Easing the smart home: a rule-based language and multi-agent structure for end user development in intelligent environments

Tesis doctoral inédita. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Escuela Politécnica Superior, septiembre de 200

Towards a ubiquitous end-user programming system for smart spaces

This article presents a rule–based agent mechanism as the kernel of a ubiquitous end–user, UI–independent programming system. The underlying goal of our work is to allow end–users to control and program their environments in a uniform, application–independent way. The heterogeneity of environments, users and programming skills, as well as the coexistence of different users and domains of automation in the same environment are some of the main challenges analyzed. For doing so, we present our system and describe some of the real–environments, user studies and experiences we have had in the development process.This work has been partially funded by the following projects: HADA (Ministerio de Ciencia y Educación de España, TIN2007-64718), Vesta (Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio de España, TSI-020100-2009-828) y eMadrid (Comunidad de Madrid, S2009/TIC-1650)

Using friends as sensors to detect global-scale contagious outbreak

Recent research has focused on the monitoring of global&-scale online data for improved detection of epidemics, mood patterns, movements in the stock market political revolutions, box-office revenues, consumer behaviour and many other important phenomena. However, privacy considerations and the sheer scale of data available online are quickly making global monitoring infeasible, and existing methods do not take full advantage of local network structure to identify key nodes for monitoring. Here, we develop a model of the contagious spread of information in a global-scale, publiclyarticulated social network and show that a simple method can yield not just early detection, but advance warning of contagious outbreaks. In this method, we randomly choose a small fraction of nodes in the network and then we randomly choose a friend of each node to include in a group for local monitoring. Using six months of data from most of the full Twittersphere, we show that this friend group is more central in the network and it helps us to detect viral outbreaks of the use of novel hashtags about 7 days earlier than we could with an equal-sized randomly chosen group. Moreover, the method actually works better than expected due to network structure alone because highly central actors are both more active and exhibit increased diversity in the information they transmit to others. These results suggest that local monitoring is not just more efficient, but also more effective, and it may be applied to monitor contagious processes in global&-scale networks.This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute for General Medical Sciences (P-41 GM103504-03) (JHF) and a grant from the Pioneer Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (NAC and JHF). MC acknowledges support from NICTA and the Australian Government, as represented by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Australian Research Council through the ICT Centre of Excellence program; the DARPA/Lockheed Martin Guard Dog Program; and the Army Research Office under Grant W911NF-11-1-0363. EM acknowledges funding from Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (Spain) through projects i-Math, FIS2006-01485 (MOSAICO), and FIS2010-22047-C05-04. MGH acknowledges support from the Spanish Government (TIN2010-17344) and the R&D program of the Community of Madrid (S2009/TIC-1650).Publicad

Dificultades de aprendizaje de los estudiantes universitarios en la teoría del campo magnético y elección de los objetivos de enseñanza

El objetivo principal de este trabajo es analizar las ideas que tienen los estudiantes sobre cuál es la naturaleza del campo magnético. Hemos supuesto que el conocimiento significativo de la fuente del campo magnético es un prerrequisito básico para que los estudiantes razonen sobre los fenómenos electromagnéticos. Para analizar las explicaciones de los estudiantes hemos tenido en cuenta que las personas construimos representaciones mentales para ayudarnos a comprender el funcionamiento de un sistema físico y que estas representaciones mentales incluyen diferentes categorías explicativas de la realidad en un mismo individuo dependiendo del contexto y del contenido que se trate. Así pues, hemos diseñado un cuestionario de preguntas de tipo abierto con énfasis en las explicaciones, para analizar el razonamiento empleado por los estudiantes. Los resultados obtenidos parecen confirmar que los estudiantes presentan serias dificultades en el aprendizaje de la teoría del campo magnético.The aim of this study is to analyse students' ideas about the nature of magnetic field. We have assumed that a significant knowledge of the source of magnetic field is a basic prerequisite when students are to reason about electromagnetic phenomena. In order to analyse students' explanations, we have taken into account the fact that individuals build mental representations to help themselves understand the functioning of a physic system and that these mental representations include different explanatory categories of reality in one same individual depending on the context and the contents concerned. Therefore, we have designed an open-question questionnaire with an emphasis on explanations so as to analyse the students' reasoning. The results found seem to confirm that students do have serious difficulties in learning the theory of magnetic field

