5,768 research outputs found
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Towards a systems-based framework for understanding the diffusion of technology: A case study of a modest technological innovation in the multi-agency context of policing
Technological innovation in policing is being given greater emphasis. In public discourse about technology and policing, there is often a focus on large-scale projects that are known to fail, sometimes at significant cost. The implementation of smaller innovations are often overlooked. This thesis examines practice of innovation and adoption in the context of multi-agency working.
The literature review in this thesis reveals that little is known about contexts where decision making does not rest with the police and exposes potential limitations in the use of diffusion and adoption frameworks/models. The research question is: In the context of multi-agency diffusion and adoption of a technology to enhance policing, can systems thinking techniques enhance, or even replace, existing frameworks and models?
This empirical research study looks at the adoption of a relatively simple technology that scans identification documents. However, the decision to adopt and implement an ID scanner takes place within a complex setting. Tracking an adoption decision requires understanding of the various actors and their roles. The research includes 48 semi-structured interviews with police officers, premises owners and managers and other stakeholders involved in the decision to adopt an ID scanner. Their perceptions of the history leading to an adoption decision, their own role and that of other key actors is examined.
Initial analysis takes place using spray diagrams and further analysis is made through the lenses of existing diffusion and adoption frameworks/models. Subsequently systems thinking techniques are deployed and the additional insights they provide are highlighted. This research finds that systems thinking can extend understanding of multi-agency diffusion and adoption decisions when compared with solely utilising existing frameworks/models. Finally, the research proposes a systems-based framework for collaborative diffusion and adoption analysis
Serverless Strategies and Tools in the Cloud Computing Continuum
Tesis por compendio[ES] En los últimos años, la popularidad de la computación en nube ha permitido a los usuarios acceder a recursos de cómputo, red y almacenamiento sin precedentes bajo un modelo de pago por uso. Esta popularidad ha propiciado la aparición de nuevos servicios para resolver determinados problemas informáticos a gran escala y simplificar el desarrollo y el despliegue de aplicaciones. Entre los servicios más destacados en los últimos años se encuentran las plataformas FaaS (Función como Servicio), cuyo principal atractivo es la facilidad de despliegue de pequeños fragmentos de código en determinados lenguajes de programación para realizar tareas específicas en respuesta a eventos. Estas funciones son ejecutadas en los servidores del proveedor Cloud sin que los usuarios se preocupen de su mantenimiento ni de la gestión de su elasticidad, manteniendo siempre un modelo de pago por uso de grano fino.
Las plataformas FaaS pertenecen al paradigma informático conocido como Serverless, cuyo propósito es abstraer la gestión de servidores por parte de los usuarios, permitiéndoles centrar sus esfuerzos únicamente en el desarrollo de aplicaciones. El problema del modelo FaaS es que está enfocado principalmente en microservicios y tiende a tener limitaciones en el tiempo de ejecución y en las capacidades de computación (por ejemplo, carece de soporte para hardware de aceleración como GPUs). Sin embargo, se ha demostrado que la capacidad de autoaprovisionamiento y el alto grado de paralelismo de estos servicios pueden ser muy adecuados para una mayor variedad de aplicaciones. Además, su inherente ejecución dirigida por eventos hace que las funciones sean perfectamente adecuadas para ser definidas como pasos en flujos de trabajo de procesamiento de archivos (por ejemplo, flujos de trabajo de computación científica).
Por otra parte, el auge de los dispositivos inteligentes e integrados (IoT), las innovaciones en las redes de comunicación y la necesidad de reducir la latencia en casos de uso complejos han dado lugar al concepto de Edge computing, o computación en el borde. El Edge computing consiste en el procesamiento en dispositivos cercanos a las fuentes de datos para mejorar los tiempos de respuesta. La combinación de este paradigma con la computación en nube, formando arquitecturas con dispositivos a distintos niveles en función de su proximidad a la fuente y su capacidad de cómputo, se ha acuñado como continuo de la computación en la nube (o continuo computacional).
