User-activity aware strategies for mobile information access

Information access suffers tremendously in wireless networks because of the low correlation between content transferred across low-bandwidth wireless links and actual data used to serve user requests. As a result, conventional content access mechanisms face such problems as unnecessary bandwidth consumption and large response times, and users experience significant performance degradation. In this dissertation, we analyze the cause of those problems and find that the major reason for inefficient information access in wireless networks is the absence of any user-activity awareness in current mechanisms. To solve these problems, we propose three user-activity aware strategies for mobile information access. Through simulations and implementations, we show that our strategies can outperform conventional information access schemes in terms of bandwidth consumption and user-perceived response times.Ph.D.Committee Chair: Raghupathy Sivakumar; Committee Member: Chuanyi Ji; Committee Member: George Riley; Committee Member: Magnus Egerstedt; Committee Member: Umakishore Ramachandra

Evaluation of Using Semi-Autonomy Features in Mobile Robotic Telepresence Systems

Mobile robotic telepresence systems used for social interaction scenarios require that users steer robots in a remote environment. As a consequence, a heavy workload can be put on users if they are unfamiliar with using robotic telepresence units. One way to lessen this workload is to automate certain operations performed during a telepresence session in order to assist remote drivers in navigating the robot in new environments. Such operations include autonomous robot localization and navigation to certain points in the home and automatic docking of the robot to the charging station. In this paper we describe the implementation of such autonomous features along with user evaluation study. The evaluation scenario is focused on the first experience on using the system by novice users. Importantly, that the scenario taken in this study assumed that participants have as little as possible prior information about the system. Four different use-cases were identified from the user behaviour analysis.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Plan Nacional de Investigación, proyecto DPI2011-25483

Mobile app for collecting data about objects placed on the city pavements

Motivace této bakalářské práce je vytvoření mobilní aplikace pro všechny platformy s cílem poskytnout lepší data pro navigaci pohybově a zrakově postižených lidí za pomoci široké veřejnosti. Nejdřív jsou definovány základní pojmy a principy týkající se sběru dat veřejností a následně jsou analyzovány požadavky pro danou aplikaci. Následně jsou analyzovány technologie pro vývoj aplikací za použití nástroje Flutter, kde Redux a Firebase jsou zvoleny hlavními nástroji. Poté je mobilní aplikace implementována na základě dostupného grafického návrhu. Nakonec byla funkčnost aplikace ověřena softwarovými a uživatelskými testy.The motivation for this thesis was the creation of a cross-platform application to provide data for better navigation of visually and movement impaired people with the help of crowdsourcing. In the beginning, core principles and problems are defined concerning geographical data crowdsourcing, followed by a system design analysis. Later, technologies used in Flutter framework are discussed and analyzed with Redux and Firebase being the chosen approaches. The mobile application is then implemented using provided designs. In the end, the application is verified with software tests and user-testing

Enhancing the mechanical efficiency of skilled rowing through shortened feedback cycles

In elite level rowing competition, the average velocities of medallists differ by less than 1 % over 2000 m. Nations place sporting excellence in high regard and this magnifies the importance of success. As a result, sports science and technology is increasingly used to achieve marginal performance gains. This research considers how to advance biomechanical analysis and skills training provision with a particular focus on the technical and practical delivery of real-time feedback to coaches and athletes, thereby shortening the amount of time between feedback cycles. Underpinning any biomechanical feedback intervention, validated determinants of performance are required. Previous research revealed that, while gross biomechanical measures such as athlete power, stroke rate and stroke length have previously been used as key determinants of performance, elite athletes are nowadays performing within expected ranges and therefore it is no longer possible to easily differentiate crews using these measures alone. This thesis describes workshops held with elite coaches to investigate biomechanical efficiency where the outcomes led to a focus on how a boat accelerates and decelerates during a stroke and hence how the boat's velocity fluctuates. Novel metrics are proposed to quantify aspects of a stroke cycle and used to analyse an elite data set, collected using a standardised protocol. It is shown that individual elite rowers can be successfully differentiated and benchmark values of performance are presented. Consideration of previous research suggests that there is currently no suitably functional and flexible biomechanical real-time feedback system to deliver complex skills training in rowing. Therefore, this thesis describes the research that has led to the development and evaluation of new technology to deliver visual and audible interfaces that support the delivery of concurrent and terminal feedback in water and land-based environments. Coaches and athletes were involved throughout the design process to optimise system suitability and encourage adoption. The technology empowers a coach to intricately manipulate feedback provision, thereby promoting motor control and learning theory best practice. Novel insights relevant to designing interactive systems for use within an elite sporting population are also discussed. This research presents an end-to-end strategy for the applied delivery of real-time feedback to skilled rowers bringing together engineering and social science disciplines. A land-based case series reveals that while statistically significant skill learning was not achieved, participants acquired sport specific technical awareness and heightened motivation as a result of the skills training intervention. Existing motor learning literature was tested as part of the study with a key finding being the lack of support for audible display of stroke acceleration through frequency modulation. Study limitations were identified that explain the lack of an effect of skills training on rower efficiency. The study also acted as a validation of the use of a land-based simulator to monitor and manipulate stroke velocity and a validation of the candidate feedback interfaces that had been implemented. As of result of this work, rowing coaches are able to evaluate their athletes in a novel way, achieving a deeper appreciation of their biomechanical efficiency. Upon identifying athletes with a need for technical development, coaches can intervene with the proposed methodology of skill development making use of the new technologies developed to deliver performance gains. This methodology would achieve enhanced validity through a deeper understanding of the reliability of the new metrics and their relationship to boat speed. Future attempts to test for skill learning should build upon the findings made in this work and, in due course, technology and theory should combine to deliver terminal feedback training during water-based rowing