Kaunoa nettiin : Kirjasammon käyttöliittymän mallintaminen

Tämän toiminnallisen opinnäytteen tavoitteena oli mallintaa käyttöliittymä kehitteillä olevalle kauno-kirjallisuuden verkkopalvelulle, Kirjasammolle. Mallintamisella tarkoitetaan tässä tapauksessa luonnosten laatimista sivuston eri sioista, mikä sisälsi muun muassa hakutoimintojen, käytettävyyden ja tilankäytön suunnittelua. Käytännön työ tapahtui helmikuun ja huhtikuun välillä 2009, ja valmiita malleja syntyi palvelun ja kirjailijahaun etusivuista, teosten ja kirjailijoiden viitelistauksista, yksittäisten teosten ja kirjailijoiden tietosivuista sekä käyttäjäprofiilista. Opinnäyte tehtiin Turun Kaupunginkirjaston toimeksiannosta, mutta mallinnusten suunnitteluun osallistuivat myös Vaasan kaupunginkirjaston KITKA-projektiryhmä sekä kirjastot.fi. Työryhmä kokoontui neljä kertaa opinnäyteprosessin aikana. Valmistuneet mallit esiteltiin kokouksissa ja ne toimitettiin toimeksiantajalle pääsääntöisesti internetsivujen muodossa. Tässä opinnäytteessä esitellään mallinnustyön eteneminen vaiheittain alusta loppuun. Työryhmän eri osapuolet työskentelevät kokousten ulkopuolella hajautetusti, mikä aiheuttaa haasteita viestinnälle. Opinnäytteen teoriaosiossa esitellään sähköpostin luonnetta viestimenä, sähköpostin käyttötapoja sekä viestimen valintaan vaikuttavia tekijöitä.The aim of this functional thesis was to model the user interface for Kirjasampo. Kirjasampo is a public Internet literature service currently under construction. In this case, modelling meant making drafts of different parts of the service, which included, among other things, designing search functions, usability, and space utilization. The practical work took place between February and April 2009. Complete models were made of front pages of the service and author search, the reference listings of books and authors, the information pages of individual books and authors, and of the user profile. The thesis was made on behalf of the Turku city library's assignment. However, the Vaasa city library's KITKA project group and kirjastot.fi also had a significant impact on designing the models. The work group assembled four times during the thesis process. The models completed after the last meeting were presented to the group next time and they were mostly delivered to the client in form of Internet pages. In this thesis the progress of the modelling work is presented in stages from the beginning to the end. The different parties of the work group operate in different cities outside the meetings, which presents a challenge to the communication. The theory chapter discusses the nature of email as a media, the ways of using email, and the factors influencing people's media choice

Análisis de los argumentos elaborados por estudiantes de cursos introductorios de Física universitaria ante situaciones problemáticas

