Query management in a sensor environment

Traditional sensor network deployments consisted of fixed infrastructures and were relatively small in size. More and more, we see the deployment of ad-hoc sensor networks with heterogeneous devices on a larger scale, posing new challenges for device management and query processing. In this paper, we present our design and prototype implementation of XSense, an architecture supporting metadata and query services for an underlying large scale dynamic P2P sensor network. We cluster sensor devices into manageable groupings to optimise the query process and automatically locate appropriate clusters based on keyword abstraction from queries. We present experimental analysis to show the benefits of our approach and demonstrate improved query performance and scalability

Visualising the South Yorkshire floods of ‘07

This paper describes initial work on developing an information system to gather, process and visualise various multimedia data sources related to the South Yorkshire (UK) floods of 2007. The work is part of the Memoir project which aims to investigate how technology can help people create and manage long-term personal memories. We are using maps to aggregate multimedia data and to stimulate remembering past events. The paper describes an initial prototype; challenges faced so far and planned future work

PICS: Pipeline for Image Captioning and Search

The growing volume of digital images necessitates advanced systems for efficient categorization and retrieval, presenting a significant challenge in database management and information retrieval. This paper introduces PICS (Pipeline for Image Captioning and Search), a novel approach designed to address the complexities inherent in organizing large-scale image repositories. PICS leverages the advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) to automate the process of image captioning, offering a solution that transcends traditional manual annotation methods. The approach is rooted in the understanding that meaningful, AI-generated captions can significantly enhance the searchability and accessibility of images in large databases. By integrating sentiment analysis into the pipeline, PICS further enriches the metadata, enabling nuanced searches that extend beyond basic descriptors. This methodology not only simplifies the task of managing vast image collections but also sets a new precedent for accuracy and efficiency in image retrieval. The significance of PICS lies in its potential to transform image database systems, harnessing the power of machine learning and natural language processing to meet the demands of modern digital asset management

Data DNA: The Next Generation of Statistical Metadata

Describes the components of a complete statistical metadata system and suggests ways to create and structure metadata for better access and understanding of data sets by diverse users

Integrating sensor streams in pHealth networks

Personal Health (pHealth) sensor networks are generally used to monitor the wellbeing of both athletes and the general public to inform health specialists of future and often serious ailments. The problem facing these domain experts is the scale and quality of data they must search in order to extract meaningful results. By using peer-to-peer sensor architectures and a mechanism for reducing the search space, we can, to some extent, address the scalability issue. However, synchronisation and normalisation of distributed sensor streams remains a problem in many networks. In the case of pHealth sensor networks, it is crucial for experts to align multiple sensor readings before query or data mining activities can take place. This paper presents a system for clustering and synchronising sensor streams in preparation for user queries

Augmenting applications with hyper media, functionality and meta-information

The Dynamic Hypermedia Engine (DHE) enhances analytical applications by adding relationships, semantics and other metadata to the application\u27s output and user interface. DHE also provides additional hypermedia navigational, structural and annotation functionality. These features allow application developers and users to add guided tours, personal links and sharable annotations, among other features, into applications. DHE runs as a middleware between the application user interface and its business logic and processes, in a n-tier architecture, supporting the extra functionalities without altering the original systems by means of application wrappers. DHE automatically generates links at run-time for each of those elements having relationships and metadata. Such elements are previously identified using a Relation Navigation Analysis. DHE also constructs more sophisticated navigation techniques not often found on the Web on top of these links. The metadata, links, navigation and annotation features supplement the application\u27s primary functionality. This research identifies element types, or classes , in the application displays. A mapping rule encodes each relationship found between two elements of interest at the class level . When the user selects a particular element, DHE instantiates the commands included in the rules with the actual instance selected and sends them to the appropriate destination system, which then dynamically generates the resulting virtual (i.e. not previously stored) page. DHE executes concurrently with these applications, providing automated link generation and other hypermedia functionality. DHE uses the extensible Markup Language (XMQ -and related World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) sets of XML recommendations, like Xlink, XML Schema, and RDF -to encode the semantic information required for the operation of the extra hypermedia features, and for the transmission of messages between the engine modules and applications. DHE is the only approach we know that provides automated linking and metadata services in a generic manner, based on the application semantics, without altering the applications. DHE will also work with non-Web systems. The results of this work could also be extended to other research areas, such as link ranking and filtering, automatic link generation as the result of a search query, metadata collection and support, virtual document management, hypermedia functionality on the Web, adaptive and collaborative hypermedia, web engineering, and the semantic Web

Harnessing user communities for website location and evaluation

The AsiaWeb Project is looking at the problem of accessing quality and relevant information on the Web. It is the product of collaboration between two disciplinary standpoints. Dr Mimi Recker is approaching the problem from a generic, systems viewpoint, seeing the information domain as a case study and Dr Tim Beal has an interest in the computer access and manipulation of information on Japan, and Asia generally. We are taking business information on Asia as the general subject and within this Japan is a priority area. However, it is considered that the techniques developed could be applied to any subject area. We are working from a number of premises: There is an explosive growth of Web information The Web lacks the validating and guidance structure of the traditional publishing/library environment There is therefore a problem in efficiently finding relevant, quality and validated information. One attempted solution is to appoint domain specialists as \u27virtual librarians\u27 who validate and categorise World Wide Web (WWW) sites. The limitations of this are discussed. Our approach is to develop an infrastructure for supporting collaborative, distributed information filtering of Web resources. The filtering comes not from librarians and traditional guardians of information, though neither librarians nor library techniques are neglected, but the user community itself

DRIVER Technology Watch Report

This report is part of the Discovery Workpackage (WP4) and is the third report out of four deliverables. The objective of this report is to give an overview of the latest technical developments in the world of digital repositories, digital libraries and beyond, in order to serve as theoretical and practical input for the technical DRIVER developments, especially those focused on enhanced publications. This report consists of two main parts, one part focuses on interoperability standards for enhanced publications, the other part consists of three subchapters, which give a landscape picture of current and surfacing technologies and communities crucial to DRIVER. These three subchapters contain the GRID, CRIS and LTP communities and technologies. Every chapter contains a theoretical explanation, followed by case studies and the outcomes and opportunities for DRIVER in this field

Deliverable D.8.4. Social Data Visualization and Navigation Services:3rd Year Update

Within the Open Discovery Space our study (T.8.4) focused on ”Enhanced Social Data Visualization & Navigation Services. This deliverable provides the prototype report regarding the deployment of adapted visualization and navigation services to be integrated in the ODS Social Data Management Layer.Project co-funded by the European Commission within the ICT Policy Support Programme, CIP Competitiveness and innovation framework programme 2007 - 2013. Grant agreement no: 29722