Applications of cooperative WSN in homecare systems

Cooperation plays the crucial role in shared space of the homecare processes. It is a rather hard task to ensure effective cooperation in home care environment. This is due to variability of schedules, tasks and mobility of both patients and carers. In this paper, we discuss sensor network technology that can facilitate and improve home care cooperation scenarios. We present methodology, recommendations and applications for incorporating a WSN based solution in various areas of Homecare. We argue that even the most difficult areas of cooperation between patients and their carers such as: information retrieval, information dissemination, scheduling, coordination of short and long-term treatment can be supported by WSN based solutions. Finally, we discuss sensor network design approaches for incorporating smart communication devices and sensors to support health care workers and their patients in their daily activities. The network of smart sensors can help to maintain awareness of the activities of all stakeholders and the need to integrate communication and computer technology with the requirements of effective aged care infrastructure. © 2008 IEEE

A Framework for distributed Workflows, Peer-to-Peer and PLM/PDM collaborations to support OEMs and SMEs

The recent development of communication technology and hardware devices has made it possible for messages to reach anybody, anywhere at anytime. One such technology is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networking. The use of this technology however, is limited to mobile phones and swapping music in the internet for home users. To deploy this development into industry, there is a requirement to improve to sharing information in a collaborative and distributed product developing environment. The aim of this paper is therefore to discuss the development of a framework to enhance the integrity of data sharing and efficiency of network communication for the collaboration of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The main technologies used in the framework are the P2P decentralized network together with workflow technology and Product Life Management System (PLM). In addition, the paper is also highlighted the security issues arise to implement the P2P applications within the framework

Information Overload: An Overview

For almost as long as there has been recorded information, there has been a perception that humanity has been overloaded by it. Concerns about 'too much to read' have been expressed for many centuries, and made more urgent since the arrival of ubiquitous digital information in the late twentieth century. The historical perspective is a necessary corrective to the often, and wrongly, held view that it is associated solely with the modern digital information environment, and with social media in particular. However, as society fully experiences Floridi's Fourth Revolution, and moves into hyper-history (with society dependent on, and defined by, information and communication technologies) and the infosphere (a information environment distinguished by a seamless blend of online and offline information actvity), individuals and societies are dependent on, and formed by, information in an unprecedented way, information overload needs to be taken more seriously than ever. Overload has been claimed to be both the major issue of our time, and a complete non-issue. It has been cited as an important factor in, inter alia, science, medicine, education, politics, governance, business and marketing, planning for smart cities, access to news, personal data tracking, home life, use of social media, and online shopping, and has even influenced literature The information overload phenomenon has been known by many different names, including: information overabundance, infobesity, infoglut, data smog, information pollution, information fatigue, social media fatigue, social media overload, information anxiety, library anxiety, infostress, infoxication, reading overload, communication overload, cognitive overload, information violence, and information assault. There is no single generally accepted definition, but it can best be understood as that situation which arises when there is so much relevant and potentially useful information available that it becomes a hindrance rather than a help. Its essential nature has not changed with changing technology, though its causes and proposed solutions have changed much. The best ways of avoiding overload, individually and socially, appear to lie in a variety of coping strategies, such as filtering, withdrawing, queuing, and 'satisficing'. Better design of information systems, effective personal information management, and the promotion of digital and media literacies, also have a part to play. Overload may perhaps best be overcome by seeking a mindful balance in consuming information, and in finding understanding

Impact of Wireless Communications Technologies on Elder People Healthcare: Smart Home in Australia

Over the last three decades, there has been a dramatic rise in ageing populations in most countries. Older people remain in nursing home care due to the fact that general services and medical support are provided. However, these environments often negatively affect the occupants due to high cost, limited staff, as well as the social impact they have. A way to overcome these challenges is to place the elderly instead in a Smart Home environment. In other words, by implementing such technology, older people are able to remain at home, instead of going to nursing homes and pay the extremely high fees. The aim of this study is to describe the impact of wireless communications technologies to replace nursing homes with smart homes. Using smart wireless sensors, wireless communication and ambient intelligence systems, it is possible to create systems capable of measuring the vital signs of patients at home. This is based on exchanging signals (information) between sensors and the data server from already deployed sensor equipment (infrared or camera) or wearable smart sensors, allowing older people to stay at home.Over the last three decades, there has been a dramatic rise in ageing populations in most countries. Older people are remaining in nursing home care due to the fact that general services and medical support are provided. However, these environments often negatively affect older people due to high cost, limited staff and the social impacts they have. A way to overcome these challenges is to place the elderly instead of the Nursing Homes in a Smart Home environment. In other words, by implementing such technology, older people are able to remain at home, instead of going to nursing homes and pay the extremely high cost. The aim of this study is to describe the impact of wireless communications technologies on both nursing home and smart home. Using smart wireless sensors, wireless communication and ambient intelligent systems, it is possible to create systems capable of measuring vital signs of the patient at home. This is based on exchanging signals (information) between the sensor and the data server from already deployed sensors (infrared or camera) or wearable smart sensors, allowing older people to stay at home

Using Information and Communication Technology in Home Care for the Elderly

Due to population aging, countries’ financial capacities to maintain the current level and scope of services and institutional care for the elderly are decreasing, which is why there are increasing demands to rationalize services and residential care for the elderly as much as possible. The society has responded to such issues with the idea that the elderly should be able to remain in their home environment as long as possible, where they would be able to lead their lives with the best possible quality of life. People support the idea broadly because it meets the desires and needs of the elderly. Most want to stay at home, and in the same social environment, they want to maintain their autonomy as long as possible. To make to the elderly, the possibility to remain in their living environments and moving elder-care activities to their homes can be achieved with the help of information and communication technology (ICT) by which home care could be provided remotely

