Technologies and solutions for location-based services in smart cities: past, present, and future

Location-based services (LBS) in smart cities have drastically altered the way cities operate, giving a new dimension to the life of citizens. LBS rely on location of a device, where proximity estimation remains at its core. The applications of LBS range from social networking and marketing to vehicle-toeverything communications. In many of these applications, there is an increasing need and trend to learn the physical distance between nearby devices. This paper elaborates upon the current needs of proximity estimation in LBS and compares them against the available Localization and Proximity (LP) finding technologies (LP technologies in short). These technologies are compared for their accuracies and performance based on various different parameters, including latency, energy consumption, security, complexity, and throughput. Hereafter, a classification of these technologies, based on various different smart city applications, is presented. Finally, we discuss some emerging LP technologies that enable proximity estimation in LBS and present some future research areas

Consumer Connectivity in a Complex, Technology-Enabled, and Mobile-Oriented World with Smart Products

Today’s consumers are immersed in a vast and complex array of networks. Each network features an interconnected mesh of people and firms, and now, with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), also objects. Technology (particularly mobile devices) enables such connections, and facilitates many kinds of interactions in these networks - from transactions, to social information sharing, to people interfacing with connected devices (e.g., wearable technology). We introduce the POP-framework, discuss how People, Objects and the Physical world interconnect with each other and how it results in an increasing amount of connected data, and briefly summarize existing knowledge on these inter-connections. We also provide an agenda for future research focused on examining potential impact of IoT and smart products on consumer behavior and firm strategies

Benefits of a Fog-to-Cloud Approach in Proximity Marketing

The EC H2020 mF2C Project is working to the development of a software framework that enables the orchestration of resources and communication at fog level, as an extension of cloud computing and interacting with the IoT. In order to show the project functionalities and added-values three real world use cases have been chosen. This paper introduces one of the mF2C use cases: Smart Fog Hub Service (SFHS) use case, in the context of an airport, with the objective of proving that the adoption of the fog-to-cloud approach brings relevant benefits in terms of performance and optimization of resource usage, thus giving an objective evidence of the impact of the mF2C framework.This work is supported by the H2020 mF2C project (730929)Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

On Mobile Bluetooth Tags

This paper presents a new approach for hyper-local data sharing and delivery on the base of discoverable Bluetooth nodes. Our approach allows customers to associate user-defined data with network nodes and use a special mobile application (context-aware browser) for presenting this information to mobile users in proximity. Alternatively, mobile services can request and share local data in M2M applications rely on network proximity. Bluetooth nodes in cars are among the best candidates for the role of the bearing nodes.Comment: submitted to FRUCT-17 conference (http://fruct.org

Expand reality in-company project: A proximity technology business model research in support of healthcare management

The in-company project takes place in the 20s pandemic atmosphere, where the Customer-Journey has undergone various modifications, and investigates how the proximity-digital technology, proposed differently after 8 years1 of existence, could take off yet again in a new industry, in support of the healthcare one. Accordingly, this prospect of re-proposing proximity technology channels in the market raises a range of challenges to be faced, such as the citizen’s scepticism about the probable storage and theft of personal data. Yet, it offers unique stimulating opportunities for the project success, in terms of Customer Service, Administrative and Building Management – multiple types of studies to establish a definitive strategy aimed at disrupting and enhancing the market. For instance, leveraging the new Tech-Customer path may be complex on one hand, but it may also be a source of new value development on the other. Finally, the research will be mean for shaping a strategic Business Model Canvas for ExpandReality®. As a result, the Final Research aims to assist the start-up in understanding how the launch of the Beacons-based products and platform can work and be marketed, as well as ensuring an overcome of initial consumer’s scepticism. In conclusion the investigation will outbreak in an ultimate Business Model Canvas for the start-up, first analysed by a group of professionals and then re-shaped. “The innovation and entrepreneurship journey is about turning ideas into value propositions that customers care about and business models that can scale”. (Osterwalder, 2020)O projeto in-company ocorre na atmosfera pandémica do ano de 2020 e seguintes, em que o “Customer Journey” sofreu algumas alterações, e desta forma investiga como a tecnologia digital de proximidade, proposta de maneira diferente depois de 8 anos2 de existência, pode desenvolver-se mais uma vez numa nova indústria e numa nova realidade. Nesse sentido, a possível proposta de canais de tecnologia de proximidade no mercado, levanta alguns desafios. Como por exemplo, o ceticismo do cidadão quanto ao provável armazenamento e roubo de dados pessoais. Ainda assim, oferece possibilidades estimulantes de sucesso do projecto, em apoio ao cliente, gestão administrativa e arquitetónica - diferentes tipos de estudos direcionados no sentido de desenvolver uma estratégia com o objetivo de agitar o mercado e lucrar com ele. Por exemplo, pode ser arriscado explorar o novo caminho do cliente técnico, mas ao mesmo tempo pode ser uma possibilidade de criação de novo valor. Finalmente, a própria pesquisa será um meio para a intenção final de moldar um Modelo de Negócios estratégico para a start-up ExpandReality®. Desta forma, a Pesquisa Final tem como objetivo ajudar os conselheiros a perceber como o lançamento de produtos baseados em Beacons pode funcionar e como estes podem ser comercializados, com um uso seguro dos dados extraídos.. Concluindo a investigação surgirá no formato de um plano de modelo de negócios final para a start-up, primeiramente analisado por um grupo de profissionais e posteriormente reformulado. “Inovação e empreendedorismo consiste em transformar ideias em propostas de valor com as quais os clientes se preocupam, e modelos de negócios que podem ser escalados”. (Osterwalder, 2020

Intergenerational interpretation of the Internet of Things

This report investigates how different generations within a household interpret individual members’ data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT). Adopting a mixed methods approach, we are interested in interpretations of the IoT by teenagers, their parents and grandparents, and how they understand and interact with the kinds of data that might be generated by IoT devices. The first part of this document is a technical review that outlines the key existing and envisaged technologies that make up the IoT. It explores the definition and scope of the Internet of Things. Hardware, networking, intelligent objects and Human-Computer Interaction implications are all discussed in detail. The second section focuses on the human perspective, looking at psychological and sociological issues relating to the interpretation of information generated by the IoT. Areas such as privacy, data ambiguity, ageism, and confirmation bias are explored. The third section brings both aspects together, examining how technical and social aspects of the IoT interact in four specific application domains: energy monitoring, groceries and shopping, physical gaming, and sharing experiences. This section also presents three household scenarios developed to communicate and explore the complexities of integrating IoT technologies into family life. The final section draws together all the findings and suggests future research

Hybrid jobs in the retail industry. Redesigning organizations, processes and work

Retail industry is changing, as a consequence of online competition, customers' behavior and technological advancements, and retail jobs are transforming as well, with a change of the skills required. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how these jobs are changing and how they will likely become in some years