MediaSync: Handbook on Multimedia Synchronization

This book provides an approachable overview of the most recent advances in the fascinating field of media synchronization (mediasync), gathering contributions from the most representative and influential experts. Understanding the challenges of this field in the current multi-sensory, multi-device, and multi-protocol world is not an easy task. The book revisits the foundations of mediasync, including theoretical frameworks and models, highlights ongoing research efforts, like hybrid broadband broadcast (HBB) delivery and users' perception modeling (i.e., Quality of Experience or QoE), and paves the way for the future (e.g., towards the deployment of multi-sensory and ultra-realistic experiences). Although many advances around mediasync have been devised and deployed, this area of research is getting renewed attention to overcome remaining challenges in the next-generation (heterogeneous and ubiquitous) media ecosystem. Given the significant advances in this research area, its current relevance and the multiple disciplines it involves, the availability of a reference book on mediasync becomes necessary. This book fills the gap in this context. In particular, it addresses key aspects and reviews the most relevant contributions within the mediasync research space, from different perspectives. Mediasync: Handbook on Multimedia Synchronization is the perfect companion for scholars and practitioners that want to acquire strong knowledge about this research area, and also approach the challenges behind ensuring the best mediated experiences, by providing the adequate synchronization between the media elements that constitute these experiences

Exploring the Influences on Faculty Members’ Adoption of Mobile Learning at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.

The primary objective of this study is to explore the perceptions and attitudes of faculty members within King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia regarding various factors that may influence their current and future use of mobile devices for teaching and learning purposes. The UTAUT and DIT theories were both utilised in this study along with two external constructs. This research employs a sequential online mixed methods approach, using quantitative statistics to illuminate qualitative findings. The sample of survey data consists of responses to 279-response online and paper-based survey. Online interviews were conducted with twenty faculty members, which added in-depth information to the research findings. This research reveals that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived trialability, perceived social norms, and resistance to change were all statistically significant, and had a direct impact on faculty members’ perceptions about using m-learning, both now and in the future. However, in estimating the unique independent effect of each of the potential predictors on the faculty intention in relation to current and future use of m-learning, the results indicated that facilitating conditions, perceived trialability and perceived social norms were more likely than the other factors to influence respondent-preferences relating to their use of m-learning. In addition, the study revealed that mobile device usage was the only significant predictor from the personal characteristics of faculty members regarding the behavioural intention to use mobile learning. The current work attempts to design a unique theoretical framework and suggests that it is worthwhile for higher education institutions to review and assess the factors that are proposed to have significant impacts on faculty members’ intentions to adopt and accept m-learning in their current and future practice, as well as to look at the solutions offered as guidance for the mobile learning programme before embarking on its application

Gaze-Based Human-Robot Interaction by the Brunswick Model

We present a new paradigm for human-robot interaction based on social signal processing, and in particular on the Brunswick model. Originally, the Brunswick model copes with face-to-face dyadic interaction, assuming that the interactants are communicating through a continuous exchange of non verbal social signals, in addition to the spoken messages. Social signals have to be interpreted, thanks to a proper recognition phase that considers visual and audio information. The Brunswick model allows to quantitatively evaluate the quality of the interaction using statistical tools which measure how effective is the recognition phase. In this paper we cast this theory when one of the interactants is a robot; in this case, the recognition phase performed by the robot and the human have to be revised w.r.t. the original model. The model is applied to Berrick, a recent open-source low-cost robotic head platform, where the gazing is the social signal to be considered

Manipulador aéreo con brazos antropomórficos de articulaciones flexibles

[Resumen] Este artículo presenta el primer robot manipulador aéreo con dos brazos antropomórficos diseñado para aplicarse en tareas de inspección y mantenimiento en entornos industriales de difícil acceso para operarios humanos. El robot consiste en una plataforma aérea multirrotor equipada con dos brazos antropomórficos ultraligeros, así como el sistema de control integrado de la plataforma y los brazos. Una de las principales características del manipulador es la flexibilidad mecánica proporcionada en todas las articulaciones, lo que aumenta la seguridad en las interacciones físicas con el entorno y la protección del propio robot. Para ello se ha introducido un compacto y simple mecanismo de transmisión por muelle entre el eje del servo y el enlace de salida. La estructura en aluminio de los brazos ha sido cuidadosamente diseñada de forma que los actuadores estén aislados frente a cargas radiales y axiales que los puedan dañar. El manipulador desarrollado ha sido validado a través de experimentos en base fija y en pruebas de vuelo en exteriores.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; DPI2014-5983-C2-1-