83,171 research outputs found
Web Data Extraction, Applications and Techniques: A Survey
Web Data Extraction is an important problem that has been studied by means of
different scientific tools and in a broad range of applications. Many
approaches to extracting data from the Web have been designed to solve specific
problems and operate in ad-hoc domains. Other approaches, instead, heavily
reuse techniques and algorithms developed in the field of Information
Extraction.
This survey aims at providing a structured and comprehensive overview of the
literature in the field of Web Data Extraction. We provided a simple
classification framework in which existing Web Data Extraction applications are
grouped into two main classes, namely applications at the Enterprise level and
at the Social Web level. At the Enterprise level, Web Data Extraction
techniques emerge as a key tool to perform data analysis in Business and
Competitive Intelligence systems as well as for business process
re-engineering. At the Social Web level, Web Data Extraction techniques allow
to gather a large amount of structured data continuously generated and
disseminated by Web 2.0, Social Media and Online Social Network users and this
offers unprecedented opportunities to analyze human behavior at a very large
scale. We discuss also the potential of cross-fertilization, i.e., on the
possibility of re-using Web Data Extraction techniques originally designed to
work in a given domain, in other domains.Comment: Knowledge-based System
The Virtual University and Avatar Technology: E-learning Through Future Technology
E-learning gains increasingly importance in academic education. Beyond present distance learning technologies a new opportunity emerges by the use of advanced avatar technology. Virtual robots acting in an environment of a virtual campus offer opportunities of advanced learning experiences. Human Machine Interaction (HMI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bridge time zones and ease professional constraints of mature students. Undergraduate students may use such technology to build up topics of their studies beyond taught lectures.
Objectives of the paper are to research the options, extent and limitations of avatar technology for academic studies in under- and postgraduate courses and to discuss students' potential acceptance or rejection of interaction with AI.
The research method is a case study based on Sir Tony Dyson's avatar technology iBot2000. Sir Tony is a worldwide acknowledged robot specialist, creator of Star Wars' R2D2, who developed in recent years the iBot2000 technology, intelligent avatars adaptable to different environments with the availability to speak up to eight different languages and capable to provide logic answers to questions asked. This technology underwent many prototypes with the latest specific goal to offer blended E-learning entering the field of the virtual 3-D university extending Web2.0 to Web3.0 (Dyson. 2009). Sir Tony included his vast experiences gained in his personal (teaching) work with children for which he received his knighthood. The data was mainly collected through interviews with Sir Tony Dyson, which helps discover the inventorâs view on why such technology is of advantage for academic studies.
Based on interviews with Sir Tony, this research critically analyses the options, richness and restrictions, which avatar (iBot2000) technology may add to academic studies. The conclusion will discuss the opportunities, which avatar technology may be able to bring to learning and teaching activities, and the foreseeable limitations â the amount of resources required and the complexity to build a fully integrated virtual 3-D campus.
Key Words: virtual learning, avatar technology, iBot2000, virtual universit
Evaluation of the use of web technology by government of Sri Lanka to ensure food security for its citizens
Web technology is one of the key areas in information and communication
technology to be used as a powerful tool in ensuring food security which is one
of the main issues in Sri Lanka. Web technology involves in communicating and
sharing resources in network of computers all over the world. Main focus of
food security is to ensure that all people have fair access to sufficient and
quality food without endangering the future supply of the same food. In this
context, web sites play a vital and major role in achieving food security in
Sri Lanka. In this case study, websites pertaining to Sri Lankan government and
link with food security were analyzed to find out their impact in achieving the
goals of food security using web technologies and how they are being involved
in ensuring food security in Sri Lanka. The other objective of this study is to
make the Sri Lankan government aware of present situation of those websites in
addressing food security related issues and how modern web technologies could
be effectively and efficiently used to address those issues. So, the relevant
websites were checked against several criteria and scores were used to assess
their capabilities to address the concerns of food security. It was found that
the amount of emphasis given by these websites to address the issues of food
security is not satisfactory. Further, it showed that if these web sites could
be improved further, they would generate a powerful impact on ensuring food
security in Sri Lanka.Comment: International Conference of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka 2015
(ICSUSL 2015
Authoring a Webâenhanced interface for a new languageâlearning environment
This paper presents conceptual considerations underpinning a design process set up to develop an applicable and usable interface as well as defining parameters for a new and versatile Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) environment. Based on a multidisciplinary expertise combining Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Webâbased Java programming, CALL authoring and language teaching expertise, it strives to generate new CALLâenhanced curriculum developments in language learning. The originality of the approach rests on its design rationale established on the strength of previously identified student requirements and authoring needs identifying inherent design weaknesses and interactive limitations of existing hypermedia CALL applications (HĂ©mard, 1998). At the student level, the emphasis is placed on three important design decisions related to the design of the interface, student interaction and usability. Thus, particular attention is given to design considerations focusing on the need to (a) develop a readily recognizable, professionally robust and intuitive interface, (b) provide a studentâcontrolled navigational space based on a mixed learning environment approach, and (c) promote a flexible, networkâbased, access mode reconciling classroom with open access exploitations. At the author level, design considerations are essentially orientated towards adaptability and flexibility with the integration of authoring facilities, requiring no specific authoring skills, to cater for and support the need for a flexible approach adaptable to specific languageâlearning environments. This paper elaborates on these conceptual considerations within the design process with particular emphasis on the adopted principled methodology and resulting design decisions and solutions
- âŠ