A Proof-of-Concept IoT System for Remote Healthcare Based on Interoperability Standards

[EN] The Internet of Things paradigm in healthcare has boosted the design of new solutions for the promotion of healthy lifestyles and the remote care. Thanks to the effort of academia and industry, there is a wide variety of platforms, systems and commercial products enabling the real-time information exchange of environmental data and people's health status. However, one of the problems of these type of prototypes and solutions is the lack of interoperability and the compromised scalability in large scenarios, which limits its potential to be deployed in real cases of application. In this paper, we propose a health monitoring system based on the integration of rapid prototyping hardware and interoperable software to build system capable of transmitting biomedical data to healthcare professionals. The proposed system involves Internet of Things technologies and interoperablility standards for health information exchange such as the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources and a reference framework architecture for Ambient Assisted Living UniversAAL.This research received no external funding. The APC was funded by Research group Information and Communication Technologies against Climate Change (!CTCC) of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain.Lemus Zúñiga, LG.; Félix, JM.; Fides Valero, Á.; Benlloch-Dualde, J.; Martinez-Millana, A. (2022). A Proof-of-Concept IoT System for Remote Healthcare Based on Interoperability Standards. Sensors. 22(4):1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/s2204164611722

Adaptive software architecture based on confident HCI for the deployment of sensitive services in smart homes

Smart spaces foster the development of natural and appropriate forms of human-computer interaction by taking advantage of home customization. The interaction potential of the Smart Home, which is a special type of smart space, is of particular interest in fields in which the acceptance of new technologies is limited and restrictive. The integration of smart home design patterns with sensitive solutions can increase user acceptance. In this paper, we present the main challenges that have been identified in the literature for the successful deployment of sensitive services (e.g., telemedicine and assistive services) in smart spaces and a software architecture that models the functionalities of a Smart Home platform that are required to maintain and support such sensitive services. This architecture emphasizes user interaction as a key concept to facilitate the acceptance of sensitive services by end-users and utilizes activity theory to support its innovative design. The application of activity theory to the architecture eases the handling of novel concepts, such as understanding of the system by patients at home or the affordability of assistive services. Finally, we provide a proof-of-concept implementation of the architecture and compare the results with other architectures from the literature

Agent-based IoT Coordination for Smart Cities Considering Security and Privacy

The interest in Internet of Things (IoT) is increasing steeply, and the use of their smart objects and their composite services may become widespread in the next few years increasing the number of smart cities. This technology can benefit from scalable solutions that integrate composite services of multiple-purpose smart objects for the upcoming large-scale use of integrated services in IoT. This work proposes an agent-based approach for supporting large-scale use of IoT for providing complex integrated services. Its novelty relies in the use of distributed blackboards for implicit communications, decentralizing the storage and management of the blackboard information in the smart objects, which are accessed by nearby requests. This avoids (a) the common bottlenecks of implicit communications based on centralized blackboards and (b) the overload of bandwidth due to explicit peer-to-peer communications. This solution raises challenges in privacy and security, and some potential solutions are discussed in this paper. Simulations based on a region in Dublin city shows the potential utility of this approach illustrated in the domain of coordination of electric vehicles in selecting paths and charging stations

User Interface Abstraction for enabling TV set based Inclusive Access to the Information Society

199 p.The television (TV) set is present in most homes worldwide, and is the most used Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Despite its large implantation in the market, the interactive services consumption on TV set is limited. This thesis focuses on overcoming the following limiting factors: (i) limited Human Computer Interaction and (ii) lack of considering user’s real life context in the digital television (dTV) service integration strategy. Making interactive services accessible to TV set’s large user base, and especially to the most vulnerable ones, is understood as the path to integrate the mankind with the information society. This thesis explores the use of user interface abstraction technologies to reach the introduced goals. The main contributions of this thesis are: (i) an approach to enable the universally accessible remote control of the TV set, (ii) an approach for the provision of universally accessible interactive services through TV sets, and (iii) an approach for the provision of universally accessible services in the TV user’s real life context. We have implemented the contributing approaches for different use cases, and we have evaluated them with real users, achieving good results

Conceção de arquiteturas para Cloud Computing : casos de demonstração da utilização do modelo de referência do NIST

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em ComunicaçõesA evolução da Internet tem proporcionado o crescimento de novos modelos de negócio suportados por tecnologias de informação e comunicações e tem possibilitado o desenvolvimento de novos modelos de serviços baseados no cloud computing. O alinhamento das arquiteturas de negócio e de serviços para a cloud pode ser conseguido com a utilização de modelos de referência que especificam as principais atividades e funções do cloud computing. O propósito desta dissertação é demonstrar a aplicação do Modelo de Referência de Cloud Computing do NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) para auxiliar a conceção de arquiteturas de cloud computing. Este modelo é o mais reconhecido e utilizado pela indústria para discutir e analisar as atividades e funções do cloud computing. No entanto, apesar desse facto, não foram identificadas semelhantes aproximações da aplicação do modelo em contextos relacionados com o propósito desta dissertação. O modelo do NIST foi aplicado em dois casos de demonstração. No primeiro caso, o modelo é aplicado para auxiliar a conceção da arquitetura de cloud computing para o sistema que suporta a disponibilidade de um software ERP no modelo de Software-as-a-Service baseado em cloud. Neste caso, o modelo do NIST é aplicado nos casos de uso que descrevem as principais funcionalidades do sistema. No segundo caso, o modelo é aplicado para auxiliar a conceção da arquitetura de cloud computing para o sistema que suporta a disponibilidade de serviços baseados em cloud num contexto específico no domínio do Ambient Assisted Living. Neste caso, o modelo do NIST é aplicado ao nível dos componentes arquiteturais da arquitetura lógica de nível-processo que especifica as principais atividades e necessidades do contexto em causa. Em ambos os casos, a aplicação do modelo do NIST possibilita a identificação e correção de incoerências semânticas, descobrir e definir requisitos, auxiliar a conceção de arquiteturas, definir serviços, sistematizar normas e protocolos para as respetivas arquitetura decloud computing.The evolution of the Internet has provided the growth of new business models supported by information and communication technologies and has enabled the development of new services models based in cloud computing. The alignment of business and service architectures for the cloud can be achieved by the use of reference models, which specify the main activities and functions of cloud computing. The purpose of the present dissertation is to demonstrate the application of the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Reference Model for Cloud Computing that supports the design of cloud computing architectures. This model is the most recognized and used by industries to discuss and analyse cloud computing activities and functions. In spite this fact, similar approaches of their application were not identified in contexts related with the purpose of this dissertation. The NIST model was applied in two demonstration cases. In the first case, the model is used to support the design of cloud computing architecture for the system that supports the availability of Enterprise Resource Planning software in a Software-as-a-Service cloud-based model. In this case, the model is applied to use-cases that describe the main functionalities of the system. In the second case, the model is used to support the design of cloud computing architecture for the system that supports the availability of cloud-based services for a specific context in the Ambient Assisted Living domain. In this case, the model is applied to architectural component of the process-level logical architecture that specifies the main activities and needs in context. In both cases the application of the NIST model enables the identification and the correction of semantic incoherence’s, discovers and defines requirements, supports the design of architectures, defines services, and systematizes standards and protocols for the respective cloud computing architectures

Diseño, especificación, implementación y validación de habilitadores digitales para la interoperabilidad de plataformas de Internet de las cosas (IoT)

[ES] Internet de las Cosas (IoT) es un paradigma tecnológico que está transformando y revolucionando el mundo en el cual vivimos, liderando la transformación digital y generando enormes posibilidades desde el punto de vista tecnológico que pueden solucionar grandes problemas y retos en nuestra sociedad y efectuar cambios profundos en nuestra economía e industria, y transformar nuestra vida cotidiana . Sin embargo, para poder obtener estos grandes beneficios y explotar todo su potencial todavía hace falta abordar y resolver grandes retos tecnológicos asociados. La interoperabilidad es el mayor reto tecnológico del paradigma IoT, conjuntamente con la seguridad, a causa de la vasta heterogeneidad inherente del universo IoT a todos los niveles y la falta de una estandarización global aceptada de facto capaz de alinear sus diferentes elementos y aspectos, que actualmente no se considera viable conseguir. La capacidad de elementos y sistemas de comunicarse y compartir información de manera efectiva entre ellos habilita intercambios de información relevante, coordinación o cooperación entre sí y sinergias. La fragmentación de la información de sistemas IoT y falta inherente de interoperabilidad en este paradigma causa graves problemas económicos y tecnológicos, e impide las sinergias entre sistemas. Se considera que la carencia de interoperabilidad es el mayor obstáculo para la formación de un ecosistema global de IoT, un hito en la transformación digital, puesto que impide la integración horizontal de mercados verticales y deja una gran fragmentación entre los sistemas basados en información obtenida con la tecnología IoT. IoT, uno de los paradigmas o habilitadores clave de la transformación digital, está enormemente limitada por carencias de interoperabilidad, que impiden su crecimiento, evolución y despliegue de todo su potencial. Es absolutamente crítico resolver el problema de falta intrínseca de interoperabilidad entre plataformas IoT para poder avanzar tecnológicamente hacia el Internet del Futuro, la Nueva Generación de IoT y la digitalización del mundo. La habilitación de la interoperabilidad entre sistemas y a lo largo de los sistemas, para conseguir un ecosistema interconexionado global, es un reto complejo y de múltiples facetas. Entre ellas, la interoperabilidad semántica, que implica el entendimiento completo, automático y sin ambigüedades de la información compartida entre sistemas, es singularmente compleja de obtener entre plataformas IoT a causa de la alta heterogeneidad entre sus modelos de información. En esta tesis se abarca el estudio, diseño, especificación, implementación y validación de habilitadores digitales (herramientas tecnológicas que promueven la digitalización del mundo) para establecer interoperabilidad en IoT en diferentes niveles (técnico, sintáctico, semántico) con especial enfoque en la interoperabilidad semántica entre plataformas heterogéneas, uno de los retos técnicos más complejos actualmente en IoT. También se abordan en el estudio y construcción de estos habilitadores temas a resolver de Internet del Futuro y la Nueva Generación de Internet de las Cosas.[CA] Internet de les Coses (IoT) és un paradigma tecnològic que està transformant i revolucionant el món en el qual vivim, liderant la transformació digital i generant enormes possibilitats des del punt de vista tecnològic que poden solucionar grans problemes i reptes en la nostra societat i efectuar canvis profunds en la nostra economia i indústria, i transformar la nostra vida quotidiana. No obstant això, per a poder obtindre aquests grans beneficis i explotar tot el seu potencial encara fa falta abordar i resoldre grans reptes tecnològics associats. La interoperabilitat és el major repte tecnològic del paradigma IoT, conjuntament amb la seguretat, a causa de la vasta heterogeneïtat inherent de l'univers IoT a tots els nivells i la falta d'una estandardització global acceptada de facto capaç d'alinear els seus diferents elements i aspectes, que actualment no es considera viable aconseguir. La capacitat d'elements i sistemes de comunicar-se i compartir informació de manera efectiva entre ells habilita intercanvis d'informació rellevant, coordinació o cooperació entre si i sinergies. La fragmentació de la informació de sistemes IoT i falta inherent d'interoperabilitat en aquest paradigma causa greus problemes econòmics i tecnològics, i impedeix les sinergies entre sistemes. Es considera que la manca d'interoperabilitat és el major obstacle per a la formació d'un ecosistema global de IoT, una fita en la transformació digital, ja que impedeix la integració horitzontal de mercats verticals i deixa una gran fragmentació entre els sistemes basats en informació obtinguda amb la tecnologia IoT. La IoT, un dels paradigmes o habilitadors clau de la transformació digital, està enormement limitada per manques d'interoperabilitat, que impedeixen el seu creixement, evolució i desplegament de tot el seu potencial. És absolutament crític resoldre el problema de falta intrínseca d'interoperabilitat entre plataformes IoT per a poder avançar tecnològicament cap a la Internet del Futur, la Nova Generació de IoT i la digitalització del món. L'habilitació de la interoperabilitat entre sistemes i al llarg dels sistemes, per a aconseguir un ecosistema interconnectat global, és un repte complex i de múltiples facetes. Entre elles, la interoperabilitat semàntica, que implica l'enteniment complet, automàtic i sense ambigüitats de la informació compartida entre sistemes, és singularment complexa d'obtindre entre plataformes IoT a causa de l'alta heterogeneïtat entre els seus models d'informació. En aquesta tesi s'abasta l'estudi, disseny, especificació, implementació i validació d'habilitadors digitals (eines tecnològiques que promouen la digitalització del món) per a establir interoperabilitat en IoT en diferents nivells (tècnic, sintàctic, semàntic) amb especial enfocament en la interoperabilitat semàntica entre plataformes heterogènies, un dels reptes tècnics més complexos actualment en IoT. També s'aborden en l'estudi i construcció d'aquests habilitadors temes a resoldre d'Internet del Futur i la Nova Generació d'Internet de les Coses.[EN] The Internet of Things (IoT) is a technological paradigm that is transforming and revolutionising the world we live in, leading the digital transformation and generating enormous technological possibilities that could solve major challenges in our society, effect profound changes in our economy and industry and transform our daily lives. However, in order to realise these great benefits and exploit IoT's full potential, there are major associated technological challenges to be addressed and solved. Interoperability is the biggest technological challenge of the IoT paradigm, together with security, because of the vast inherent heterogeneity in IoT at all levels and the lack of a de facto global standard capable of aligning its different elements and aspects, which is currently not considered feasible to achieve. The ability of elements and systems to communicate and share information effectively with each other enables exchanges of relevant information, coordination or cooperation with each other and synergies. The fragmentation of information in IoT systems and inherent lack of interoperability in this paradigm causes serious economic and technological problems, and prevents synergies between systems. The lack of interoperability is considered to be the biggest obstacle to the formation of a global IoT ecosystem, a milestone in the digital transformation, as it prevents horizontal integration of vertical markets and leaves a large fragmentation between systems based on IoT-derived information. IoT, one of the key paradigms or enablers of digital transformation, is severely constrained by interoperability gaps, which impede its growth, evolution and deployment of its full potential. It is absolutely critical to solve the problem of intrinsic lack of interoperability between IoT platforms in order to move technologically towards the Future Internet, the Next Generation IoT and the digitisation of the world. The enablement of interoperability between and across systems to achieve a globally interconnected ecosystem is a complex and multi-faceted challenge. Among them, semantic interoperability, which implies an automatic unambiguous understanding of the information shared between systems, is hardly feasible between IoT platforms due to the high heterogeneity of information models. This thesis covers the study, design, specification, implementation and validation of digital enablers to establish IoT interoperability at different levels (technical, syntactic, semantic) with special focus on semantic interoperability between heterogeneous platforms, one of the most complex technical challenges currently in IoT. The study and construction of these enablers also address issues to solve in the Future Internet and the Next Generation of the Internet of Things.González Usach, R. (2022). Diseño, especificación, implementación y validación de habilitadores digitales para la interoperabilidad de plataformas de Internet de las cosas (IoT) [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/181643TESI