Esta tesis doctoral pretende, por lo tanto, aplicar diferentes estrategias Serverless para permitir el despliegue de aplicaciones generalistas, empaquetadas en contenedores de software, a través de los diferentes niveles del continuo computacional. Para ello, se han desarrollado múltiples herramientas con el fin de: i) adaptar servicios FaaS de proveedores Cloud públicos; ii) integrar diferentes componentes software para definir una plataforma Serverless en infraestructuras privadas y en el borde; iii) aprovechar dispositivos de aceleración en plataformas Serverless; y iv) facilitar el despliegue de aplicaciones y flujos de trabajo a través de interfaces de usuario. Además, se han creado y adaptado varios casos de uso para evaluar los desarrollos conseguidos.[CA] En els últims anys, la popularitat de la computació al núvol ha permès als usuaris accedir a recursos de còmput, xarxa i emmagatzematge sense precedents sota un model de pagament per ús. Aquesta popularitat ha propiciat l'aparició de nous serveis per resoldre determinats problemes informàtics a gran escala i simplificar el desenvolupament i desplegament d'aplicacions. Entre els serveis més destacats en els darrers anys hi ha les plataformes FaaS (Funcions com a Servei), el principal atractiu de les quals és la facilitat de desplegament de petits fragments de codi en determinats llenguatges de programació per realitzar tasques específiques en resposta a esdeveniments. Aquestes funcions són executades als servidors del proveïdor Cloud sense que els usuaris es preocupen del seu manteniment ni de la gestió de la seva elasticitat, mantenint sempre un model de pagament per ús de gra fi.
Les plataformes FaaS pertanyen al paradigma informàtic conegut com a Serverless, el propòsit del qual és abstraure la gestió de servidors per part dels usuaris, permetent centrar els seus esforços únicament en el desenvolupament d'aplicacions. El problema del model FaaS és que està enfocat principalment a microserveis i tendeix a tenir limitacions en el temps d'execució i en les capacitats de computació (per exemple, no té suport per a maquinari d'acceleració com GPU). Tot i això, s'ha demostrat que la capacitat d'autoaprovisionament i l'alt grau de paral·lelisme d'aquests serveis poden ser molt adequats per a més aplicacions. A més, la seva inherent execució dirigida per esdeveniments fa que les funcions siguen perfectament adequades per ser definides com a passos en fluxos de treball de processament d'arxius (per exemple, fluxos de treball de computació científica).
D'altra banda, l'auge dels dispositius intel·ligents i integrats (IoT), les innovacions a les xarxes de comunicació i la necessitat de reduir la latència en casos d'ús complexos han donat lloc al concepte d'Edge computing, o computació a la vora. L'Edge computing consisteix en el processament en dispositius propers a les fonts de dades per millorar els temps de resposta. La combinació d'aquest paradigma amb la computació en núvol, formant arquitectures amb dispositius a diferents nivells en funció de la proximitat a la font i la capacitat de còmput, s'ha encunyat com a continu de la computació al núvol (o continu computacional).
Aquesta tesi doctoral pretén, doncs, aplicar diferents estratègies Serverless per permetre el desplegament d'aplicacions generalistes, empaquetades en contenidors de programari, a través dels diferents nivells del continu computacional. Per això, s'han desenvolupat múltiples eines per tal de: i) adaptar serveis FaaS de proveïdors Cloud públics; ii) integrar diferents components de programari per definir una plataforma Serverless en infraestructures privades i a la vora; iii) aprofitar dispositius d'acceleració a plataformes Serverless; i iv) facilitar el desplegament d'aplicacions i fluxos de treball mitjançant interfícies d'usuari. A més, s'han creat i s'han adaptat diversos casos d'ús per avaluar els desenvolupaments aconseguits.[EN] In recent years, the popularity of Cloud computing has allowed users to access unprecedented compute, network, and storage resources under a pay-per-use model. This popularity led to new services to solve specific large-scale computing challenges and simplify the development and deployment of applications. Among the most prominent services in recent years are FaaS (Function as a Service) platforms, whose primary appeal is the ease of deploying small pieces of code in certain programming languages to perform specific tasks on an event-driven basis. These functions are executed on the Cloud provider's servers without users worrying about their maintenance or elasticity management, always keeping a fine-grained pay-per-use model.
FaaS platforms belong to the computing paradigm known as Serverless, which aims to abstract the management of servers from the users, allowing them to focus their efforts solely on the development of applications. The problem with FaaS is that it focuses on microservices and tends to have limitations regarding the execution time and the computing capabilities (e.g. lack of support for acceleration hardware such as GPUs). However, it has been demonstrated that the self-provisioning capability and high degree of parallelism of these services can be well suited to broader applications. In addition, their inherent event-driven triggering makes functions perfectly suitable to be defined as steps in file processing workflows (e.g. scientific computing workflows).
