Is Structure Necessary for Modeling Argument Expectations in Distributional Semantics?

Despite the number of NLP studies dedicated to thematic fit estimation, little attention has been paid to the related task of composing and updating verb argument expectations. The few exceptions have mostly modeled this phenomenon with structured distributional models, implicitly assuming a similarly structured representation of events. Recent experimental evidence, however, suggests that human processing system could also exploit an unstructured "bag-of-arguments" type of event representation to predict upcoming input. In this paper, we re-implement a traditional structured model and adapt it to compare the different hypotheses concerning the degree of structure in our event knowledge, evaluating their relative performance in the task of the argument expectations update.Comment: conference paper, IWC

Exact Partition Functions for Gauge Theories on Rλ3\mathbb{R}^3_\lambda

The noncommutative space $\mathbb{R}^3_\lambda$, a deformation of $\mathbb{R}^3$, supports a $3$-parameter family of gauge theory models with gauge-invariant harmonic term, stable vacuum and which are perturbatively finite to all orders. Properties of this family are discussed. The partition function factorizes as an infinite product of reduced partition functions, each one corresponding to the reduced gauge theory on one of the fuzzy spheres entering the decomposition of $\mathbb{R}^3_\lambda$. For a particular sub-family of gauge theories, each reduced partition function is exactly expressible as a ratio of determinants. A relation with integrable 2-D Toda lattice hierarchy is indicated.Comment: 20 pages. Title modified. Typos corrected. Version to appear in Nucl.Phys.

E-Wallets

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the design of e-wallets. e-wallets are intended to replace the existing physical wallet, with its notes, coins, photos, plastic cards, loyalty cards etc. Four different user groups, including teenagers, young adults, mothers and businessmen, has been involved in process of identifying, developing and evaluating functional and design properties of e-wallets. Interviews and formative usability evaluations have provided data for the construction of first a conceptual model in the form of sketches, and later a functional model in the form of low-fidelity mockups. During the design phases, knowledge was gained on what properties the test users would like the mobile wallet to hold and the properties implemented in four prototypes. The identified properties have been clustered as ‘Functionality properties’ and ‘Design properties’, which are theoretical contributions to the ongoing research in mobile wallets

Single Value Devices

We live in a world of continuous information overflow, but the quality of information and communication is suffering. Single value devices contribute to the information and communication quality by fo- cussing on one explicit, relevant piece of information. The information is decoupled from a computer and represented in an object, integrates into daily life. However, most existing single value devices come from conceptual experiments or art and exist only as prototypes. In order to get to mature products and to design meaningful, effective and work- ing objects, an integral perspective on the design choices is necessary. Our contribution is a critical exploration of the design space of single value devices. In a survey we give an overview of existing examples. The characterizing design criteria for single value devices are elaborated in a taxonomy. Finally, we discuss several design choices that are specifically important for moving from prototypes to commercializable products

HIRAYA

Hiraya is a sole proprietorship business founded in February 2020 by Jan Marc Portal, an ABM student in DLSU-SHS. Its mission is to provide the community with pouch bags that feature sustainability, affordability, and durability, promoting the Philippines’ indigenous designs using locally sourced materials such as Abaca and cotton canvas. Hiraya’s vision is to create a convenient and practical experience for the general lifestyle of the people by catering local products. The owner formed a business venture with his co-students in the ABM Strand, namely: Aeriel Punzalan (operations), Jarvis Servino (financial), Katriona Ureta (marketing), Jin Ha Kim (human resource), and Jiro Mhaye Salayo (advertising). The officers possess individual skills related to their departments, such as leadership, project management, and marketing, contributing to the development of Hiraya. The business took the opportunity to sell products through the online platform, reaching millennials and Gen-Z as its target market. The business’s location was strategically placed in Laguna. The venture considers itself to be different from its competitors as it features an accented Abaca design inspired by local Kalinga tattoo artists in its products. In terms of the initial capital, the business had invested Php 31,500 to operate. The capital was able to produce 120 bags, costing Php 349 each (39.6% mark-up). Once the break-even is reached, Hiraya intends to diversify its products by putting another Php 27,488 for capital. Hiraya plans to continually expand in the future to remain true to its cause in helping indigenous people as part of its social responsibility

Co-Creating New Mobile Devices for Groups During Field Trips: MIS-2 Study

The second iteration of the Mobile Information Sharing studies (MIS-2) aimed to validate results from the previous study and to introduce mobile low-fidelity prototypes in a natural tourist activity. Seven foam prototypes with fictional functionality descriptions were carried and used by backpackers during the course of a tourist field trip. The trip consisted of walking through a city centre to a boat, taking a boat cruise, walking around an animal park and then taking the same journey back to their hostel. Backpackers added features and discussed these devices in a workshop. Variations to previous research methods included increased use of digital cameras and the use of three simultaneous observers for ethnographic observation. A repetition of the previous social pairing activity was conducted which explored different types of social ties with more participants. Study results include a rich understanding of travel conversation, in-situ effects of mobile device usage, and verification of research methods. Subgroups of participants within the study didn’t communicate much between each other and provided an interesting case of backpackers failing to connect even though they desired to. A field trip representing a typical tourist activity produced a number of situations where mobile device features were requested by participants. The social pairing activity produced some useful information for participants and provided design recommendations for social pairing systems. 11 design requirements for mobile travel devices were generated from observations and discussions with backpackers. Additional analysis produced 23 proposed product features. Recommendations have been made for improvements to the study design and methods for future mobile group research