Index statistical properties of sparse random graphs

Using the replica method, we develop an analytical approach to compute the characteristic function for the probability $\mathcal{P}_N(K,\lambda)$ that a large $N \times N$ adjacency matrix of sparse random graphs has $K$ eigenvalues below a threshold $\lambda$. The method allows to determine, in principle, all moments of $\mathcal{P}_N(K,\lambda)$, from which the typical sample to sample fluctuations can be fully characterized. For random graph models with localized eigenvectors, we show that the index variance scales linearly with $N \gg 1$ for $|\lambda| > 0$, with a model-dependent prefactor that can be exactly calculated. Explicit results are discussed for Erd\"os-R\'enyi and regular random graphs, both exhibiting a prefactor with a non-monotonic behavior as a function of $\lambda$. These results contrast with rotationally invariant random matrices, where the index variance scales only as $\ln N$, with an universal prefactor that is independent of $\lambda$. Numerical diagonalization results confirm the exactness of our approach and, in addition, strongly support the Gaussian nature of the index fluctuations.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

An evaluation of DIADEM assisted online form completion

The DIADEM project aims to develop a web-based application in the form of an Expert System (ES) to assist cognitively impaired older-adult users in the task of interacting with and completing online transactions. Having recently developed the first experimental version of the application, this study reports on the preliminary findings of user trials carried out in three European countries top evaluate this early version of the application. Of the 94 users that took part in the trials, 77 were identified as users that were likely to present with some degree of mild cognitive impairment, and thus were included in the analysis stage. The key findings of the study indicate that users of DIADEM assisted form filling seemed report comparatively high-levels of satisfaction, particularly when considered against what is considered a typical level of satisfaction for this user group. Furthermore, as a result of a statistical analysis, the application appears to provide significantly increased levels of assistance for users presenting with higher levels of cognitive impairments, and therefore achieves its goal of catering for this particular target user group

Transformational government and assistive web base technologies

Transformational government has been on the European agenda for several years. However, progress towards realising the full potential of ICT to transform public services for older adults with age related cognitive impairments has been very limited. Highlighting such limitations this paper demonstrates how assistive web base technologies can be developed to improve the public services for older adults with age related cognitive impairments. However the paper argues that these transformations can be obstructed if there is no strong leadership and political commitment from people at many levels in public sectors and governments