Position paper on realizing smart products: challenges for Semantic Web technologies

In the rapidly developing space of novel technologies that combine sensing and semantic technologies, research on smart products has the potential of establishing a research field in itself. In this paper, we synthesize existing work in this area in order to define and characterize smart products. We then reflect on a set of challenges that semantic technologies are likely to face in this domain. Finally, in order to initiate discussion in the workshop, we sketch an initial comparison of smart products and semantic sensor networks from the perspective of knowledge technologies

Annual Report of the Municipal Officers of the Town of Lubec, Maine For the Year Ending March 1, 1913

\u3cp\u3eDesigners are frequently challenged by complex projects in which the problem space is unique, rapidly changing, and the information available is limited. In such cases, combining knowledge from different fields of expertise is required. Furthermore, collaboration during the design process is essential for achieving a meaningful and well-formed solution. Designers therefore regularly find themselves exchanging ideas and reflections in the form of emails, sketches, and images with a group of experts from different backgrounds, working altogether through the creation of a design, its development and proper implementation. This particular chapter focuses especially on issues of synchronous and asynchronous collaboration, team dynamics and the management and monitoring of the early stages of the design process. The overall aim is to identify the essential characteristics and needs of distributed teams when in remote collaboration during the early stages of the design process and to suggest a prototype environment based on the identified requirements and workflow.\u3c/p\u3

Decision Support Tool to Enable Real-Time Data-Driven Building Energy Retrofitting Design

The availability of near-real-time data on energy performance is opening new opportunities to optimize buildings’ energy efficiency and flexibility capabilities and to support the decision-making and planning process of building retrofitting infrastructure investment. Existing tools can support retrofitting design and energy performance contracting. However, there are well-recognized shortcomings of these tools related to their usability, complexity, and ability to perform calculations based on the real-time energy performance of buildings. To address this gap, the advanced retrofitting decision support tool is developed and presented in this study. The strengths of our solution rely on easy usability, accuracy, and transparency of results. The automatic collection of real-time building energy consumption data gathered from the building management systems, combined with data analytics techniques, ensures ease of use and quickness of calculation. These results support step-by-step thinking for retrofitting design and hopefully enable a larger utilization rate for deep building retrofits

Understanding Awareness in Modern Smart Products Design

Smart products have the potential to change the lifestyle and working processes of their users. However, a perceived complexity of interaction with these hightech artefacts may confound even the keen technology adopter. In response, human-value driven technology design approaches such worth-centred design, empathic and aesthetic design, and design for pleasure have emerged. Still, with increased availability of sensors and the wide spread of internet, the more technology-driven approach is prevailing. Further, Artificial Intelligence in form of complex reasoning and deep learning algorithms is making impressive comeback. In this sense, to balance and reflect technological complexity, User Psychology as a design discipline should be more taken in new products and services design. Humans use and create tools and artefacts that are meaningful to them. Motivation is a reason for people’s actions, desires and needs. Hence, the motivation constructs and respective psychological theories such as Selfdetermination theory of motivation, Activity theory and related psychology of human awareness should be more taken into design of technology to maximize the benefits to the user and thus to make technology more acceptable. This thesis explores the role of awareness as a psychological construct in determining human behaviour and consequently, its influence on how humans respond to the technology. The general design principles in form of design questions and vocabularies, which facilitate designer with systematic knowledge on awareness to be taken in technology design, are defined here. This thesis utilizes the Design science research paradigm in which questions relevant to human problems are answered via studying application domain, experimenting and the creation of innovative artefacts to come up with a solution to a defined problem. Further, the Design science research approach is combined with methods from Explanatory science, which are taken as a ground towards a theoretical synthesis of experimental findings. Conceptual analysis as a method of Foundational Analysis is used to investigate the content of experimental concepts through their recomposition and reconstruction to find more accurate cognitive science grounded understanding of respective concepts. Keywords: HTI, Awareness, DesignÄlytuotteet voivat muuttaa käyttäjiensä elämäntapaa ja työprosessia. Näiden huipputeknologialaitteiden käytön monimutkaisuus voi kuitenkin hämmentää jopa teknologiasta kiinnostunutta käyttäjää. Vastauksena on syntynyt inhimillisiä arvoja ajavia teknologian suunnittelun lähestymistapoja, kuten arvokeskeistä, empaattista sekä esteettistä suunnittelua. Teknologiaan perustuva tuotesuunnittelun lähestymistapa on silti vallitseva johtuen antureiden saatavuudesta ja internetin laajalle leviämisestä. Lisäksi monimutkaiseen päättelyyn ja syväoppimisalgoritmeihin pohjautuva tekoäly on tekemässä vakuuttavaa paluuta. Käyttäjän psykologia on otettava paremmin huomioon uudessa tuote- ja palvelusuunnittelussa, jotta teknologista monimutkaisuutta saataisiin tasapainotettua. Ihmiset luovat ja käyttävät heille merkityksellisiä työkaluja ja laitteita. Motivaatio on syy ihmisten toimiin, toiveisiin ja tarpeisiin. Näin ollen motivaatiorakenteita ja vastaavia psykologisia teorioita, kuten motivaation itsemääräämisen teoria, toiminnan teoria ja niihin liittyvä ihmisen tietoisuuden psykologia, tulisi ottaa enemmän huomioon teknologian suunnittelussa, jotta käyttäjä hyötyisi maksimaalisesti, mikä tekisi teknologiasta hyväksyttävämpää. Väitöskirjassa tutkitaan tietoisuuden roolia psykologisena rakenteena ihmisen käyttäytymisen määrittämisessä ja sen vaikutusta siihen, miten ihmiset reagoivat teknologiaan. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on määritellä suunnittelukysymysten ja sanastojen avulla yleiset suunnitteluperiaatteet, jotka auttavat suunnittelijaa soveltamaan systemaattista tietämystä tietoisuudesta teknologian suunnittelussa. Väitöskirjassa hyödynnetään Design Science -tutkimusparadigmaa, jossa ihmisen ongelmiin liittyviin kysymyksiin vastataan tutkimalla sovellusaluetta, kokeilemalla ja luomalla innovatiivisia laitteita ratkaisun löytämiseksi määritellylle ongelmalle. Lisäksi Design science -tutkimuksen lähestymistapa yhdistetään selittävän tutkimuksen menetelmiin, jotka ovat perustana kokeellisten havaintojen teoreettiselle synteesille. Käsitteellistä analyysimenetelmää käytetään kokeellisten käsitteiden sisällön tutkimiseen. Näin löytyy tarkempaa kognitiotieteeseen perustuvaa kokeellisten käsitteiden ymmärtämistä. Avainsanat: HTI, Tietoisuus, Tuotesuunnittel