Product configuration for photovoltaic systems in developing countries

Demand and supply of electricity have always been problematic in developing economies. Poor infrastructure because of weak government policies has compounded the problem thus making it difficult for businesses to operate uninterrupted. As a result, households and businesses have no choice than to take matters in their own hands. The paper uses Ghana (a West African country) as the focus of study. The main objective is to develop various solar photovoltaic (solar PV) configurations for households and businesses in developing economies. The proposed research question is set as, ‘how can product configuration support reduction and improvement of the energy predicament in developing economies?’ The possibilities include standalone, backup or hybrid systems with a focus on off grid solutions. As a limitation, this paper confines its choices to backup systems because of the current distribution of electricity in Ghana. The empirical background provides insight into existing energy condition and the renewable energy plans in Ghana [6,11,17,18]. The method applied in this paper includes focus group study and a survey. The focus group session utilized some African students living in Finland while the main survey utilized a sample frame in Ghana to arrive at the desired conclusion. Some 102 respondents answered questionnaire via Google Form. From the outcome, the most common areas of use for solar PV included lighting, some household and office appliances with varied configurations. The study confirms the inadequate supply of electricity in Ghana and proposed solar PV systems as a viable alternative.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) IN DISASTER RESPONSE

Disaster management is a complex practice that relies on access to and the usability of critical information to develop strategies for effective decision-making. The emergence of wearable internet of things (IoT) technology has attracted the interests of several major industries, making it one of the fastest-growing technologies to date. This thesis asks, How can disaster management incorporate wearable IoT technology in operations and decision-making practices in disaster response? How IoT is applied in other prominent industries, including construction, manufacturing and distribution, the Department of Defense, and public safety, provides a basis for furthering its application to challenges affecting agency coordination. The critical needs of disaster intelligence in the context of hurricanes, structural collapses, and wildfires are scrutinized to identify gaps that wearable technology could address in terms of information-sharing in multi-agency coordination and the decision-making practices that routinely occur in disaster response. Last, the specifics of wearable technology from the perspective of the private consumer and commercial industry illustrate its potential to improve disaster response but also acknowledge certain limitations including technical capabilities and information privacy and security.Civilian, Virginia Beach Fire Department / FEMA - USAR VATF-2Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

Product configuration of photovoltaic systems in developing countries – Case Ghana

This study aims at introducing product configuration of photovoltaic systems in developing countries with focus on Ghana. The current problem of electricity production and delivery in Ghana forms the background of the objective of the study. Solving this, particular attention is focused on solar photovoltaic technologies. The objective was to look at how various configurations of photovoltaic systems would help either households or businesses in developing countries to improve their day-to-day life and activities. Focusing on photovoltaic system configurations offers households and businesses the options of standalone, backup or hybrid systems although, the study limits its options to backup systems as a result of the rationing of electricity in Ghana. The theoretical part provided comprehensive background for the study with an insight into the current energy situation and the renewable energy policies in Ghana. Furthermore, an in-depth understanding of the different components (i.e. panels, charge controllers, inverters, battery and load) of a photovoltaic system is achieved with a look at their basic technical parameters. The empirical research is conducted via a focus group study and a survey. The focus group study was conducted in Finland among African students while the survey was done in Ghana through questionnaire sent to 102 respondents via an online survey portal: Google Form. From the result, the most common areas of use for solar photovoltaic are for lighting, household and office appliances for which varied configuration can be established. The research established the electrification problem in Ghana and one key recommendation in solving this is the use of renewable energy such as solar photovoltaic systems.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Desenvolvimento de aplicações móveis para a emergência pré-hospitalar

Durante um processo de pedido de ajuda para uma emergencia pré-hospitalar é necessário à realização de uma chamada para o número europeu de emergência médica (112). Em situações de stress esta chamada pode ser bastante ineficiente devido as dificuldades de transmissão de informação verbal entre quem realiza a chamada e o operador. Uma dificuldade de comunicação durante uma chamada de emergência resulta muitas vezes numa espera prolongada pelos meios de socorro e pode, em alguns casos, ser crucial para o estado vital das vítimas. Mesmo que toda a informação seja transmitida com sucesso, existe por vezes ainda uma dificuldade por parte dos técnicos de emergência pré-hospitalar em identificar o local exato onde as vítimas se encontram com base em apenas uma morada. Aplicou-se um processo ágil de engenharia de software com vista a instanciação de uma aplicação móvel que tem como principal objetivo encaminhar toda a informação pré-preenchida das vítimas, e outras informações acerca da ocorrência, como a localizaço do próprio dispositivo móvel. A utilização da aplicação deverá permitir, não só facilitar a comunicação durante o pedido de auxílio, como tambem otimizar o processo de emergências médicas possibilitando um sistema de acompanhamento de informações de cada vítima e ocorrência. Foi realizado um estudo de validac¸ao com uma amostra representativa da sociedade foi ˜ possível verificar uma elevada taxa de aceitação para a integração desta aplicaçã móvel num contexto real. Os utilizadores inquiridos revelaram ter interesse em incluir este tipo de tecnologia no seu quotidiano, destacando a importancia do impacto que determinada ferramenta poderia ter na salvaguarda de vidasDuring a request for help process for a pre-hospital emergency, a call to the European emergency medical number (112) is necessary. In stressful situations this call can be quite inefficient due to the difficulties of verbal information transmission between the caller and the operator. Communication difficulties during an emergency call often result in a prolonged wait for rescue services and can, in some cases, be crucial to the vital status of victims. Even if all information is successfully transmitted, there is sometimes still a difficulty for pre-hospital emergency responders to identify the exact location of victims based on a single address. An agile software engineering process was applied for the instantiation of a mobile application whose main goal is to forward all pre-completed information of the victims, and other information about the occurrence, such as the location of the mobile device itself. The use of the application should allow not only to facilitate communication during the request for help, but also to optimize the process of medical emergencies by enabling a system for monitoring the information of each victim and occurrence. A validation study was conducted with a representative sample of society and it was possible to verify a high rate of acceptance for the integration of this mobile application in a real context. The surveyed users showed interest in including this type of technology in their daily lives, highlighting the importance of the impact that this tool could have on saving live