Furthermore, the rise of smart and embedded devices (IoT), innovations in communication networks and the need to reduce latency in challenging use cases have led to the concept of Edge computing. Edge computing consists of conducting the processing on devices close to the data sources to improve response times. The coupling of this paradigm together with Cloud computing, involving architectures with devices at different levels depending on their proximity to the source and their compute capability, has been coined as Cloud Computing Continuum (or Computing Continuum).
Therefore, this PhD thesis aims to apply different Serverless strategies to enable the deployment of generalist applications, packaged in software containers, across the different tiers of the Cloud Computing Continuum. To this end, multiple tools have been developed in order to: i) adapt FaaS services from public Cloud providers; ii) integrate different software components to define a Serverless platform on on-premises and Edge infrastructures; iii) leverage acceleration devices on Serverless platforms; and iv) facilitate the deployment of applications and workflows through user interfaces. Additionally, several use cases have been created and adapted to assess the developments achieved.Risco Gallardo, S. (2023). Serverless Strategies and Tools in the Cloud Computing Continuum [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/202013Compendi
Soft Power, Cultural Relations and Conflict through Eurovision and Other Mega-events: A Literature Review
No abstract available
Cycling Through the Pandemic : Tactical Urbanism and the Implementation of Pop-Up Bike Lanes in the Time of COVID-19
Provides an international overview on how tactical urbanism was implemented to give more space to cycling
Demonstrates the conceptual framework surrounding tactical urbanism and how it plays out theoretically
Proposes new methodological insights to understand the effects of tactical urbanism intervention
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Cancer Care in Pandemic Times: Building Inclusive Local Health Security in Africa and India
This is a book about improving cancer care in Africa and India that is a child of its pandemic times. It has been collaboratively researched and written by colleagues in Kenya, Tanzania, India and the UK, working within a cross-country, multidisciplinary research project, Innovation for Cancer Care in Africa (ICCA). Since this was a health-focused research project, ICCA researchers during the pandemic not only continued to work on the cancer research project but were also called upon by their governments to respond to immediate pandemic needs. In combining these two concerns, for improving cancer care and responding to pandemic needs, our original project aims have been challenged, deepened and reworked. ICCA’s initial collaborative research focus included—against the grain of most global health literature—the potential role of enhanced local production of essential healthcare supplies for improving cancer care in African countries. The pandemic experience has strikingly validated these earlier findings on the importance of industrial development for health care. The pandemic crystallised for researchers and policymakers an often overlooked phenomenon: global health security is built on the foundations of strong local health security. We argue in this book that new analytical thinking from social scientists and others is required on how to build local health security. We use the “lens” of original research on cancer care in East Africa and India to build up an understanding of the scope for the development of stronger synergies between local health industries and health care, in order to strengthen local health security and develop tools for policy making. The rethinking and reimagining presented here is required for different African countries, for India and the wider world, and this research on cancer care has taught us that this imperative goes much wider than infectious diseases
Breaking Virtual Barriers : Investigating Virtual Reality for Enhanced Educational Engagement
Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that has regained popularity in recent years. In the field of education, VR has been introduced as a tool to enhance learning experiences. This thesis presents an exploration of how VR is used from the context of educators and learners. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveying and interviewing educators, and conducting empirical studies to examine engagement, usability, and user behaviour within VR. The results revealed educators are interested in using VR for a wide range of scenarios, including thought exercises, virtual field trips, and simulations. However, they face several barriers to incorporating VR into their practice, such as cost, lack of training, and technical challenges. A subsequent study found that virtual reality can no longer be assumed to be more engaging than desktop equivalents. This empirical study showed that engagement levels were similar in both VR and non-VR environments, suggesting that the novelty effect of VR may be less pronounced than previously assumed. A study against a VR mind mapping artifact, VERITAS, demonstrated that complex interactions are possible on low-cost VR devices, making VR accessible to educators and students. The analysis of user behaviour within this VR artifact showed that quantifiable strategies emerge, contributing to the understanding of how to design for collaborative VR experiences. This thesis provides insights into how the end-users in the education space perceive and use VR. The findings suggest that while educators are interested in using VR, they face barriers to adoption. The research highlights the need to design VR experiences, with understanding of existing pedagogy, that are engaging with careful thought applied to complex interactions, particularly for collaborative experiences. This research contributes to the understanding of the potential of VR in education and provides recommendations for educators and designers to enhance learning experiences using VR
Digitalization and Development
This book examines the diffusion of digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies in Malaysia by focusing on the ecosystem critical for its expansion. The chapters examine the digital proliferation in major sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, e-commerce and services, as well as the intermediary organizations essential for the orderly performance of socioeconomic agents.
