Evaluating the Robustness of Deep Learning Models against Adversarial Attacks: An Analysis with FGSM, PGD and CW

This study evaluated the generation of adversarial examples and the subsequent robustness of an image classification model. The attacks were performed using the Fast Gradient Sign method, the Projected Gradient Descent method, and the Carlini and Wagner attack to perturb the original images and analyze their impact on the model’s classification accuracy. Additionally, image manipulation techniques were investigated as defensive measures against adversarial attacks. The results highlighted the model’s vulnerability to conflicting examples: the Fast Gradient Signed Method effectively altered the original classifications, while the Carlini and Wagner method proved less effective. Promising approaches such as noise reduction, image compression, and Gaussian blurring were presented as effective countermeasures. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the vulnerability of machine learning models and the need to develop robust defenses against adversarial examples. This article emphasizes the urgency of addressing the threat posed by harmful standards in machine learning models, highlighting the relevance of implementing effective countermeasures and image manipulation techniques to mitigate the effects of adversarial attacks. These efforts are crucial to safeguarding model integrity and trust in an environment marked by constantly evolving hostile threats. An average 25% decrease in accuracy was observed for the VGG16 model when exposed to the Fast Gradient Signed Method and Projected Gradient Descent attacks, and an even more significant 35% decrease with the Carlini and Wagner method

Inclusive Education: Mobile Serious Games for People with Cognitive Disabilities

Nowadays, the use of mobile devices is increasingly frequent. In many occasions they are used as a means of entertainment for people through video games. Serious games is a category of video games used as teaching methods in different environments. They use fun as a strategy for the learning process. However, the vast majority do not focus on vulnerable groups such as people with cognitive disabilities, because they do not consider accessibility parameters in their design. Some video games development companies have proposed general guidelines for the implementation of accessible video games, but they have not been formalized as good practices or standards. This article presents a compilation and analysis of different accessibility guidelines for the development of mobile serious games for people with cognitive disabilities. It also proposes a model to evaluate the access of serious games for people with cognitive disabilities and applies it in a case study. Finally, an evaluation tool is proposed for mobile serious games developers focused on people with cognitive disabilities

Inclusive Education: Mobile Serious Games for People with Cognitive Disabilities

Nowadays, the use of mobile devices is increasingly frequent. In many occasions they are used as a means of entertainment for people through video games. Serious games is a category of video games used as teaching methods in different environments. They use fun as a strategy for the learning process. However, the vast majority do not focus on vulnerable groups such as people with cognitive disabilities, because they do not consider accessibility parameters in their design. Some video games development companies have proposed general guidelines for the implementation of accessible video games, but they have not been formalized as good practices or standards. This article presents a compilation and analysis of different accessibility guidelines for the development of mobile serious games for people with cognitive disabilities. It also proposes a model to evaluate the access of serious games for people with cognitive disabilities and applies it in a case study. Finally, an evaluation tool is proposed for mobile serious games developers focused on people with cognitive disabilities

Method for the Development of Accessible Mobile Serious Games for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) covers a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that begin in early childhood and affects developmental activities. This condition can negatively influence the gaining of knowledge, skills, and abilities, such as communication. Over time, different techniques and methods have been put into practice to teach and communicate with children with ASD. With the rapid advancement in the field of technology, specifically in smartphones, researchers have generated creative applications, such as mobile serious games, to help children with ASD. However, usability and accessibility have not been often taken into account in the development of this type of applications. For that reason, in this work we considered that both, usability and especially accessibility are a very important differentiators for the quality and efficiency of mobile serious games. Our approach has two important contributions, the incorporation of accessibility as a fundamental requirement in the development of a mobile serious game and the proposal of a method for the development of this type of applications for children with ASD, a method that can be used by other developers.This work was partially supported by the EduTech project (609785-EPP-1-2019-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP) co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under contract PID2019-111196RB-I00 (Access@IoT), and by the Generalitat Valenciana (GVA) through the AICO/2020/143 project

Mobile Learning Technologies for Education: Benefits and Pending Issues

Today’s world demands more efficient learning models that allow students to play a more active role in their education. Technology is having an impact on how instruction is delivered and how information is found and share. Until very recently, the educational models encouraged memorization as an essential learning skill. These days, technologies have changed the educational model and access to information. Knowledge is available online, mostly free, and easily accessible. Reading, sharing, listening and, doing are currently necessary skills for education. Mobile devices have become a complete set of applications, support, and help for educational organizations. By conducting an analysis of the behavior and use of mobile devices on current students, efficient educational applications can be developed. Although there are several initiatives for the use of mobile learning in education, there are also issues linked to this technology that must be addressed. In this work, we present the results of a literature review of mobile learning; the findings described are the result of the analysis of several articles obtained in three scientific repositories. This work also lists certain issues that, if properly addressed, can avoid possible complications to the implementation of this technology in education.This work was supported by the EduTech project (609785-EPP-1-2019-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHEJP) co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union