En este artículo analizamos la calidad de los argumentos utilizados por los estudiantes universitarios que siguen una enseñanza tradicional en primer curso de Ingeniería cuando, ante una situación problemática de física, deben optar por la estrategia o vía de resolución más adecuada. Valoramos lo apropiado de sus conclusiones, la pertinencia de las leyes y principios que han considerado para llegar a una conclusión (pertinencia conceptual), la calidad de las pruebas manejadas y si sus conclusiones se encuentran validadas por la coherencia de los razonamientos (suficiencia del razonamiento). Las deficiencias más destacables han surgido ligadas a la ausencia de pruebas que sustenten la conclusión y al hecho de que, cuando se consideran estas pruebas, a menudo no se razona adecuadamente la relación entre ellas y las conclusiones.In this article, we analyse the quality of the arguments used by the college students who follow a traditional teaching in first engineering course when, faced with a problematic situation of physics, must choose by the strategy or most appropriate resolution path. We value the appropriateness of their conclusions, the pertinence of the laws and principles that have been considered to reach a conclusion (conceptual pertinence), the quality of the evidence managed and if its conclusions are validated by the consistency of reasoning (sufficiency of the reasoning). The most noteworthy shortcomings have arisen relating to the lack of evidence supporting the explanation and the fact that, when considering this evidence, often, it is not properly reasoned the relationship between the evidence and the conclusions.En aquest article analitzem la qualitat dels arguments utilitzats pels estudiants universitaris que segueixen un ensenyament tradicional en primer curs d'Enginyeria quan, davant d'una situació problemàtica de física, han d'optar per l'estratègia o via de resolució més adient. valorem l'apropiat de les seves conclusions, la pertinència de les lleis i principis que han considerat per arribar a una conclusió (pertinència conceptual), la qualitat de les proves manejades i si els seus conclusions es troben validades per la coherència dels raonaments (suficiència del raonament). Les deficiències més destacables han sorgit lligades a l'absència de proves que sustentin la conclusió i al fet que, quan es consideren aquestes proves, sovint no es raona adequadament la relació entre elles i les conclusions

Distributed schema-based middleware for ambient intelligence environments

In this work we present a middleware developed for Ambient Intelligence environments. The proposed model is based on the blackboard metaphor, which is logically centralized but physically distributed. Although it is based on a data-oriented model, some extra services have been added to this middle layer to improve the functionality of the modules that employ it. The system has been developed and tested in a real Ambient Intelligence environment.This work was partially funded by ASIES (Adapting Social & Intelligent Environments to Support people with special needs), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación – TIN2010-17344, e-Madrid (Investigación y desarrollo de tecnologías para el e-learning en la Comunidad de Madrid) S2009/ TIC-1650 and Vesta (Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio, TSI-020100-2009-828) projects

Adaptive activities for inclusive learning using multitouch tabletops: An approach

Proceedings of the International Workshop on Personalization Approaches in Learning Environments. Girona, Spain, July 15, 2011.Also published online by CEUR Workshop Proceedings (CEUR-WS.org, ISSN 1613-0073)People with cognitive disabilities have some difficulties with memory, literacy skills, attention and problem solving. Computers and specifically, adaptation mechanisms can be used to improve their learning. The adaptation allows fitting the learning process to each user. This paper presents a proposal to adapt learning activities while people are interacting using multitouch tabletops. The adaptation mechanism takes into account structural aspects, content adaptation and the interaction provided.This work has been funded by the Spanish Government (ASIES Project - Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España, TIN2010-17344). The D2-Player has been funded by Fundación Sindrome de Down Madrid

Harnessing the Interaction continuum for subtle assisted living

This article belongs to the Special Issue Select papers from UCAmI 2011 - the 5th International Symposium on Ubiquitous Computing and Ambient Intelligence (UCAmI'11)People interact with each other in many levels of attention, intention and meaning. This Interaction Continuum is used daily to deal with different contexts, adapting the interaction to communication needs and available resources. Nevertheless, computer-supported interaction has mainly focused on the most direct, explicit and intrusive types of human to human Interaction such as phone calls, emails, or video conferences. This paper presents the results of exploring and exploiting the potentials of undemanding interaction mechanisms, paying special attention to subtle communication and background interaction. As we argue the benefits of this type of interaction for people with special needs, we present a theoretical framework to define it and propose a proof of concept based on Augmented Objects and a color codification mechanism. Finally, we evaluate and analyze the strengths and limitations of such approach with people with cognitive disabilities.This work has been partially funded by the following projects: ASIES (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España, TIN2010-17344), VESTA (Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio de España, TSI-020100-2009-828) and eMadrid (Comunidad de Madrid, S2009/TIC-1650). We also want to thank the PRODIS foundation, Pablo Llinás, Gemma de Castro and especially Pedro Paredes for their support