Development of an Embedded Smart Home System

Smart home systems are expected to become key research area for ubiquitous and embedded system computing in coming years. In this thesis, a new scheme in smart home systems technology using embedded system for providing intelligent control of home appliances is proposed. An embedded system act as protocol glue that incorporates wired and wireless option such as Short Message Service (SMS) router with wireless local area network (WI-FI) for intelligent automation and higher speed of home appliances connectivity. The system is implemented in 2 tier models. First-tier model consist of incorporated design of SMS Router and Wireless Access Point. Wireless local area network (WI-FI) is selected as mechanism due to its transmission range within 100m which suits the smart home requirement for automation and control, justifies the Personal Area Network (PAN) for mobile device connectivity. Second tier model consist of remote application server systems, which cater a conceptual model between embedded hardware and software integration of appliances in smart home. This interface model will be between in house networks and external communication environment, whereas embedded system acts as storage media and server for information interchange between systems especially with mobile devices within a smart home. Embedded system sits at the core of the home network, acts as residential gateway and enables bi-directional communication and data transfer channel among networked appliances in the home and across the Internet. On the other hand, client-side application provides a user-friendly Graphic User Interface (GUI) to enhance the usability of the system. The proposed embedded system has been implemented and verified that the system can be a core device for smart home environment functionality

Challenges of virtual classroom during COVID-19 pandemic: An empirical analysis of Indian higher education

Higher education institutions (HEIs) usually work open throughout the academic session. In the COVID-19 pandemic time, all the HEIs were also closed temporarily. The study examined the major challenges faced by the teachers and students from the virtual classroom during the nationwide lockdown. Due to the nationwide lockdown and lack of funding, convenience sampling and snowball sampling techniques were used for data collection. A total of 893 responses were analyzed for this study. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire on a Likert scale from 305 teachers and 588 students of higher education institutes from the entire India. Network connectivity was the major challenge faced by the faculty members (mean value of 3.68) followed by 3.17 mean value for lack of professional environment at home, 3.03 for lack of teaching material at home, 2.92 for lack of personal computer/laptop. Lack of professional environment at home (mean value of 3.59) was the major challenge faced by the students followed by 3.57 for lack of teaching material at home, 3.35 for network connectivity, 3.31 for lack of personal computer/laptop. Virtual classrooms have challenges such as poor internet connectivity, non-availability of appropriate electronic devices, lack of a teaching environment at home, less information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge among students and teachers. It implied less engagement of students and teachers in the teaching and learning process

Telematics and the Political Process

Recent advances in communications technology are revolutionizing the speed with which information of all kinds reaches the home and workplace. These advances, which include developments in the computer industry, interactive communication systems, laser and fiber optic based communication, and geostationary space platforms, are also affecting the extent and content of the information which is now accessible, with trends suggesting even greater impacts in the near future. Given the premise in a democratic society that the availability of information is critical to a responsible citizenry, such trends would seem to spell good times ahead for mass politics. A closer inspection of recent trends suggests reasons for concern, however. Patterns of the control of and sources of information; the content, quality and extent of information, and access to and use of information which is becoming available through the new technology show evidence of little change from the previous state of affairs. In addition, what change does exist demonstrates as much potential for adding to social, economic, and political inequities which already exist as for helping to reduce these inequities, leading to a society of the information rich and the information poor. The solution as to whether technological change in communications is a positive or negative addition to democratic politics depends ultimately on our willingness to learn from past mistakes and see this technology as a resource which needs to be carefully integrated into the larger social, economic, and political environment

Supporting Caregivers in Complex Home Care: Towards Designing a Voice User Interface

Despite significant advancements in the development of digital health tools and the rising provision of health care services in the home, information management and communication has yet to be standardized through digitization across caregiver teams in complex home care. With the increased risks of adverse events in dynamic and unpredictable home environments, there is a critical need to improve care inconsistencies and prevent communication breakdowns. An opportunity exists for digital health tools to support the standardization of information sharing processes in the home. However, designing digital tools to support complex home care is challenging when considering the uniqueness of patient conditions, the home environment, and caregiving team diversity. Adopting digital health tools in unregulated environments also induces a challenge for standardizing digitization in this complex domain. With advancements in natural language processing and speech recognition, the development of digital health interfaces that provide a natural interaction with information by voice has shown promise to support information management and communication and facilitate engagement with home care technology. The objective of this research is to build a foundation for the future development of a voice user interface or Voice Assistant (VA) to support caregivers in complex home care. The objectives are two-fold: (1) to understand the diverse caregiving experiences related to health information management and communication in complex home care and (2) evaluate the diverse perspectives of caregivers on the design of a VA to support these identified processes. Using a mixed-methods approach of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with 22 caregivers across North America, this research contributes to understanding both the information and communication processes as well as the design considerations for integrating VA technology in complex home care by potential primary users. This thesis consists of three papers that describe the partial results of one study. One paper focuses on the semi-structured interviews with family caregivers of Children With Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) to understand the processes involved with managing care in their home. The second paper focuses on the semi-structured interviews with family caregivers and hired caregivers of older adults in the same context. The third paper focuses on the semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with all participants about their expectations for the design of VAs in complex home care. This thesis captures the rich experiences of caregivers who are managing the coordination of care in complex home environments and the considerations for designing VA technology in this domain. The principal findings highlight similarities in caregiving processes and the nuanced complexities among caregiver populations that can inform the design and usability considerations of future digital health tools. There is also the potential for VA technology to provide utility for health information management and communication. However, considerations for functionality and the context of use may impact this innovation's diffusion. Future research should collectively examine home care from caregiving teams' perspectives and objectively measure human-information interaction with this technology in context-specific scenarios