Demand uncertainty In modelling WDS: scaling laws and scenario generation

Water distribution systems (WDS) are critical infrastructures that should be designed to work properly in different conditions. The design and management of WDS should take into account the uncertain nature of some system parameters affecting the overall reliability of these infrastructures. In this context, water demand represents the major source of uncertainty. Thus, uncertain demand should be either modelled as a stochastic process or characterized using statistical tools. In this paper, we extend to the 3rd and 4th order moments the analytical equations (namely scaling laws) expressing the dependency of the statistical moments of demand signals on the sampling time resolution and on the number of served users. Also, we describe how the probability density function (pdf) of the demand signal changes with both the increase of the user’s number and the sampling rate variation. With this aim, synthetic data and real indoor water demand data are used. The scaling laws of the water demand statistics are a powerful tool which allows us to incorporate the demand uncertainty in the optimization models for a sustainable management of WDS. Specifically, in the stochastic/robust optimization, solutions close to the optimum in different working conditions should be considered. Obviously, the results of these optimization models are strongly dependent on the conditions that are taken into consideration (i.e. the scenarios). Among the approaches for the definition of demand scenarios and their probability-weight of occurrence, the moment-matching method is based on matching a set of statistical properties, e.g. moments from the 1st (mean) to the 4th (kurtosis) order

The art of video MashUp: supporting creative users with an innovative and smart application

In this paper, we describe the development of a new and innovative tool of video mashup. This application is an easy to use tool of video editing integrated in a cross-media platform; it works taking the information from a repository of videos and puts into action a process of semi-automatic editing supporting users in the production of video mashup. Doing so it gives vent to their creative side without them being forced to learn how to use a complicated and unlikely new technology. The users will be further helped in building their own editing by the intelligent system working behind the tool: it combines semantic annotation (tags and comments by users), low level features (gradient of color, texture and movements) and high level features (general data distinguishing a movie: actors, director, year of production, etc.) to furnish a pre-elaborated editing users can modify in a very simple way

The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5-11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12-18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19-25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased from one in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons. In conclusion, we designed an RT-qPCR assay capable to detect the Omicron variant, which can be successfully used for the purpose of wastewater-based epidemiology. We also described the history of the introduction and diffusion of the Omicron variant in the Italian population and territory, confirming the effectiveness of sewage monitoring as a powerful surveillance tool

Engagement e TV sociale: coinvolgere gli utenti di FriendTV

FriendTV è un’app realizzata dal gruppo Innovation di TIM/Telecom Italia scaricabile dagli Store e utilizzabile come “second screen” della TV: consente infatti di consultare la programmazione TV, di votare i programmi preferiti e di vedere e twittare quello che guardano e commentano i propri amici. L’utilizzo dei social network ha valorizzato l’attratività e aumentato gli scaricamenti. La ricerca descritta in questo articolo ha come obiettivo quello di valutare come l’introduzione di nuove dinamiche d’interazione (quali i meccanismi del “genuine engagement” derivanti dalla gamification) possano incrementare l’attuale base utenti ed aumentarne l’engagement. Partendo da un’indagine sulle abitudini dei fruitori TV, sono stati definiti e poi dettagliati i Personas (Cooper A., 1999), i principali potenziali target del servizio ed i relativi scenari di utilizzo. Questo ci ha guidato nella progettazione di un mockup interattivo, valutato con gli utenti in sessioni di focus group. I principali risultati mostrano che la gamification applicata al contesto di TV sociale, deve accompagnare le fruizione dei programmi TV e non interromperla, proponendo un’interazione “partecipativa” sui contenuti specifici del programma in corso

