Semantic Interoperability Architecture for Pervasive Computing and Internet of Things

Pervasive computing and Internet of Things (IoTs) paradigms have created a huge potential for new business. To fully realize this potential, there is a need for a common way to abstract the heterogeneity of devices so that their functionality can be represented as a virtual computing platform. To this end, we present novel semantic level interoperability architecture for pervasive computing and IoTs. There are two main principles in the proposed architecture. First, information and capabilities of devices are represented with semantic web knowledge representation technologies and interaction with devices and the physical world is achieved by accessing and modifying their virtual representations. Second, global IoT is divided into numerous local smart spaces managed by a semantic information broker (SIB) that provides a means to monitor and update the virtual representation of the physical world. An integral part of the architecture is a resolution infrastructure that provides a means to resolve the network address of a SIB either using a physical object identifier as a pointer to information or by searching SIBs matching a specification represented with SPARQL. We present several reference implementations and applications that we have developed to evaluate the architecture in practice. The evaluation also includes performance studies that, together with the applications, demonstrate the suitability of the architecture to real-life IoT scenarios. In addition, to validate that the proposed architecture conforms to the common IoT-A architecture reference model (ARM), we map the central components of the architecture to the IoT-ARM

Risk factors for hospitalization among adults with asthma: the influence of sociodemographic factors and asthma severity

BACKGROUND: The morbidity and mortality from asthma have markedly increased since the late 1970s. The hospitalization rate, an important marker of asthma severity, remains substantial. METHODS: In adults with health care access, we prospectively studied 242 with asthma, aged 18–50 years, recruited from a random sample of allergy and pulmonary physician practices in Northern California to identify risk factors for subsequent hospitalization. RESULTS: Thirty-nine subjects (16%) reported hospitalization for asthma during the 18-month follow-up period. On controlling for asthma severity in multiple logistic regression analysis, non-white race (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–8.8) and lower income (OR, 1.1 per $10,000 decrement; 95$10,000 decrement; 95% CI, 1.02–1.4). CONCLUSION: In adult asthmatics with access to health care, non-white race, low income, and greater asthma severity were associated with a higher risk of hospitalization. Targeted interventions applied to high-risk asthma patients may reduce asthma morbidity and mortality

Prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms and reflux-associated respiratory symptoms in asthma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) symptoms are common in asthma and have been extensively studied, but less so in the Asian continent. Reflux-associated respiratory symptoms (RARS) have, in contrast, been little-studied globally. We report the prevalence of GORD symptoms and RARS in adult asthmatics, and their association with asthma severity and medication use.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional analytical study. A validated interviewer-administered GORD scale was used to assess frequency and severity of seven GORD symptoms. Subjects were consecutive asthmatics attending medical clinics. Controls were matched subjects without respiratory symptoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean (SD) composite GORD symptom score of asthmatics was significantly higher than controls (21.8 (17.2) versus 12.0 (7.6); <it>P </it>< 0.001) as was frequency of each symptom and RARS. Prevalence of GORD symptoms in asthmatics was 59.4% (95% CI, 59.1%-59.6%) versus 28.5% in controls (95% CI, 29.0% - 29.4%). 36% of asthmatics experienced respiratory symptoms in association with both typical and atypical GORD symptoms, compared to 10% of controls (<it>P </it>< 0.001). An asthmatic had a 3.5 times higher risk of experiencing a GORD symptom after adjusting for confounders (OR 3.5; 95% CI 2.5-5.3). Severity of asthma had a strong dose-response relationship with GORD symptoms. Asthma medication use did not significantly influence the presence of GORD symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>GORD symptoms and RARS were more prevalent in a cohort of Sri Lankan adult asthmatics compared to non-asthmatics. Increased prevalence of RARS is associated with both typical and atypical symptoms of GORD. Asthma disease and its severity, but not asthma medication, appear to influence presence of GORD symptoms.</p

Impact of comorbid conditions on asthmatic adults and children

Comorbid conditions (comorbidities) can complicate the diagnosis and management of asthma. In different age groups, comorbid conditions can present varying challenges, including diagnostic confusion due to mimicking asthma symptoms, exacerbation of asthma symptoms, therapy for comorbid conditions affecting asthma or therapy for asthma affecting these conditions. This review aims to summarise some common comorbid conditions with asthma, such as rhinitis, vocal cord dysfunction, gastro-oesophageal reflux, psychiatric disorders, obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea, and discuss their prevalence, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, highlighting any differences in how they impact children and adults. Overall, there is a lack of data on the impact of treating comorbid conditions on asthma outcomes and further studies are needed to guide age-appropriate asthma management in the presence of these conditions.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the Publisher URL to access it via the publisher's site.A.K. reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Behring, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Griffols, Teva, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Paladdin, Pfizer, Purdue, Sanofi and Trudel, outside the submitted work. D.M.G.H. reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Chiesi and Pfizer and grants and personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis, outside the submitted work. S.J.S. reports fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Propeller Health, Regeneron and Sanofi, outside the submitted work all paid to the University of Colorado School of Medicinepublished version, accepted version, submitted versio

