Computer vision reading on stickers and direct part marking on horticultural products : challenges and possible solutions

Traceability of products from production to the consumer has led to a technological advancement in product identification. There has been development from the use of traditional one-dimensional barcodes (EAN-13, Code 128, etc.) to 2D (two-dimensional) barcodes such as QR (Quick Response) and Data Matrix codes. Over the last two decades there has been an increased use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Direct Part Marking (DPM) using lasers for product identification in agriculture. However, in agriculture there are still considerable challenges to adopting barcodes, RFID and DPM technologies, unlike in industry where these technologies have been very successful. This study was divided into three main objectives. Firstly, determination of the effect of speed, dirt, moisture and bar width on barcode detection was carried out both in the laboratory and a flower producing company, Brandkamp GmbH. This study developed algorithms for automation and detection of Code 128 barcodes under rough production conditions. Secondly, investigations were carried out on the effect of low laser marking energy on barcode size, print growth, colour and contrast on decoding 2D Data Matrix codes printed directly on apples. Three different apple varieties (Golden Delicious, Kanzi and Red Jonaprince) were marked with various levels of energy and different barcode sizes. Image processing using Halcon 11.0.1 (MvTec) was used to evaluate the markings on the apples. Finally, the third objective was to evaluate both algorithms for 1D and 2D barcodes. According to the results, increasing the speed and angle of inclination of the barcode decreased barcode recognition. Also, increasing the dirt on the surface of the barcode resulted in decreasing the successful detection of those barcodes. However, there was 100% detection of the Code 128 barcode at the company’s production speed (0.15 m/s) with the proposed algorithm. Overall, the results from the company showed that the image-based system has a future prospect for automation in horticultural production systems. It overcomes the problem of using laser barcode readers. The results for apples showed that laser energy, barcode size, print growth, type of product, contrast between the markings and the colour of the products, the inertia of the laser system and the days of storage all singularly or in combination with each other influence the readability of laser Data Matrix codes and implementation on apples. There was poor detection of the Data Matrix code on Kanzi and Red Jonaprince due to the poor contrast between the markings on their skins. The proposed algorithm is currently working successfully on Golden Delicious with 100% detection for 10 days using energy 0.108 J mm-2 and a barcode size of 10 × 10 mm2. This shows that there is a future prospect of not only marking barcodes on apples but also on other agricultural products for real time production

Moi Helsinki. Personalised user interface solutions for generative data

In the modern days, online search stands out as the most popular way to access a major amount of information. At the same time, browsing through too much data could lead to an information overload. Helping users to feel more individual, as well as appropriately navigating them through the data is an objective designers should raise. In the theoretical background of this work, I bring attention to techniques that allow one to work with generative data and its contextualisation. I study historical and philosophical aspects of information perception, as well as the modern experience of working with online search engines such as Google. I refer to information architecture principles that can adapt user interface designs to generative content. In the age of big data and information pollution, a designer’s objective could be employing technology to make data more human-centred. Along with the theoretical writing, this thesis also consists of project work. Moi Helsinki is a location-based event calendar for the Helsinki area. The calendar gathers information about events retrieved from social media API, and showcases aggregated data in a single feed. Moi Helsinki reshapes the data output with the help of interface personalisation, showing the most relevant results at the top. It employs a user’s current geographical location in order to tailor search results based on proximity for each visitor. The options provided to website visitors within the UI are extended with further customisation, which can be enabled by adjusting the data output beyond just a user’s location. Setting aside certain distinctive features of event calendars, Moi Helsinki chooses another path to explore. Being more of a mediator than proprietor, Moi Helsinki offers a new way to reshape the data and communicate human-centred values through user interface

The Economy Of Typography (the Arrangement or Mode of Operation of Typography)

