Internet Of Things (IoT) In E-Commerce For People With Disabilities

The Internet of Things (IoT) perceives and recognizes the physical world by taking advantage of smart devices. The world’s largest minority are people with disabilities. IoT can lower barriers for the disabled people in accessing information. Increasing Internet accessibility can help to make that happen for both social and economic benefit. This paper presents the proposed integrated framework of the IoT and cloud computing for people with disabilities such as sensory (hearing and vision), motor (limited use of hands) and cognitive (language and learning disabilities) impairments in the context of business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce context. We conclude that IoT-enabled services offer great potential for success of disabled people in the context of e-commerce

Internet of Things (IoT) in E-commerce: For people with disabilities

© 2017 IEEE. Internet of Things (IoT) is an interconnection between the physical object and digital world. As a result, many e-commerce companies seize the advantages of the IoT to grow their business. However, the world's largest minority are people with disabilities. IoT can lower barriers for the disabled people by offering assistance in accessing information. Increasing Internet accessibility can help to make that happen for both social and economic benefit. This paper presents the proposed integrated framework of the IoT and cloud computing for people with disabilities such as sensory (hearing and vision), motor (limited use of hands) and cognitive (language and learning disabilities) impairments in the context of business-to-consumer e-commerce context. We conclude that IoT-enabled services offer great potential for success of disabled people in the context of online shopping

A Study to Evaluate the Impact of Mobile Technology on Supply Chain Ecosystems in Irish Enterprises.

To gain competitive advantage Supply chain firms use mobile technologies. This exploratory study investigates the impact mobile technologies have on supply chain activities and also identifies the challenges firm face such as capital requirement, lack of technical skills and information security in relation to use of Mobile technologies in supply chain management. From the primary analysis of this study it is also revealed that the impact on supply chain is in terms of improved communication, collaboration & visibility between various stake holders, real time information access & sharing, faster & responsive supply chain functions. The study attempts to investigate & simultaneously probe for critical evaluation of this technology. This qualitative study used interpretivism philosophy to gain understanding of the topic. Along with review of literature, a semi-structured interview questionnaire was sent to participants via email to capture their responses to infer primary findings. The participants selected randomly were key professionals working in Irish firms who are currently involved in a function related to supply chain. The results obtained from primary data resonates with literature available in the academic & professional domain. Thus, results accord mobile technologies have a positive impact on the efficiency of firms. At a larger view, the findings of this study are hoped to become a centrepiece for future research work

Autonomous wheelchair with a smart driving mode and a Wi-Fi positioning system

Wheelchairs are an important aid that enhances the mobility of people with several types of disabilities. Therefore, there has been considerable research and development on wheelchairs to meet the needs of the disabled. Since the early manual wheelchairs to their more recent electric powered counterparts, advancements have focused on improving autonomy in mobility. Other developments, such as Internet advancements, have developed the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT). This is a promising area that has been studied to enhance the independent operation of the electrical wheelchairs by enabling autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance. This dissertation describes shortly the design of an autonomous wheelchair of the IPL/IT (Instituto Politécnico de Leiria/Instituto de Telecomunicações) with smart driving features for persons with visual impairments. The objective is to improve the prototype of an intelligent wheelchair. The first prototype of the wheelchair was built to control it by voice, ocular movements, and GPS (Global Positioning System). Furthermore, the IPL/IT wheelchair acquired a remote control feature which could prove useful for persons with low levels of visual impairment. This tele-assistance mode will be helpful to the family of the wheelchair user or, simply, to a health care assistant. Indoor and outdoor positioning systems, with printed directional Wi-Fi antennas, have been deployed to enable a precise location of our wheelchair. The underlying framework for the wheelchair system is the IPL/IT low cost autonomous wheelchair prototype that is based on IoT technology for improved affordability

The role of radio frequency identification (RFID) in improving the supply chain performance of small and medium construction companies in Australia and enhancing their competitiveness in the marketplace

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is being utilised more in Information Technology due to its features and capability that assist in enhancing productivity, efficiency in improving supply chain systems, and minimising cost. It is predicted to provide several advantages for both public and government organisations. RFID can increase the consistency and scalability of IT systems that permit organisations such as regional governments to focus their attention on their key business functions, including strategy formulation and adaptation. Limited studies have been conducted on the implementation of RFID in the construction industry to develop supply chain systems to improve performance. Moreover, there is an absence of exploratory research and studies that offer a comprehensive and holistic examination of the factors that impact the implementation of RFID. To date, there is also an absence of empirical studies regarding the factors that impact the employment of RFID in Australian SMEs in the construction industry. This research examines the adoption and use of information communication technologies, in particular RFID technology, for improving the performance of supply chain management systems in SME construction companies in Australia. The research objectives are to analyse the state of supply chain management systems in SME construction companies in Australia; and the potential of RFID technologies in helping to overcome the problems and challenges facing these companies. This study aims to explain the capability for creating value resulting from the adoption of RFID in SME construction companies in Australia. This research identifies the factors that are expected to impact its implementation and ascertains the factors that are essential for management to focus on when planning to implement RFID. These factors include emerging policies for adoption of RFID, expected advantages of implementation of RFID, along with highlighting the challenges and issues created by the adoption of RFID. The research model adopts a combination of three theories derived from the literature, namely, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the Technology Organisation-Environment (Stoekel and Quirke) framework, and the Actor Network theory. This study aims to enhance knowledge about how information communication technology can play a role in improving supply chain performance, and how to optimise the use of supply chains to improve the performance of these businesses. A quantitative approach is used in this study to identify the key themes and constructs in a comprehensive survey of IT decision-makers within SME construction companies in Australia. The intention of this research is also to increase knowledge regarding factors that impact decision-making regarding the adoption of RFID within SME construction companies based in Australia. The research method used for the research is quantitative. As an in-depth study, this empirical study has involved IT managers in Australian-based SME construction companies and their employees‟ interaction with RFID suppliers. Through this, the study achieves the aim of providing in-depth insights into those factors that are perceived most likely to influence their employment of RFID; and identifying all vital factors on which to focus when planning to implement RFID, including the emerging legal setting that influences RFID implementation, expected merits of RFID implementation; and problems and issues that face SMEs when deciding to employ RFID. The study was conducted among 297 IT employees from 47 SMEs in the construction sector and RFID suppliers to conclude the outcomes of the exploratory stage. Factors such as compatibility, complexity, cost, security concerns, size of the firm, and expected advantages from the adoption of RFID are examined. The results and conclusion of the research can be used for firms‟ decision-making on whether to invest or not in the adoption of RFID