Engagement e TV sociale: coinvolgere gli utenti di FriendTV

FriendTV è un'app realizzata dal gruppo Innovation di TIM/Telecom Italia scaricabile dagli Store e utilizzabile come "second screen" della TV: consente infatti di consultare la programmazione TV, di votare i programmi preferiti e di vedere e twittare quello che guardano e commentano i propri amici. L'utilizzo dei social network ha valorizzato l'attratività e aumentato gli scaricamenti. La ricerca descritta in questo articolo ha come obiettivo quello di valutare come l'introduzione di nuove dinamiche d'interazione (quali i meccanismi del "genuine engagement" derivanti dalla gamification) possano incrementare l'attuale base utenti ed aumentarne l'engagement. Partendo da un'indagine sulle abitudini dei fruitori TV, sono stati definiti e poi dettagliati i Personas (Cooper A., 1999), i principali potenziali target del servizio ed i relativi scenari di utilizzo. Questo ci ha guidato nella progettazione di un mockup interattivo, valutato con gli utenti in sessioni di focus group. I principali risultati mostrano che la gamification applicata al contesto di TV sociale, deve accompagnare le fruizione dei programmi TV e non interromperla, proponendo un'interazione "partecipativa" sui contenuti specifici del programma in cors

La realtà aumentata al servizio del monitoraggio energetico di casa

Il paper ha l’obiettivo di presentare l’attività di integrazione di due progetti dell’Area Innovation/Research & Prototyping di Telecom Italia, Energy@home e Augmented Reality, volta alla progettazione di un’applicazione per il controllo ed il monitoraggio dei consumi di casa attraverso la consultazione delle informazioni degli elettrodomestici in realtà aumentata, cioè tramite la camera del proprio smartphone

La realtà aumentata al servizio del monitoraggio energetico di casa

Il paper ha l'obiettivo di presentare l'attività di integrazione di due progetti dell'Area Innovation/Research & Prototyping di Telecom Italia, Energy@home e Augmented Reality, volta alla progettazione di un'applicazione per il controllo ed il monitoraggio dei consumi di casa attraverso la consultazione delle informazioni degli elettrodomestici in realtà aumentata, cioè tramite la camera del proprio smartphon

SOCIETY: a social reading application to join education and social network experience

Abstract. This paper describes a social reading application designed for education and school communities based on electronic book reading experience. Both design and evaluation followed a user centered approach in order to obtain a custom made application called SOCIETY, to be used by community based groups with similar reading interests, running both on IOS and Android System. A special emphasis was given on personal and social aspects in writing and sharing notes with the community groups and the "facebook or twitter" large community to better understand how that can improve the learning process. Beside showing a high interest on society@school app our trial evidenced the need to separate school community from wider social networks, a need which seems to be important for students. That stresses the importance of privacy management in school applications design, because students seem to be worried about sharing information and mixing school and social networks contexts

SOCIETY: a social reading application to join education and social network experience

Abstract. This paper describes a social reading application designed for education and school communities based on electronic book reading experience. Both design and evaluation followed a user centered approach in order to obtain a custom made application called SOCIETY, to be used by community based groups with similar reading interests, running both on IOS and Android System. A special emphasis was given on personal and social aspects in writing and sharing notes with the community groups and the “facebook or twitter” large community to better understand how that can improve the learning process. Beside showing a high interest on society@school app our trial evidenced the need to separate school community from wider social networks, a need which seems to be important for students. That stresses the importance of privacy management in school applications design, because students seem to be worried about sharing information and mixing school and social networks contexts

Il social reading a supporto dell'apprendimento anche per i ragazzi con disturbi specifici dell'apprendimento

La ricerca i cui risultati vengono riportati nel presente articolo, ha avuto come obiettivo la progettazione e lo sviluppo di un'applicazione per dispositivi mobili funzionale alla lettura condivisa e sociale: il "social reading". Nello studio è stata posta particolare attenzione alla personalizzazione e realizzazione di una serie di funzionalità per studenti con Disturbi Specifici dell'Apprendimento (DSA), funzionalità che si sono in realtà rivelate di interesse generale e utili per tutti gli studenti. Il contesto di riferimento da cui si è partiti è l'approccio costruttivista all'apprendimento che pone il soggetto che apprende al centro del processo formativo (Vygotsky, 1978), promuovendo l'apprendimento collaborativo e l'inclusione. Seguendo quest'approccio, la ricerca di Telecom Italia sta realizzando educ@TIon una piattaforma sperimentale di didattica digitale con l'obiettivo di fornire alle scuole una proposta software integrata, completa di applicazioni didattiche innovative - open source e modulari - e di facilitare l'adozione di "metodologie didattiche 2.0" (connettività, lavagna interattiva multimediale o LIM, PC, tablet, ecc