The thesis will show that the current research into legibility and readability regarding certain aspects or characters of type is incomplete, and will demonstrate what further research is necessary to complete the analysis of these aspects or characters in the economy of typography in continuous text. Chapter 1 will show that the development of reading depends on the legibility of the typography and characters ‘recognizing patterns, planning strategy, and feeling’ in other words reading and writing are interdependent all depend in some part on the construction of the characters and their relationship to each other. It will also show that readable writing is desirable and important for the reader’s sake. Chapter 2 will deal with the practical presentation of the characters of what the reading public read, and the role played by legibility and readability of typography in conveying their message. Printers and designers will also have a working knowledge and experience of legibility and readability which is incorporated into typograhy presentations, and this also is taken into account in chapter 2. Chapter 3 reviews the criteria and methods used in typography readability and legibility research. The research will show that readability is the ease with which the eye can absorb the message and move along the line, and legibility is based on the ease with which one letter can be identified from another. Chapter 4 entitled Analysis and Recommendations concludes the thesis with a summary of chapters 1, 2 and 3 before presenting a comparative analysis of current research into legibility, with particular emphasis on misreading or misrecognition of characters, and provides illustrations of the conclusions reached by way of bar chart and tables. Appendix One of the thesis contains a comprehensive list of the research into legibility and readability. Appendix Two contains the graphics of Benjamin Sherbow showing typography layout supportive of type spacing matters discussed in chapter 2. The thesis has an extensive bibliography of the works referred to throughout the thesis

Endless News Most Beautiful: Exploring The Visual Landscape of Journalism and Transforming The Carroll News’ Visual Identity

This project aims to explore the practice, value and impact of newspaper design and how its principles can be applied to construct a coherent visual identity for a college newspaper. The first part will examine primary and secondary sources on visual journalism, including both theoretical and visual analysis of renowned newspaper designs around the world. The second part focuses on designing a complete visual overhaul for The Carroll News. This part will include insights from key current and former Carroll News staff members through interviews, and a survey of Communications majors, who are frequently exposed to news media, to gather their opinions on the current visual presentation of The Carroll News and their inputs into the final look for the redesign

Adaptive Layout for Interactive Documents

This thesis presents a novel approach to create automated layouts for rich illustrative material that could adapt according to the screen size and contextual requirements. The adaption not only considers global layout but also deals with the content and layout adaptation of individual illustrations in the layout. An unique solution has been developed that integrates constraint-based and force-directed techniques to create adaptive grid-based and non-grid layouts. A set of annotation layouts are developed which adapt the annotated illustrations to match the contextual requirements over time