BIG DATA APPLICATIONS AND CHALLENGES IN GISCIENCE (CASE STUDIES: NATURAL DISASTER AND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS MANAGEMENT)

This dissertation examines the application and significance of user-generated big data in Geographic Information Science (GIScience), with a focus on managing natural disasters and public health crises. It explores the role of social media data in understanding human-environment interactions and in informing disaster management and public health strategies. A scalable computational framework will be developed to model extensive unstructured geotagged data from social media, facilitating systematic spatiotemporal data analysis.The research investigates how individuals and communities respond to high-impact events like natural disasters and public health emergencies, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In particular, it assesses the impact of socio-economic-demographic characteristics and the digital divide on social media engagement during such crises. In addressing the opioid crisis, the dissertation delves into the spatial dynamics of opioid overdose deaths, utilizing Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression to discern local versus broader-scale determinants. This analysis foregrounds the necessity for targeted public health responses and the importance of localized data in crafting effective interventions, especially within communities that are ethnically diverse and economically disparate. Using Hurricane Irma as a case study, this dissertation analyzes social media activity in Florida in September 2017, leveraging Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression to explore spatial variations in social media discourse, its correlation with damage severity, and the disproportionate impact on racialized communities. It integrates social media data analysis with political-ecological perspectives and spatial analytical techniques to reveal structural inequalities and political power differentials. The dissertation also tackles the dissemination of false information during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining Twitter activity in the United States from April to July 2020. It identifies misinformation patterns, their origins, and their association with the pandemic\u27s incidence rates. Discourse analysis pinpoints tweets that downplay the pandemic\u27s severity or spread disinformation, while spatial modeling investigates the relationship between social media discourse and disease spread. By concentrating on the experiences of racialized communities, this research aims to highlight and address the environmental and social injustices they face. It contributes empirical and methodological insights into effective policy formulation, with an emphasis on equitable responses to public health emergencies and natural disasters. This dissertation not only provides a nuanced understanding of crisis responses but also advances GIScience research by incorporating social media data into both traditional and critical analytical frameworks

Interorganizational Information Systems: Systematic Literature Mapping Protocol

Organizations increasingly need to establish partnerships with other organizations to face environment changes and remain competitive. This interorganizational relationship allows organizations to share resources and collaborate to handle business opportunities better. This technical report present the protocol of the systematic mapping performed to understand what is an IOIS and how these systems support interorganizational relationships

PROPUESTA PARA LA MEDICIÓN DE RECURSOS DE SOFT POWER EN LA GESTIÓN POLÍTICA DE LA PANDEMIA OCASIONADA POR EL COVID-19: UTILIDAD EN LA POLÍTICA EXTERIOR PERUANA

