9th. IT & T Conference

Tracker: Indoor Positioning for the LOK8 Project

Viacheslav Filonenko et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:41:24 PST

Spatial awareness is identified as a key feature of today’s mobile devices. While outdoor navigation has been accessible and broadly used for some time already with the help of GPS, indoor positioning has not yet made it into mainstream life. GPS and other GNSS systems offer accuracy of a scale different to that required for efficient indoor navigation. This research aims to investigate how a number of sensors such as a Digital Compass, Bluetooth and Accelerometer may be combined to calculate device position and orientation to perform directional querying in a spatial database. These three technologies were chosen because they appear in some mobile devices available today and are likely to become even more widespread in the nearest future.

Intelligent Virtual Agent: Creating a Multi-modal 3D Avatar Interface

Mark Dunne et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:41:23 PST

Human-computer interactions can be greatly enhanced by the use of 3D avatars, representing both human users and computer systems in 3D virtual spaces. This allows the human user to interface with the computer system in a natural and intuitive human-to-human dialog (human face-to-face conversation). Hence, continuing to blur the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds. This proposed avatar system will go a step further and will use a camera to track the user’s head and eye movements during the dialog. This information will help to build rapport between the user and computer system by registering the user’s emotional state and level of interest. The system will adjust the dialog according to this information paying special attention to the user’s feedback. For example, one obvious benefit for head and eye tracking will be to allow the avatar to make and keep realistic eye contact with the user, but there is lots of room to expand on these techniques in this research.

Vocate: Auditory Interfaces for the LOK8 Project

John McGee et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:41:22 PST

The auditory modality has a number of unique advantages over other modalities, such as a fast neural processing rate and focus-independence. As part of the LOK8 project’s aim to develop location-based services, the Vocate module will be seeking to exploit these advantages to augment the overall usability of the LOK8 interface and also to deliver scalable content in scenarios where the user may be in transit or requires focus-independence. This paper discusses these advantages and outlines three possible approaches that the Vocate module may take within the LOK8 project: speech interfaces, auditory user interfaces, and sonification.

A Mobile Multimodal Dialogue System for Location Based Services

Niels Schutte et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:41:21 PST

This paper describes ongoing work on the dialogue management components for LOK8, a multimodal dialogue system. We describe our plans for a basic architecture of the system, the rough modules and outline the kinds of models in the project, as well as the next steps in our work.

VOSHM: A Velocity Optimized Seamless Handover Mechanism for WiMAX Networks

Chi Ma et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:07 PST

For seamless handover in heterogeneous wireless networks, service continuity and minimal handover disruption time are the primary requirements. The emerging Media Independent Handover (MIH) standard proposes to address these requirements through the introduction of link performance prediction features. In particular the MIH Event Service introduces a Link_Going_Down event which utilizes L2 performance characteristics to trigger predictive events. While the MIH standard proposes a framework by which L2 events can be communicated to the upper layer, it does provide detail on the performance characteristics which trigger these events. In this paper, we design a MIH based Velocity Optimized Seamless Handover Mechanism (VOSHM) for WiMAX networks. We analyse how the handover probability value, which is a critical parameter used to trigger link going down event, is effected by the velocity of the mobile node. A number of simulation scenarios illustrating handover between WiMAX and 3G networks are evaluated. Our results indicate that VOSHM can reduce more than 95% handover delay in comparison to without utilizing the Link_Going_Down trigger.

Context Aware Smart Classroom for Real Time Configuration of Computer Rooms

Paula Kelly et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:06 PST

The Context Aware Smart Classroom (CASC) is a classroom that responds to lecturers and student groups based on preset policies and the lecture timetables. CASC has been enhanced in two ways: initially to support the real-time software configuration of computers as required by specific laboratory activities; secondly to improve the decision making using knowledge engineering techniques. This paper outlines the design, implementation and evaluation of an enhanced system, CASC for Software Configuration (CASC–SC). Context aware environments respond in a pseudo-intelligent manner depending on the identity of occupants, particular location, desired activity and specific time. With the pervasive nature of personal mobile devices it is now possible to investigate development of low-cost location and identification systems that support development of a smart classroom

Parallelised EM Wave Progagation Modelling for Accurate Network Simulation

Catalin David et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:05 PST

A description of ongoing work which aims to provide better quality propagation models for use in network simulators is provided in this paper. A 3D ray-tracing model is described which allows for accurate specification of a variety of wave scattering phenomena. Details of its parallelisation are given as well as a discussion of future work including the incorporation of a visibility algorithm. Results illustrate the increased realism obtained by using site-specific propagation models.

