4 research outputs found
BETaaS: A Platform for Development and Execution of Machine-to-Machine Applications in the Internet of Things
The integration of everyday objects into the Internet represents the
foundation of the forthcoming Internet of Things (IoT). Such “smart” objects will
be the building blocks of the next generation of applications that will exploit
interaction between machines to implement enhanced services with minimum or no
human intervention in the loop. A crucial factor to enable Machine-to-Machine
(M2M) applications is a horizontal service infrastructure that seamlessly integrates
existing IoT heterogeneous systems. The authors present BETaaS, a framework that
enables horizontal M2M deployments. BETaaS is based on a distributed service
infrastructure built on top of an overlay network of gateways that allows seamless
integration of existing IoT systems. The platform enables easy deployment of
applications by exposing to developers a service oriented interface to access things
(the Things-as-a-Service model) regardless of the technology and the physical
infrastructure they belong
Opposition in transition: pre-electoral coalitions and the 2018 electoral breakthrough in Malaysia
In May 2018, the Malaysian opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan or Hope Alliance won the federal elections for the first time in the history of the country. The electoral authoritarian system is now in a state of transition. The electoral breakthrough was the result of longer-term socio-economic transformations, but the formation of a strong pre-electoral coalition was ultimately decisive for the victory. The article compares various coalitions and their performance during seven elections since 1990. The structured, focused comparison analyses the coalitions during this period because prior to 1990 the opposition was fragmented. On the basis of a three-level concept regarding the strength of pre-electoral coalitions, the article argues that Pakatan Harapan was successful because the coalition was sufficiently comprehensive (as indicated by the number and the competitiveness of candidates), cohesive (concerning ideological proximity and behavioural routinization) and well-rooted in society (in terms of linkages to voters/supporters and to civil society networks or organizations)