Proficiency-aware systems

In an increasingly digital world, technological developments such as data-driven algorithms and context-aware applications create opportunities for novel human-computer interaction (HCI). We argue that these systems have the latent potential to stimulate users and encourage personal growth. However, users increasingly rely on the intelligence of interactive systems. Thus, it remains a challenge to design for proficiency awareness, essentially demanding increased user attention whilst preserving user engagement. Designing and implementing systems that allow users to become aware of their own proficiency and encourage them to recognize learning benefits is the primary goal of this research. In this thesis, we introduce the concept of proficiency-aware systems as one solution. In our definition, proficiency-aware systems use estimates of the user's proficiency to tailor the interaction in a domain and facilitate a reflective understanding for this proficiency. We envision that proficiency-aware systems leverage collected data for learning benefit. Here, we see self-reflection as a key for users to become aware of necessary efforts to advance their proficiency. A key challenge for proficiency-aware systems is the fact that users often have a different self-perception of their proficiency. The benefits of personal growth and advancing one's repertoire might not necessarily be apparent to users, alienating them, and possibly leading to abandoning the system. To tackle this challenge, this work does not rely on learning strategies but rather focuses on the capabilities of interactive systems to provide users with the necessary means to reflect on their proficiency, such as showing calculated text difficulty to a newspaper editor or visualizing muscle activity to a passionate sportsperson. We first elaborate on how proficiency can be detected and quantified in the context of interactive systems using physiological sensing technologies. Through developing interaction scenarios, we demonstrate the feasibility of gaze- and electromyography-based proficiency-aware systems by utilizing machine learning algorithms that can estimate users' proficiency levels for stationary vision-dominant tasks (reading, information intake) and dynamic manual tasks (playing instruments, fitness exercises). Secondly, we show how to facilitate proficiency awareness for users, including design challenges on when and how to communicate proficiency. We complement this second part by highlighting the necessity of toolkits for sensing modalities to enable the implementation of proficiency-aware systems for a wide audience. In this thesis, we contribute a definition of proficiency-aware systems, which we illustrate by designing and implementing interactive systems. We derive technical requirements for real-time, objective proficiency assessment and identify design qualities of communicating proficiency through user reflection. We summarize our findings in a set of design and engineering guidelines for proficiency awareness in interactive systems, highlighting that proficiency feedback makes performance interpretable for the user.In einer zunehmend digitalen Welt schaffen technologische Entwicklungen - wie datengesteuerte Algorithmen und kontextabhängige Anwendungen - neuartige Interaktionsmöglichkeiten mit digitalen Geräten. Jedoch verlassen sich Nutzer oftmals auf die Intelligenz dieser Systeme, ohne dabei selbst auf eine persönliche Weiterentwicklung hinzuwirken. Wird ein solches Vorgehen angestrebt, verlangt dies seitens der Anwender eine erhöhte Aufmerksamkeit. Es ist daher herausfordernd, ein entsprechendes Design für Kompetenzbewusstsein (Proficiency Awareness) zu etablieren. Das primäre Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, eine Methodik für das Design und die Implementierung von interaktiven Systemen aufzustellen, die Nutzer dabei unterstützen über ihre eigene Kompetenz zu reflektieren, um dadurch Lerneffekte implizit wahrnehmen können. Diese Arbeit stellt ein Konzept für fähigkeitsbewusste Systeme (proficiency-aware systems) vor, welche die Fähigkeiten von Nutzern abschätzen, die Interaktion entsprechend anpassen sowie das Bewusstsein der Nutzer über deren Fähigkeiten fördern. Hierzu sollten die Systeme gesammelte Daten von Nutzern einsetzen, um Lerneffekte sichtbar zu machen. Die Möglichkeit der Anwender zur Selbstreflexion ist hierbei als entscheidend anzusehen, um als Motivation zur Verbesserung der eigenen Fähigkeiten zu dienen. Eine zentrale Herausforderung solcher Systeme ist die Tatsache, dass Nutzer - im Vergleich zur Abschätzung des Systems - oft eine divergierende Selbstwahrnehmung ihrer Kompetenz haben. Im ersten Moment sind daher die Vorteile einer persönlichen Weiterentwicklung nicht unbedingt ersichtlich. Daher baut diese Forschungsarbeit nicht darauf auf, Nutzer über vorgegebene Lernstrategien zu unterrichten, sondern sie bedient sich der Möglichkeiten interaktiver Systeme, die Anwendern die notwendigen Hilfsmittel zur Verfügung stellen, damit diese selbst über ihre Fähigkeiten reflektieren können. Einem Zeitungseditor könnte beispielsweise die aktuelle Textschwierigkeit angezeigt werden, während einem passionierten Sportler dessen Muskelaktivität veranschaulicht wird. Zunächst wird herausgearbeitet, wie sich die Fähigkeiten der Nutzer mittels physiologischer Sensortechnologien erkennen und quantifizieren lassen. Die Evaluation von Interaktionsszenarien demonstriert die Umsetzbarkeit fähigkeitsbewusster Systeme, basierend auf der Analyse von Blickbewegungen und Muskelaktivität. Hierbei kommen Algorithmen des maschinellen Lernens zum Einsatz, die das Leistungsniveau der Anwender für verschiedene Tätigkeiten berechnen. Im Besonderen analysieren wir stationäre Aktivitäten, die hauptsächlich den Sehsinn ansprechen (Lesen, Aufnahme von Informationen), sowie dynamische Betätigungen, die die Motorik der Nutzer fordern (Spielen von Instrumenten, Fitnessübungen). Der zweite Teil zeigt auf, wie Systeme das Bewusstsein der Anwender für deren eigene Fähigkeiten fördern können, einschließlich der Designherausforderungen , wann und wie das System erkannte Fähigkeiten kommunizieren sollte. Abschließend wird die Notwendigkeit von Toolkits für Sensortechnologien hervorgehoben, um die Implementierung derartiger Systeme für ein breites Publikum zu ermöglichen. Die Forschungsarbeit beinhaltet eine Definition für fähigkeitsbewusste Systeme und veranschaulicht dieses Konzept durch den Entwurf und die Implementierung interaktiver Systeme. Ferner werden technische Anforderungen objektiver Echtzeitabschätzung von Nutzerfähigkeiten erforscht und Designqualitäten für die Kommunikation dieser Abschätzungen mittels Selbstreflexion identifiziert. Zusammengefasst sind die Erkenntnisse in einer Reihe von Design- und Entwicklungsrichtlinien für derartige Systeme. Insbesondere die Kommunikation, der vom System erkannten Kompetenz, hilft Anwendern, die eigene Leistung zu interpretieren