The book incisively reviews policy instruments critical for the effective and orderly development of the embedding organizations, and the regulatory framework needed to quicken the appropriation of socioeconomic synergies from digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies. It highlights the importance of collaboration between government, academic and industry partners, as well as makes key recommendations on how to encourage adoption of IR4.0 technologies in the short- and long-term.
This book bridges the concepts and applications of digitalization and Industry 4.0 and will be a must-read for policy makers seeking to quicken the adoption of its technologies
1st Design Factory Global Network Research Conference ‘Designing the Future’ 5-6 October 2022
DFGN.R 2022 -Designing the Future - is the first research conference organised by the Design Factory Global Network. The open event offers the opportunity for all like-minded educators, designers and researchers to share their insights and inspire others on education, methods, practices and ecosystems of co-creation and innovation. The DFGN.R conference is a two-day event hosted on-site in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. The conference is organized alongside International Design Factory Week 2022, the annual gathering of DFGN members. This year's conference is organized in collaboration with Aalto University from Helsinki Finland and hosted by the NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
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Towards a Global System of Innovation: the Role of Donors in Immunisation for International Development
This research examines what role donors play with respect to innovation in immunisation for international development. It uses as its conceptual framework the global innovation system (GIS) model to examine the principal donors within the sector. Because the empirical data is in-depth, contextualised, and qualitative, the research design adopted is that of a multiple case-study of donor organisations, using triangulated, mixed-methods qualitative data collection. The examined cases are UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Knowledge gaps in the existing literature related to how these donors engage actors and institutions across different spatial levels for innovation; to how donors’ manifold power relations affect this; and to how donor structure and capabilities determine their particular roles in innovation.
The research finds strong evidence of an emerging GIS in immunisation for international development. This consists of a global sub-system and a set of sub-systems at the national level, each representing a country receiving development assistance in immunisation. Donors perform four principal roles within this GIS. Firstly, they provide, maintain and extend structural elements of the GIS, especially its networks and linkages between sub-systems. Secondly, donors generate and utilise resources of financial investment, market access and innovation legitimacy for the valuation of innovation. Thirdly, donors coordinate to ensure complementarity in the activities they and other actors provide, which enables effective distributed agency across the GIS. Fourthly, donors navigate the rules, norms and presumptions of the GIS on behalf of partnerships of actors, variously complying, co-opting or contesting them.
The relationship is shown between each of these principal roles and the system’s spatial levels, inter-actor power relations and donors’ structure and capabilities. This offers new, detailed understanding to close significantly the previously-identified knowledge gaps
Why Climate Change Adaptation is Elusive: The Lived Reality of Farming Households in the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar
Farming households in the Global South are vulnerable to climate change because of their livelihoods’ direct link to the natural environment. Farm households adapt to climate through altering their farming practices and by diversifying their livelihoods through the non-farm sector and migration. However, previous research has suggested that most of these adaptations are incremental, meaning they may not address the root cause of climate change vulnerability in the long term. The aim of this thesis is to assess these claims using the experiences of farm households in Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone, a highly climate-stressed region. According to fieldwork conducted in the Central Dry Zone, farmers’ responses to climate change vary considerably. In many cases, although farmers may be aware of the effects of climate change, their livelihood adaptations are motivated by a wider array of concerns, which mitigate or even subvert their capacities to respond to climate challenges. These mixed responses, and the notable reluctance of many farmers in the Central Dry Zone to take adaptive measures to the clear and present risks of climate change, forms the central problem this research seeks to resolve. The thesis argues that these outcomes can be explained through the adoption of a broad-based livelihoods approach which acknowledges that although climate change is an important factor influencing famers’ decision making, other factors are also involved, and these are often prioritized over climate risks. This highlights the position of climate change on farmers' daily lives by emphasising the significance of geographical context and local traditions in relation to making decisions about rural livelihoods, farming, non-farm activities and migration. These findings underscore the need to recognise and comprehend how multiple stresses interact with climate effects to exacerbate the vulnerability of rural households and spotlight the importance of understanding the underlying causes of vulnerability. This perspective is crucial for understanding how farmers and agriculture-dependent communities respond to climate risks. Using the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar as a case study, the research generates an analytical framework that explains why farming households respond to climate change incrementally while being aware of it
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