Semantic interoperability framework for smart spaces

Abstract At the heart of the smart space vision is the idea that devices interoperate with each other autonomously to assist people in their everyday activities. In order to make this vision a reality, it is important to achieve semantic-level interoperability between devices. The goal of this dissertation is to enable Semantic Web technology-based interoperability in smart spaces. There are many challenges that need to be solved before this goal can be achieved. In this dissertation, the focus has been on the following four challenges: The first challenge is that the Semantic Web technologies have neither been designed for sharing real-time data nor large packets of data such as video and audio files. This makes it challenging to apply them in smart spaces, where it is typical that devices produce and consume this type of data. The second challenge is the verbose syntax and encoding formats of Semantic Web technologies that make it difficult to utilise them in resource-constrained devices and networks. The third challenge is the heterogeneity of smart space communication technologies that makes it difficult to achieve interoperability even at the connectivity level. The fourth challenge is to provide users with simple means to interact with and configure smart spaces where device interoperability is based on Semantic Web technologies. Even though autonomous operation of devices is a core idea in smart spaces, this is still important in order to achieve successful end-user adoption. The main result of this dissertation is a semantic interoperability framework, which consists of following individual contributions: 1) a semantic-level interoperability architecture for smart spaces, 2) a knowledge sharing protocol for resource-constrained devices and networks, and 3) an approach to configuring Semantic Web-based smart spaces. The architecture, protocol and smart space configuration approach are evaluated with several reference implementations of the framework components and proof-of-concept smart spaces that are also key contributions of this dissertation.Tiivistelmä Älytilavision ydinajatuksena on, että erilaiset laitteet tuottavat yhteistyössä ihmisten elämää helpottavia palveluita. Vision toteutumisen kannalta on tärkeää saavuttaa semanttisen tason yhteentoimivuus laitteiden välillä. Tämän väitöskirjan tavoitteena on mahdollistaa semanttisen webin teknologioihin pohjautuva yhteentoimivuus älytilan laitteiden välillä. Monenlaisia haasteita täytyy ratkaista, ennen kuin tämä tavoite voidaan saavuttaa. Tässä työssä keskityttiin seuraaviin neljään haasteeseen: Ensimmäinen haaste on, että semanttisen webin teknologioita ei ole suunniteltu reaaliaikaiseen kommunikaatioon, eivätkä ne sovellu isojen tiedostojen jakamiseen. Tämän vuoksi on haasteellista hyödyntää niitä älytiloissa, joissa laitteet tyypillisesti jakavat tällaista tietoa. Toinen haaste on, että semanttisen webin teknologiat perustuvat syntakseihin ja koodausformaatteihin, jotka tuottavat laitteiden kannalta tarpeettoman pitkiä viestejä. Tämä tekee niiden hyödyntämisestä hankalaa resurssirajoittuneissa laitteissa ja verkoissa. Kolmas haaste on, että älytiloissa hyödynnetään hyvin erilaisia kommunikaatioteknologioita, minkä vuoksi jopa tiedonsiirto laitteiden välillä on haasteellista. Neljäs haaste on tarjota loppukäyttäjälle helppoja menetelmiä sekä vuorovaikutukseen semanttiseen webiin pohjautuvien älytilojen kanssa että tällaisen älytilan muokkaamiseen käyttäjän tarpeiden mukaiseksi. Vaikka laitteiden itsenäinen toiminta onkin älytilojen perusajatuksia, tämä on kuitenkin tärkeää teknologian hyväksymisen ja käyttöönoton kannalta. Väitöskirjan päätulos on laitteiden semanttisen yhteentoimivuuden viitekehys, joka koostuu seuraavista itsenäisistä kontribuutioista: 1) semanttisen tason yhteentoimivuusarkkitehtuuri älytiloille, 2) tiedonjakoprotokolla resurssirajoittuneille laitteille ja verkoille sekä 3) menetelmä semanttiseen webiin pohjautuvien älytilojen konfigurointiin. Näiden kontribuutioiden evaluointi suoritettiin erilaisten järjestelmäkomponenttien referenssitoteutuksilla ja prototyyppiälytiloilla, jotka kuuluvat myös väitöskirjan keskeisiin kontribuutioihin

Knowledge Sharing Protocol for Smart Spaces

This paper presents a novel knowledge sharing protocol (KSP) for semantic technology empowered ubiquitous computing systems. In particular the protocol is designed for M3 which is a blackboard based semantic interoperability solution for smart spaces. The main difference between the KSP and existing work is that KSP provides SPARQL-like knowledge sharing mechanisms in compact binary format that is designed to be suitable also for resource restricted devices and networks. In order to evaluate the KSP in practice we implemented a case study in a prototype smart space, called Smart Greenhouse. In the case study the KSP messages were on average 70.09% and 87.08% shorter than the messages in existing M3 communication protocols. Because the KSP provides a mechanism for automating the interaction in smart spaces it was also possible to implement the case study with fewer messages than with other M3 communication protocols. This makes the KSP a better alternative for resource restricted devices in semantic technology empowered smart spaces

Architecture for mixed criticality resource management in Internet of Things

We believe that the next big step in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) is to realize a virtual computing platform that provides access to heterogeneous group of device resources present in our living environments. By enabling 3rd party developers to access sensor and actuator resources present in a given environment in a same way they can access resources of a single mobile phone, the virtual computing platform would open a new market for the 3rd party IoT applications like the smart phones have done for mobile apps. To accomplish this vision, the virtual computing platform must be able to manage resource sharing between applications with differing criticality requirements for ensuring that the whole IoT system runs optimally. The main challenge is that the approach should be generic and extendable for future needs. To tackle this issue, we propose a two-level resource management architecture, where the necessary information about applications and resources are represented with machine-interpretable semantic descriptions based on the Semantic Web technologies. At the system level, these descriptions are used by the global resource manager for allocating resources to the applications based on their criticality and needs. At local level, each device is assigned with a local resource manager that schedules the access to resources provided by the device so that the performance of the more critical applications could be optimized at the expense of the less critical ones. To evaluate our approach in practice, we have implemented a reference implementation of the proposed architecture and demonstrated it through several applications with differing criticality levels. The results are very promising for managing mixed criticality applications in IoT