Algorithmic tools for data-oriented law enforcement

The increase in capabilities of information technology of the last decade has led to a large increase in the creation of raw data. Data mining, a form of computer guided, statistical data analysis, attempts to draw knowledge from these sources that is usable, human understandable and was previously unknown. One of the potential application domains is that of law enforcement. This thesis describes a number of efforts in this direction and reports on the results reached on the application of its resulting algorithms on actual police data. The usage of specifically tailored data mining algorithms is shown to have a great potential in this area, which forebodes a future where algorithmic assistance in "combating" crime will be a valuable asset.NWOUBL - phd migration 201

Evaluation and improvements regarding the implementation of Project-Based Learning within the Innovative Development program

[EN] This research evaluates how Project-Based Learning (PBL) is implemented in the Innovative Design program that is taught at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. This paper offers insights about the way students and teachers experience PBL within this program, and how the implementation can be improved according to previous research in this field. By studying relevant literature, a list of important (organizational and didactical) factors regarding the implementation of PBL is created. Questionnaires investigating these factors are then circulated among the teachers and students of the program. The results of the questionnaires are analyzed against guidelines provided in the literature. Based on this comparison, recommendations for the improvement of the PBL approach within the program are provided. The analysis shows that the program offers meaningful projects, and the students are properly prepared to collaborate. Nevertheless, the analysis also shows that the program still has room for improvement. The assessment methods are still unrefined, the students experience time-pressure while working on their projects, and the teachers can benefit from additional training to be better prepared for teaching in a PBL environment. Fortunately, the teachers indicate willingness to learn new PBL specific teaching skills.Wichgers, L.; Loots, W.; Cocx, T.; Alers, H. (2021). Evaluation and improvements regarding the implementation of Project-Based Learning within the Innovative Development program. En 7th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'21). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1203-1210. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd21.2021.12812OCS1203121

Leveraging Deep Learning and SNA approaches for Smart City Policing in the Developing World

Is it possible to identify crime suspects by their mobile phone call records? Can the spatial-temporal movements of individuals linked to convicted criminals help to identify those who facilitate crime? Might we leverage the usage of mobile phones, such as incoming and outgoing call numbers, coordinates, call duration and frequency of calls, in a specific time window on either side of a crime to provide a focus for the location and period under investigation? Might the call data records of convicted criminals' social networks serve to distinguish criminals from non-criminals? To address these questions, we used heterogeneous call data records dataset by tapping into the power of social network analysis and the advancements in graph convolutional networks. In collaboration with the Punjab Police and Punjab Information Technology Board, these techniques were useful in identifying convicted individuals. The approaches employed are useful in identifying crime suspects and facilitators to support smart policing in the fight against the country's increasing crime rates. Last but not least, the applied methods are highly desirable to complement high-cost video-based smart city surveillance platforms in developing countries

Object-centered interactive multi-dimensional scaling: Ask the expert

Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) is a widely used technique to show, in a low dimensional space, relations between objects—such as humans, documents, soil samples—that are defined by a large set of features. Key benefit is that it enables visual inspection of object relations in an intuitive way. One of the limitations is that different projections exist, leading to different graphical representations and therefore different interpretations of the data. This problem is made more significant in case of noisy data or heuristic approaches to MDS. We propose Object-Centered Interactive Multi-Dimensional Scaling (OCI-MDS), a technique that allows a data expert to try alternative positions for objects by moving them around the space in real time. The expert is helped by several types of visual feedback, such as the proportional error contribution of the expert-controlled object. Here we show that this technique has potential in two different domains, namely the investigation of high-dimensional computer experiment configurations and biomedical data. 1

Engraved portrait of The Princess Palatine

Engraved portrait of The Princess Palatine by Gonzales Coques (Cockes, Cocx, Cox) (1614-1684), Artis

Evaluation and improvements regarding the implementation of Project-Based Learning within the Innovative Development program

This research evaluates how Project-Based Learning (PBL) is implemented in the Innovative Design program that is taught at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. This paper offers insights about the way students and teachers experience PBL within this program, and how the implementation can be improved according to previous research in this field. By studying relevant literature, a list of important (organizational and didactical) factors regarding the implementation of PBL is created. Questionnaires investigating these factors are then circulated among the teachers and students of the program. The results of the questionnaires are analyzed against guidelines provided in the literature. Based on this comparison, recommendations for the improvement of the PBL approach within the program are provided. The analysis shows that the program offers meaningful projects, and the students are properly prepared to collaborate. Nevertheless, the analysis also shows that the program still has room for improvement. The assessment methods are still unrefined, the students experience time-pressure while working on their projects, and the teachers can benefit from additional training to be better prepared for teaching in a PBL environment. Fortunately, the teachers indicate willingness to learn new PBL specific teaching skills. https://nl.linkedin.com/in/hanier