia search engines, we have identified and analyzed gaps within European research effort during our second year. In this period we focused on three directions, notably technological issues, user-centred issues and use-cases and socio- economic and legal aspects. These were assessed by two central studies: firstly, a concerted vision of functional breakdown of generic multimedia search engine, and secondly, a representative use-cases descriptions with the related discussion on requirement for technological challenges. Both studies have been carried out in cooperation and consultation with the community at large through EC concertation meetings (multimedia search engines cluster), several meetings with our Think-Tank, presentations in international conferences, and surveys addressed to EU projects coordinators as well as National initiatives coordinators. Based on the obtained feedback we identified two types of gaps, namely core technological gaps that involve research challenges, and “enablers”, which are not necessarily technical research challenges, but have impact on innovation progress. New socio-economic trends are presented as well as emerging legal challenges

The Concept of an Interactive Platform for Real Time Energy Consumption Analysis in a Complex Urban Environment

This paper presents the concept of an interactive and comprehensive platform based on an advanced metering infrastructure for exchanging information on energy consumption (and consequently on energy efficiency) in an urban and industrial environment which can serve as a powerful tool for monitoring progress in the transition toward a low carbon society. The proposed concept aims at supporting energy utilities in optimizing the energy performance of both supply and demand side aspects of their work and has the potential to fill a gap and help in harmonization of interests between the energy utilities, energy service providers, local energy agencies and citizens. The proposed concept should be realized as a platform with modular architecture, allowing future expansion of the user’s portfolio and inventory management (new energy efficiency measures, technologies, different industries, urban districts and regions)

Intelligent Radio Spectrum Monitoring

[EN] Spectrum monitoring is an important part of the radio spectrum management process, providing feedback on the workflow that allows for our current wirelessly interconnected lifestyle. The constantly increasing number of users and uses of wireless technologies is pushing the limits and capabilities of the existing infrastructure, demanding new alternatives to manage and analyse the extremely large volume of data produced by existing spectrum monitoring networks. This study addresses this problem by proposing an information management system architecture able to increase the analytical level of a spectrum monitoring measurement network. This proposal includes an alternative to manage the data produced by such network, methods to analyse the spectrum data and to automate the data gathering process. The study was conducted employing system requirements from the Brazilian National Telecommunications Agency and related functional concepts were aggregated from the reviewed scientific literature and publications from the International Telecommunication Union. The proposed solution employs microservice architecture to manage the data, including tasks such as format conversion, analysis, optimization and automation. To enable efficient data exchange between services, we proposed the use of a hierarchical structure created using the HDF5 format. The suggested architecture was partially implemented as a pilot project, which allowed to demonstrate the viability of presented ideas and perform an initial refinement of the proposed data format and analytical algorithms. The results pointed to the potential of the solution to solve some of the limitations of the existing spectrum monitoring workflow. The proposed system may play a crucial role in the integration of the spectrum monitoring activities into open data initiatives, promoting transparency and data reusability for this important public service.[ES] El control y análisis de uso del espectro electromagnético, un servicio conocido como comprobación técnica del espectro, es una parte importante del proceso de gestión del espectro de radiofrecuencias, ya que proporciona la información necesaria al flujo de trabajo que permite nuestro estilo de vida actual, interconectado e inalámbrico. El número cada vez más grande de usuarios y el creciente uso de las tecnologías inalámbricas amplían las demandas sobre la infraestructura existente, exigiendo nuevas alternativas para administrar y analizar el gran volumen de datos producidos por las estaciones de medición del espectro. Este estudio aborda este problema al proponer una arquitectura de sistema para la gestión de información capaz de aumentar la capacidad de análisis de una red de equipos de medición dedicados a la comprobación técnica del espectro. Esta propuesta incluye una alternativa para administrar los datos producidos por dicha red, métodos para analizar los datos recolectados, así como una propuesta para automatizar el proceso de recopilación. El estudio se realizó teniendo como referencia los requisitos de la Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicaciones de Brasil, siendo considerados adicionalmente requisitos funcionales relacionados descritos en la literatura científica y en las publicaciones de la Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones. La solución propuesta emplea una arquitectura de microservicios para la administración de datos, incluyendo tareas como la conversión de formatos, análisis, optimización y automatización. Para permitir el intercambio eficiente de datos entre servicios, sugerimos el uso de una estructura jerárquica creada usando el formato HDF5. Esta arquitectura se implementó parcialmente dentro de un proyecto piloto, que permitió demostrar la viabilidad de las ideas presentadas, realizar mejoras en el formato de datos propuesto y en los algoritmos analíticos. Los resultados señalaron el potencial de la solución para resolver algunas de las limitaciones del tradicional flujo de trabajo de comprobación técnica del espectro. La utilización del sistema propuesto puede mejorar la integración de las actividades e impulsar iniciativas de datos abiertos, promoviendo la transparencia y la reutilización de datos generados por este importante servicio público[CA] El control i anàlisi d'ús de l'espectre electromagnètic, un servei conegut com a comprovació tècnica de l'espectre, és una part important del procés de gestió de l'espectre de radiofreqüències, ja que proporciona la informació necessària al flux de treball que permet el nostre estil de vida actual, interconnectat i sense fils. El número cada vegada més gran d'usuaris i el creixent ús de les tecnologies sense fils amplien la demanda sobre la infraestructura existent, exigint noves alternatives per a administrar i analitzar el gran volum de dades produïdes per les xarxes d'estacions de mesurament. Aquest estudi aborda aquest problema en proposar una arquitectura de sistema per a la gestió d'informació capaç d’augmentar la capacitat d’anàlisi d'una xarxa d'equips de mesurament dedicats a la comprovació tècnica de l'espectre. Aquesta proposta inclou una alternativa per a administrar les dades produïdes per aquesta xarxa, mètodes per a analitzar les dades recol·lectades, així com una proposta per a automatitzar el procés de recopilació. L'estudi es va realitzar tenint com a referència els requisits de l'Agència Nacional de Telecomunicacions del Brasil, sent considerats addicionalment requisits funcionals relacionats descrits en la literatura científica i en les publicacions de la Unió Internacional de Telecomunicacions. La solució proposada empra una arquitectura de microserveis per a l'administració de dades, incloent tasques com la conversió de formats, anàlisi, optimització i automatització. Per a permetre l'intercanvi eficient de dades entre serveis, suggerim l'ús d'una estructura jeràrquica creada usant el format HDF5. Aquesta arquitectura es va implementar parcialment dins d'un projecte pilot, que va permetre demostrar la viabilitat de les idees presentades, realitzar millores en el format de dades proposat i en els algorismes analítics. Els resultats van assenyalar el potencial de la solució per a resoldre algunes de les limitacions del tradicional flux de treball de comprovació tècnica de l'espectre. La utilització del sistema proposat pot millorar la integració de les activitats i impulsar iniciatives de dades obertes, promovent la transparència i la reutilització de dades generades per aquest important servei públicSantos Lobão, F. (2019). Intelligent Radio Spectrum Monitoring. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/128850TFG