A Hybrid Methodology to Improve Speaking Skills in English Language Learning Using Mobile Applications

The main objective of this research is a working example of how a hybrid methodology combining traditional methodologies and mobile devices can be used to contribute to the literature on mobile learning in teaching English as a second language. This work was carried out because, in many Latin American countries, students are taught English as a second language throughout their primary and secondary education. However, at the end of their studies, most students are unable to communicate with other people in English, let alone with native speakers. Moreover, it must be taken into account that nowadays English is the most widely used language in international communications, business transactions, finance and science. The professional who knows how to communicate in English has a positive differentiator in his or her professional profile and can easily access more relevant positions in any institution. For this purpose, a review of different methodologies for teaching oral expression in English has been carried out. Metrics have also been used to choose an effective mobile application to reinforce English speaking. These analyzed methodologies have been combined with the use of a mobile application to propose a hybrid methodology that contemplates an eight-week class guide. Due to the characteristics of mobile learning, this work can help to motivate students in their learning and in improving their communicative skills in the English language. High school teachers can use this methodology as an innovation in their educational programs.This work was financed by the Universidad de Las Américas through project code: TIC.LCC22.01

Mobile Learning as the Key to Higher Education Innovation: A systematic mapping

The study of educational innovations has attracted increasing attention from academics and researchers around the world. Educational innovation proposes the implementation of new approaches or practices that are beneficial and make an impact on individuals or academic communities. The current educational model of many higher education institutions (HEIs) was not designed for this generation of “digital natives”. For this reason, HEIs face the challenge of building teaching strategies that generate meaningful educational experiences. This research seeks to address this issue through a systematic mapping that includes empirical research papers from 2015 to 2020 that study innovations in educational practices using mobile devices. A qualitative and quantitative approach was applied using a four-stage research methodology to evidence innovation in higher education. After employing the selected methodology and applying all the exclusion criteria, 27 papers related to the research topic were identified. Mapping was also performed between the corpus of papers and five dimensions on educational innovation (the purpose of learning, the context of learning, the role of the teacher, the role of the learner, and the evidence of the outcome). The findings reveal that the role of the teacher is the dimension that is least analyzed in innovation initiatives, whereas the most analyzed dimension is the purpose of learning. The goal of this work was to explore and identify educational innovations and unveil uncovered fields of research to generate opportunities for new lines of research in educational innovation

Wearable devices, the next generation of mobile devices: Main features and uses

In a world in which students are exposed to all kinds of digital stimuli, the traditional educational, in which a teacher gives a lesson in front of a class full of students who listen attentively, may not be very motivating. That is why, in addition to offering new pedagogical possibilities, and helping teachers to nurture their students with new skills and competences, technology plays a key role in the classroom when it comes to generating motivation. In that sense, wearable devices can be a powerful ally. For this reason, in this article, we will show a classification of these devices and the analysis of the main parameters of each of them. Several bibliographical sources were used for this work, such as: research documents, technical articles and official websites of the wearable devices investigated. Seven parameters were obtained to analyze by rating scales to optimize the decision of its possible use

Catch the Thief: An Approach to an Accessible Video Game with Unity

Today, the video game industry is one of the most profitable business markets in the world. Video games are not only being used as a means of entertainment but also to reinforce education. Even though there are unbroken barriers for disabled people to use this kind of applications. Lack of accessible technologies and functions are real problems and a way of discrimination. It is a challenge for every software development organization, even for those who focuses in video game line of work. Many impaired people enjoy playing games in despite of their disabilities; however, some limitations appear when they start to play. This article presents an approach for an accessible video game developing, using Unity Engine and some of its accessibility complements to implement some functions to get better the player experience. This way, people who suffer of visual and hearing disability can be able to play and learn. Within the spectrum of disabilities this project covers are; visual and hearing, multiple variants of color-blindness and reduced vision problems. A series of settings options will have implemented with the final purpose of giving users an easier way to interact with the video game. It should be emphasized that game mechanics are based on various parameters to offer accessibility as brightness reduction, contrast and font-size adjustment, and more. Disability simulation tests will have done in order to prove the video game functionality. This research tries to increase the accessibility for people with impairments in the world of video games

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030