The role of technology in improving the Customer Experience in the banking sector: a systematic mapping study

Information Technology (IT) has revolutionized the way we manage our money. The adoption of innovative technologies in banking scenarios allows to access old and new financial services but in a faster and more secure, comfortable, rewarding and engaging way. The number, the performances and the seamless integration of these innovations is a driver for banks to retain their customers and avoid costly change of hearts. The literature is rich in works reporting on the use of technology with direct or indirect impact on the experience of banking customers. Some mapping studies about the adoption of technologies in the field exist, but they are specific to particular technologies (e.g., only Artificial Intelligence), or vice versa too generic (e.g., reviewing the adoption of technologies to support any kind of banking process). So a specific research effort on the crossed domain of technology and Customer Experience (CX) is missing. This paper aims to overcome the following gaps: the lack of a comprehensive map of the research made in the field in the past decade; a discussion on the current research trends of top publications and journals is missing; the next research challenges are yet to be identified. To face these limitations, we designed and submitted 7 different queries to pull papers out of 4 popular scientific databases. From an initial set of 6,756 results, we identified a set of 89 primary studies that we thoroughly analyzed. A selection of the top 20% works allowed us to seek the most performant technologies as well as other promising ones that have not been experimented yet in the field. Main results prove that the combined study of technology and CX in the banking sector is not approached systematically and thus the development of a new specific research line is needed

Incident validation and remote monitoring tools for a bioleaching plant

Aquesta tesi desenvolupa el procés de creació d'una aplicació web dissenyada per facilitar el seguiment remot i el control d'una planta química de biolixiviats. En aquest procés químic, el coure es recupera dels dispositius elèctrics mitjançant l’exposició d’aquests a bacteris oxidants. L'aplicació a set dissenyada per satisfer les necessitats específiques dels tècnics i gestors de plantes, que volien accés remot a les dades dels sensors, control dels actuadors i rebut d’alertes per a certes anomalies del procés. Aquest sistema consisteix en una aplicació web a la qual es pot accedir des de qualsevol navegador web, garantint l'accessibilitat i la flexibilitat a través de múltiples plataformes. Una interfície de programació d'aplicacions (API) alimentada per Spring Boot (Java) serveix com el nucli del sistema, proporcionant una visió de l’estat de la planta des de múltiples interfícies d'usuari. La comunicació es manté entre el servidor, l’ API i el controlador de la planta química. L’aplicació permet activar bombes i vàlvules de solenoides, rebre i transmetre dades al sensor. A més, una interfície d'usuari intuïtiva és proporcionada per React (JavaScript), millorant l'accessibilitat del sistema. Tanmateix, s’ha implementat un sistema de notificació per correu electrònic per complir els requisits d'alerta, permetent als usuaris habilitar notificacions segons les seves preferències. Es tracta d'un pas significatiu cap a la millora de l'eficiència i fiabilitat de les operacions de la planta química. A més d'abordar les necessitats immediates del personal de les plantes, aquest treball estableix les bases per a futurs avanços en la vigilància i control remots.An overview of the development process of a web application designed to facilitate remote monitoring and control of a bioleaching chemical plant is presented in this master's thesis. Copper is recovered from electrical devices by exposing them to oxidizing bacteria in this plant. The application was designed to meet the specific needs of plant technicians and managers, who wanted remote access to sensor data, control of actuators, and alerts for any process anomalies. This system consists of a web application that can be accessed from any web browser, ensuring accessibility and flexibility across multiple platforms. An application programming interface (API) powered by Spring Boot (Java) serves as the core of the system, providing access to this valuable information from multiple user interfaces and for future applications. Communication is maintained between the server and the chemical plant controller, which orchestrates chemical processes, activates pumps and solenoid valves, transmits sensor data, and accepts remote commands. Furthermore, an intuitive user interface is provided by a React (JavaScript) front-end that enhances the system's accessibility. An email notification system was implemented to meet the alerting requirements, allowing users to enable notifications according to their preferences. A system notification function was also added. It is a significant step toward improving the efficiency and reliability of bioleaching chemical plant operations. In addition to addressing the immediate needs of plant personnel, this work lays the groundwork for future advancements in remote monitoring and control