Negotiating the Political Ecology of Aboriginal Resource Management: How Mi'kmaq Manage Their Moose and Lobster Harvest in Unama'ki, Nova Scotia, Canada

Since the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed the fishing and hunting rights of the Mi'kmaq nation in 1985 and 1990, the government has failed to accommodate these in appropriate and effective resource management frameworks. In Unama'ki/Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the subsistence harvest of lobster and moose by Mi'kmaq has therefore caused cross-cultural conflict and ecological concerns. Since 2006, the Lobster Management Plan (Unama'kik Jakejue'ka'timk) and the Moose Management Plan are being developed under Mi'kmaq leadership to manage the Mi'kmaq harvest communally. These innovative management initiatives will serve as case studies for this thesis to explore how Mi'kmaq negotiate the political ecology of co-management in Nova Scotia and effectively assert Mi'kmaq rights to resource harvest and selfgovernance. Most notably, the management plans employ cultural principles of sustainability and pro-active approaches to cross-cultural communication. This research shows how Mi'kmaq communities have developed resource management capacities and frameworks that can also inspire the self-government aspirations of other aboriginal nations in Canada. Mi'kmaq strategies and experience suggests that aboriginal leadership and cultural principles are integral to the meaningful implementation of aboriginal resource rights. Semi-structured interviews with Mi'kmaq and governmental resource managers illustrated diverse discourses of aboriginal resource rights, ecological knowledge and sustainability. Aiming to represent research insights appropriately, this thesis follows the decolonization agenda of aboriginal methodologies and features reflective discussions of the author's positionality within the Mi'kmaq research community. This also allows for a review of how the author came to terms with conflicting discourses and aboriginal ontologies of ecological knowledge, as well as the requirements for decolonizing research. Supporting reflective insights, a framework of anthropological political ecology and poststructuralist arguments for ontological diversity explain the validity of aboriginal perspectives on ecological knowledge and resource rights, which is the premise of decolonization paradigms. A review of engaging with aboriginal culture both in theory and practice concludes that the practical experience is essential for an appreciation of aboriginal perspectives and thus integral to cross-cultural communication and co-management relationships

Enhanced Living Environments

This open access book was prepared as a Final Publication of the COST Action IC1303 “Algorithms, Architectures and Platforms for Enhanced Living Environments (AAPELE)”. The concept of Enhanced Living Environments (ELE) refers to the area of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) that is more related with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Effective ELE solutions require appropriate ICT algorithms, architectures, platforms, and systems, having in view the advance of science and technology in this area and the development of new and innovative solutions that can provide improvements in the quality of life for people in their homes and can reduce the financial burden on the budgets of the healthcare providers. The aim of this book is to become a state-of-the-art reference, discussing progress made, as well as prompting future directions on theories, practices, standards, and strategies related to the ELE area. The book contains 12 chapters and can serve as a valuable reference for undergraduate students, post-graduate students, educators, faculty members, researchers, engineers, medical doctors, healthcare organizations, insurance companies, and research strategists working in this area

EG-ICE 2021 Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering

The 28th EG-ICE International Workshop 2021 brings together international experts working at the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolutions to support multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways