1,551 research outputs found
A connectivist approach to smart city learning : Valletta city case-study
A connectivist approach will be adopted to design and evaluate learning in
technology-enhanced open spaces in Valletta city. Learning is considered as a process of
creating connections between learnerâs inner cognitive and affective systems with the
external physical and social worlds. These interactions are organised within a model
comprising dimensions and levels of interactions. The experience for a learner in a
technology-enhanced historical place will be designed considering interactions with the
content domain (history, botany, art), the technological dimension (interaction between
handheld devices and the available signals such as 3/4G, Wifi or GNSS) and the social
dimension comprising interactions with fellow learners /citizens and domain experts. The
levels of interactions are related to learnerâs experience within the subject domain, with
technology and oneâs status or role in learning community or community of practice. Thus
learning experiences have to be designed considering acquisition level for novice learners,
participatory learning for more experience learners and contributory learning for highly
competent learners. This connectivist model will be applied to identified places of historical
or educational interest in Valletta city to design different modes of learning mediated
through interactive technologies. The concept of Personal Learning Environments in Smart
cities [1] will be used to provide technology-enhanced experiences in Playful learning,
Seamless learning, Geo-learning, Citizen enquiry and Crowd learning.
A number of these technology-enhanced learning experiences, developed in collaboration
with CYBERPARKS ACTIONâs WG1, will be contextualized in Valletta city. University of Malta
will provide the domain content and resources, together with the pedagogical strategy for
each learning experience. Researchers from WG1 will design and develop the technological
model and infrastructure, mainly the Android-based Way-Cyberparks App that will integrate
GNSS-based learning, Augmented Reality, Navigation tracing and other functionalities
used for specific tasks and type of data collection. An interactions-based methodology
will be used to evaluate learning along the identified dimensions.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe
Radiation tests on commercial instrumentation amplifiers, analog switches & DAC's
A study of several commercial instrumentation amplifiers (INA110, INA111, INA114, INA116, INA118 & INA121) under neutron and vestigial gamma radiation was done. Some parameters (Gain, input offset voltage, input bias currents) were measured on-line and bandwidth, and slew rate were determined before and after radiation. The results of the testing of some voltage references REF102 and ADR290GR and the DG412 analog switch are shown. Finally, different digital-to-analog converters were tested under radiation. (6 refs)
Performance of a 128 channel analogue front-end chip for read-out of Si strip detector modules for LHC experiments
We present a 128-channel analogue front-end chip, SCT128A-HC, for readout of silicon strip detectors employed in the inner tracking detectors of the LHC experiment. The chip is produced in the radiation hard DMILL technology. The architecture of the chip and critical design issues are discussed. The performance of the chip has been evaluated in details in the test bench and is presented in the paper. The chip is used to read out prototype analogue modules compatible in size, functionality and performance with the ATLAS SCT base line modules. Several full size detector modules equipped with SCT128A-HC chips has been built and tested successfully in the lab with beta particles as well as in the test beam. The results concerning the signal-to-noise ratio, noise occupancy, efficiency and spatial resolution are presented. The radiation hardness issues are discussed. (5 refs)
The ATLAS SCT grounding and shielding concept and implementation
This paper presents a complete description of Virgo, the French-Italian gravitational wave detector. The detector, built at Cascina, near Pisa (Italy), is a very large Michelson interferometer, with 3 km-long arms. In this paper, following a presentation of the physics requirements, leading to the specifications for the construction of the detector, a detailed description of all its different elements is given. These include civil engineering infrastructures, a huge ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber (about 6000 cubic metres), all of the optical components, including high quality mirrors and their seismic isolating suspensions, all of the electronics required to control the interferometer and for signal detection. The expected performances of these different elements are given, leading to an overall sensitivity curve as a function of the incoming gravitational wave frequency. This description represents the detector as built and used in the first data-taking runs. Improvements in different parts have been and continue to be performed, leading to better sensitivities. These will be detailed in a forthcoming paper
The integration of an augmented reality module within the Way- Cyberparks app. : the case study of Valletta city
Latest improvements on mobile devices capabilities are changing the way people
interact with their surroundings. Nowadays, devices are able to sense the environment and
userâs location, enabling the user to experience improved digital services. This is a key
aspect of public spaces enhancement, which plays a pivotal role for the improvement of
public spaces; a key to make public locations more accessible, interactive and enjoyable.
One of the most powerful technologies enabling this innovative set of services is known
as Augmented Reality (AR). More in depth, AR allows users to visualise in real time virtual
information about the physical objects of the real world, directly on the display of their
own devices. AR provides innovative way-finding widgets and context-awareness services.
Along with the aims of the COST Action Cyberparks, our aim is to improve the App delivered
during the first stages of the project (Way-Cyberparks) with AR functionalities, by developing
a location-based AR module tailored to be integrated within Way-Cyberparks. The AR section
will link virtual geo-tagged annotations as an interface to (geo) spatial and attribute data,
allowing users to quick access digital sensory inputs. The overarching idea is to populate
the App with virtual signage fostering the fruition of public spaces by allowing users to
experience new ways of moving within specific places. Thanks to that, on one hand, the
App works as an interactive path-finder tool, heading visitors towards the most interesting
locations or landmarks within a specific area (Points of Interest or POIs). On the other,
users are enabled to create their own contents and upload them into the network of available
POIs, enabling a true participative community. The city of Valletta has been chosen as first
case study; here the AR module will be tested to identify historical locations and heritage
buildings, acting as contextual objects for the Way- Cyberparks App.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe
Analogue read-out chip for Si strip detector modules for LHC experiments
We present a 128-channel analogue front-end chip SCTA128 for readout of silicon strip detectors employed in the inner tracking detectors of LHC experiments. The architecture of the chip and critical design issues are discussed. The performance of the chip has been evaluated in detail in bench tests and is presented in the paper. The chip is used to read out prototype analogue modules compatible in size, functionality and performance with the ATLAS SCT base line modules. Several full size detector modules equipped with SCTA128 chips have been built and tested successfully in the lab with E particles as well as in beam tests
Highlights from the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory.
Our current exposure reaches nearly 40,000 km str and provides us with an
unprecedented quality data set. The performance and stability of the detectors
and their enhancements are described. Data analyses have led to a number of
major breakthroughs. Among these we discuss the energy spectrum and the
searches for large-scale anisotropies. We present analyses of our X
data and show how it can be interpreted in terms of mass composition. We also
describe some new analyses that extract mass sensitive parameters from the 100%
duty cycle SD data. A coherent interpretation of all these recent results opens
new directions. The consequences regarding the cosmic ray composition and the
properties of UHECR sources are briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, talk given at the 33rd International Cosmic Ray
Conference, Rio de Janeiro 201
The Pierre Auger Observatory III: Other Astrophysical Observations
Astrophysical observations of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays with the Pierre
Auger ObservatoryComment: Contributions to the 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference,
Beijing, China, August 201
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