Towards a lightweight mobile semantic-based approach for enhancing interaction with smart objects

This work describes a semantic extension for a user-smart object interaction model based on the ECA paradigm (Event-Condition-Action). In this approach, smart objects publish their sensing (event) and action capabilities in the cloud and mobile devices are prepared to retrieve them and act as mediators to configure personalized behaviours for the objects. In this paper, the information handled by this interaction system has been shaped according several semantic models that, together with the integration of an embedded ontological and rule-based reasoner, are exploited in order to (i) automatically detect incompatible ECA rules configurations and to (ii) support complex ECA rules definitions and execution. This semantic extension may significantly improve the management of smart spaces populated with numerous smart objects from mobile personal devices, as it facilitates the configuration of coherent ECA rules

Forecasting household packaging waste generation : a case study

Nowadays, house packaging waste (HPW) materials acquired a great deal of importance, due to environmental and economic reasons, and therefore waste collection companies place thousands of collection points (ecopontos) for people to deposit their HPW. In order to optimize HPW collection process, accurate forecasts of the waste generation rates are needed. Our objective is to develop forecasting models to predict the number of collections per year required for each ecoponto by evaluating the relevance of ten proposed explanatory factors for HPW generation. We developed models based on two approaches: multiple linear regression and artificial neural networks (ANN).The results obtained show that the best ANN model, which achieved an R 2 of 0.672 and MAD of 9.1, slightly outperforms the best regression model (R 2 of 0.636, MAD of 10.44). The most important factors to estimate HPW generation rates are related to ecoponto characteristics and to the population and economic activities around each ecoponto location.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Positions, Regions, and Clusters: Strata of Granularity in Location Modelling

Abstract. Location models are data structures or knowledge bases used in Ubiquitous Computing for representing and reasoning about spatial relationships between so-called smart objects, i.e. everyday objects, such as cups or buildings, containing computational devices with sensors and wireless communication. The location of an object is in a location model either represented by a region, by a coordinate position, or by a cluster of regions or positions. Qualitative reasoning in location models could advance intelligence of devices, but is impeded by incompatibilities between the representation formats: topological reasoning applies to regions; directional reasoning, to positions; and reasoning about set-membership, to clusters. We present a mathematical structure based on scale spaces giving an integrated semantics to all three types of relations and representations. The structure reflects concepts of granularity and uncertainty relevant for location modelling, and gives semantics to applications of RCC-reasoning and projection-based directional reasoning in location models

Evaluation Beyond Usability

The evaluation of research artefacts is an important step to validate research contributions. Sub-disciplines of HCI often pursue primary goals other than usability, such as Sustainable HCI (SHCI), HCI for development, or health and wellbeing. For such disciplines, established evaluation methods are not always appropriate or sufficient, and new conventions for identifying, discussing, and justifying suitable evaluation methods need to be established. In this paper, we revisit the purpose and goals of evaluation in HCI and SHCI, and elicit five key elements that can provide guidance to identifying evaluation methods for SHCI research. Our essay is meant as a starting point for discussing current and improving future evaluation practice in SHCI; we also believe it holds value for other subdisciplines in HCI that encounter similar challenges while evaluating their research

A Context-Aware Communication Platform for Smart Objects

When smart objects participate in context-aware applications, changes in their real-world environment can have a significant impact on underlying networking structures. This paper presents a communication platform for smart objects that takes an object's current realworld context into account and adapts networking structures accordingly