Mobile Music Store M-Muze

The introduction of the mobile devices into the electronic commerce arena has allowed the user to go on the Web as well as shopping on the Web using their cell phones, Personals Digital Assistants (PDAs) or combo devices without needing a wired Internet connection and stationary desktop or a laptop computer. In order to give customer's convenience, service providers and also value-added services include easy, timely access to information in a way enable customer to make purchase from whenever they are whenever they are ready. The author here will develop an instant music CD purchasing via mobile phone application by using Wireless Markup Language (WML) as a programming tool. The technique that has been adopted is based on Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) as global standards for mobile solutions. The result of the study has proven that in order to captivate users' attention towards legal music CD purchasing through the web via mobile, design of the interface has given an impact towards the adaptation of content presentation by implementing HCI elements. Therefore, the design of the interface and content according to one's preference plays an important role in enhancing users' "browse and buy" experience at any desired time and needs. The study done towards the implementation of design guidelines for wireless application which is in general, interface design flaws are platform independent has also proven that the design best applied depends on the form factors of the wireless mobile phones. The system URL: http://www.ideashoppe.com I

Analysis, design and implementation of a Node.js Web Application for personal link management using a single link in social networks.

[Abstract] The main objective of this project is the development of a Web Application, using a modern technology stack and a scalable system architecture, to provide Social Network users a place to store all their important links for their followers to access in a seemingly transparent manner from their user profiles. This is in some cases necessary as some social networks, of which Instagram is the prime example, block the usage of links/URLs anywhere in their application, except for the usage of a single link as a user’s Webpage inside their profile information. The project will also focus on providing useful insights and analytics to the profile owner based on the metadata collected from visitors’ clicks on the link collection.[Resumen] El objetivo principal de este proyecto es el desarrollo de una Aplicación Web, utilizando un stack de tecnologías moderno, y una arquitectura de sistema escalable, para proveer a los usuarios de las Redes Sociales de un lugar donde almacenar todos sus links importantes para que sus seguidores puedan acceder a ellos de una manera aparentemente transparente desde sus perfiles de usuario. Esto en algunos casos es necesario, ya que algunas redes sociales, de las cuales Instagram es el mejor ejemplo, bloquean la utilización de links en cualquier sitio de la aplicación, excepto la utilización de un único link como la página web del usuario dentro de su perfil de usuario. El proyecto también tiene como objetivo proporcionar al usuario de nuestra aplicación con datos y analíticas basadas en los metadatos recolectados de los clicks en la colección de links de la aplicación.Traballo fin de grao. Enxeñaría Informática. Curso 2020/202

Tagamajig: Image Recognition via Crowdsourcing

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Library possesses thousands of unlabeled gray-scale photographs from the Smoky Mountains circa the 1920s - 1940s. Their current method of identifying and labeling attributes of the photographs is to do so manually. This is problematic both because of the scale of the collection as well as the reliance on an individual\u27s limited knowledge of the area\u27s numerous landmarks. In the past few years, similar dilemmas have been tackled via an approach known as crowd computing. Some examples include Floating Forests, in which users are asked to identify and mark kelp forests in satellite images, and Ancient Lives, which enlists users help in transcribing 2000-year-old manuscripts that Oxford University researchers had struggled to efficiently translate for over a century. For this particular problem, we propose releasing the image collections to the public through a web application. The application would target outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists, or professionals such as geologists, rangers, or historians who are familiar with the region and would find interest in helping to label the more recognizable photos. Users would tag landmarks using a hierarchically sorted data set of landmark names accessible via an incremental search. With sufficient participation, the image collection could be efficiently categorized and labeled beyond what is currently feasible using the librarys limited number of personnel. Furthermore, this application could easily be adapted to categorize other unlabeled image collections if provided with the proper data set for tagging

Shortest Route: A Mobile Application for Route Optimization using Digital Map

Businesses that have embarked on using digital maps have been able to increase employee productivity, communicate visually; reduce cost of logistics, planning, resources by more than half of its initial cost. Many industries that have benefitted from this technology include Online Markets, Delivery companies, Agriculture, Real Estate, Engineering, Media, Energy and Utilities, Insurance, Architecture. Seeing this need especially in Nigeria where cost of logistics is high, resources are wasted in the process and productive time is also wasted leading to fatigue and low outcome; there is therefore the need for route optimization for businesses in Nigeria. TSP (Travelling Salesman Problem) - Nearest Neighbour Algorithm is used to solve the problem of route optimization on Google MAP. This study developed a mobile application in Java, HTML and Google SDKs, to find shortest route between various numbers of locations enumerated on digital maps on a smart device. The application was implemented successfully on the Android Operating System for mobile devices. Anyone can download it from the Google play store, install and freely use

Implementing a Wizard of Oz Tool for Augmented Reality

This thesis aims to explore Wizard of Oz testing in conjunction with Augmented Reality (AR) and focus has been put on testing AR with Head Mounted Displays. The recent increase of interest in HMDs with products such as MOD Live from Recon Instruments and Google's Project Glass puts new demands and possibilities on human-computer interaction. Since the commercial market for HMDs is still in its infancy the need to explore different design approaches is very much present. One way to conduct experiments on human-machine interaction is with the help of a Wizard of Oz tool. During the thesis we have developed such a tool to support designers in researching usability and interaction. The tool provides a user friendly framework to carry out user case studies focused on AR with HMDs. After input and feedback from stakeholders and experts we believe that, even though the tool is mainly meant to be used in conjunction with AR in HMDs, the tool can be applied to other areas as well