El propósito de la presente investigación fue proponer un nuevo modelo de evaluación de los recursos de soft power, considerando las perturbaciones generadas en el orden internacional, a raíz de la pandemia del Covid-19. Para tal efecto, en primer término, se analizó el concepto de soft power, los recursos de los que éste deriva, su utilidad en la praxis de la política exterior y los beneficios que depara su uso sobre otras formas de poder. Asimismo, se sometió a análisis al índice Soft Power 30, el modelo de medición más fiable a la fecha en cuanto a soft power, a fin de efectuar una distinción entre recursos básicos, vectores o canales de difusión y resultados concretos. Posteriormente, tomando únicamente los recursos básicos, se procedió a explicar los cambios originados por la pandemia, en las relaciones internacionales en general, y en la dinámica del soft power, en particular. Tras el análisis, se ha arribado a las siguientes conclusiones: 1) el Soft Power 30 incorpora indicadores que no están directamente relacionados con los recursos básicos del constructo relativo al poder blando (la posibilidad de un país para influir en otros, por medio de la atracción), 2) la definición tradicional de soft power, como constructo vinculado inherentemente a los valores, éticos o estéticos, ha transitado hacia otro paradigma que confiere relevancia a los intereses, y en última instancia, a las necesidades, dada la situación de emergencia propiciada por la pandemia y la aparición de necesidades concretas que exigen una satisfacción ineludible e inmediata, 3) se puede inferir que, los recursos de soft power que cobren mayor notoriedad o valor, serán aquellos atributos capaces de satisfacer o mitigar las necesidades derivadas del escenario crítico descrito, tales como: la eficacia gubernamental, el desarrollo científico tecnológico, la solidaridad internacional y la resiliencia económica. 4) por efecto de la pandemia, se han producido numerosos cambios en las relaciones internacionales, tales como: el estrés de los sistemas de salud y de seguridad social (a raíz de la materialización de una amenaza global y la insuficiencia de las respuestas estatales aisladas), la preferencia por el unilateralismo y auge de los nacionalismos (acelerados por el escepticismo frente al rol del multilateralismo y las organizaciones internacionales), la visibilización de las desigualdades globales y la brecha económico social entre norte y sur (con la concomitante necesidad de cooperación internacional) y una crisis económica incipiente que comienza a manifestar sus primeras repercusiones. El Perú podría compensar la pérdida de sus atributos tradicionales de soft power reorientando su política exterior mediante la adopción de un enfoque preventivo en materia consular ante futuras contingencias, el fortalecimiento de los niveles de cooperación, así como el establecimiento de prioridades para brindar una oferta pertinente y útil de cooperación internacional para el desarrollo, y, por último, mediante una reivindicación de la diplomacia científica y la necesidad de cooperación técnica científica en materia de salud.Tesi

SIREPH (sistema integrado de resposta à emergência pré-hospitalar): aplicação móvel para técnicos

Em Portugal, durante o ano de 2022, ocorreram 1,5 milhões de chamadas de emergência pré hospitalar. Na resposta a estas chamadas, os técnicos de emergência das mais diversas equipas pré-hospitalares estão, na sua maioria, limitados à utilização de sistemas analógicos tais como o preenchimento de um verbete, chamadas telefónicas e troca de informação verbal. Mesmo nas exceções onde existe digitalização de processos, verificam-se restrições severas à partilha da informação gerada, dado que a mesma tende a ser retida pela entidade que a gera. A geração massiva de informação, e a necessidade de partilha pelos vários agentes da emer gência pré-hospitalar, representam oportunidades para a modelação e construção de sistemas que, por um lado, digitalizem processos e, por outro, integrem os vários contextos de opera ção. A Associação Nacional dos Técnicos de Emergência Pré-Hospitalar (ANTEPH) demonstrou interesse no desenvolvimento de sistemas com essas capacidades, oferecendo o seu suporte e conhecimento para a elaboração dos mesmos. Com vista a responder ao desafio, foi proposto o projeto Sistema Integrado de Resposta à Emergência Pré-Hospitalar (SIREPH). Este projeto focou-se no levantamento de requisitos, modelação, e implementação de uma infraestrutura que permita o desenvolvimento de aplica ções focadas nas necessidades dos vários agentes da emergência pré-hospitalar. Esta dissertação apresenta o desenvolvimento recente do SIREPH, focado na construção de uma aplicação móvel para técnicos, com vista a substituir o Verbete em papel (Anexo I), atualmente em utilização. Foi realizada uma validação do protótipo desenvolvido face aos requisitos levantados, concluindo-se que os objetivos foram cumpridos com sucesso. A validação contou com a parti cipação de 17 técnicos, que concordaram unanimemente com a substituição dos verbetes, em papel, por uma aplicação informatizada e forneceram seu feedback para o aprimoramento de futuras versões da aplicação.In Portugal, during the year 2022, there were 1.5 million pre-hospital emergency calls. In the response to these calls, emergency technicians of the most diverse pre-hospital teams are mostly limited to the use of analogical systems such as the filling of a form, phone calls and verbal information exchange. Even in exceptions where there is digitization of processes, there are severe restrictions on sharing the information generated, since it tends to be retained by the entity that generates it. The massive generation of information, and the need for its sharing between the various pre-hospital emergency agents, represent opportunities for modeling and building systems that, on the one hand, digitize processes and, on the other, integrate the various contexts of operation. ANTEPH (Portuguese National Association of Pre-Hospital Emergency Technicians) has shown interest in the development of systems with these capabilities, offering its support and knowledge for their elaboration. In order to meet this challenge, the SIREPH (Integrated Pre-Hospital Emergency Response System) project was proposed. This project focused on the requirements gathering, modeling, and implementation of an infrastructure that allows the development of applications focused on the needs of the various pre-hospital emergency agents. This dissertation presents the recent development of SIREPH, focused on building a mobile application for technicians, in order to replace the paper Form (Annex I), currently in use. A validation of the developed prototype against the requirements was conducted, con cluding that the objectives were successfully met. The validation had the participation of 17 technicians, who unanimously agreed with the substitution of the paper-based forms by a com puterized application and provided their feedback for the improvement of future versions of the application