QoS-Aware IPTV Routing Algorithms

Patrick McDonagh et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:05 PST

The aim of this paper is to describe how QoS (Quality of Service) metrics such as packet delay can be used to optimise the routing algorithms used in a network where IP Television (IPTV) content is being distributed. We outline the usage of metric instrumentation in a network to gauge the bandwidth limits of the network and how to use this information to generate a model of network link utilisation. Furthermore, we show that as the link utilisation rates change in our network model, we can modify the network routing algorithms to optimise the distribution of IPTV content to end-users.

Policy Refinement for Traffic Management in Home Area Networks: Problem Statement

Annie Ibrahim Rana et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:04 PST

Traditional home area network (HAN) equipment is usually unmanaged and network traffic is served in best effort fashion. This type of unmanaged network sometimes causes quality-of-service issues in the HAN, for example loss of quality in streamed video or audio content. Traffic management rules using policies to prioritise certain types of traffic according to user requirements and to assign bandwidth limits to other traffic types. However very little work has been done yet addressing the specification of these requirements, how they would be communicated to the gateway device using policies, and how the policies would be refined into device level configurations to effectively implement the user requirements. In this paper we briefly discuss this as a research problem, placing it within the context of the research goals and an initial research methodology in the area of policy refinement for policy-based traffic management in home area networks (HANs).

Error Rate Based Analytical Switchover Approach for Multi-homed Body Sensor Networks

Sadik Armagan et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:03 PST

For patients who have undergone cardiovascular surgery it is necessary to monitor vital signs such as respiration, oxygen in the blood, temperature, and electrocardiogram (ECG) in real time. As well as the sensor device, many existing solutions need a bulky coordinating unit like a PDA located on the patient for network communication. In this paper we investigate an infrastructure mode based approach in which the wireless sensor, communicates directly with the wireless access point. Our investigation particularly focuses on how the emerging technology, Media Independent Handover (MIH) can be used by the wireless sensor to manage path migration. Since MIH does not implement the physical handover we also use the mobility enabled Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP). We analyze how MIH link quality triggers, in particular Error Rate, can be used to improve SCTP switchover performance in body sensor networks.

Building Fire Emergency Detection and Response Using Wireless Sensor Networks

Yuanyuan Zeng et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:02 PST

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) provide a low cost solution with respect to maintenance and installation and in particular, building refurbishment and retrofitting are easily accomplished via wireless technologies. Fire emergency detection and response for building environments is a novel application area for the deployment of wireless sensor networks. In such a critical environment, timely data acquisition, detection and response are needed for successful building automation. This paper presents an overview of our recent research activity in this area. Firstly we explain research on communication protocols that are suitable for this problem. Then we describe work on the use of WSNs to improve fire evacuation and navigation.

Beyond Home Automation: Designing More Effective Smart Home Systems

Paolo Carner — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:57:01 PST

This paper outlines a Smart Home Proof-of-Concept system that uses a Bayesian Network to predict the likelihood of a monitored event to occur. Firstly, this paper will provide an introduction to the concept of a smart home system; then it will outline how Artificial Intelligence concepts can be used to make such systems more effective. Finally, it will detail the implementation of a smart home system, which uses an inference engine to determine the likelihood of a fire. The system prototype has implemented using a LonWorks™ hardware kit and a Netica™ Bayesian Network engine from Norsys.

Sentiment Classification of Reviews Using SentiWordNet

Bruno Ohana et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:13 PST

Sentiment classification concerns the use of automatic methods for predicting the orientation of subjective content on text documents, with applications on a number of areas including recommender and advertising systems, customer intelligence and information retrieval. SentiWordNet is an opinion lexicon derived from the WordNet database where each term is associated with numerical scores indicating positive and negative sentiment information. This research presents the results of applying the SentiWordNet lexical resource to the problem of automatic sentiment classification of film reviews. Our approach comprises counting positive and negative term scores to determine sentiment orientation, and an improvement is presented by building a data set of relevant features using SentiWordNet as source, and applied to a machine learning classifier. We find that results obtained with SentiWordNet are in line with similar approaches using manual lexicons seen in the literature. In addition, our feature set approach yielded improvements over the baseline term counting method. The results indicate SentiWordNet could be used as an important resource for sentiment classification tasks. Additional considerations are made on possible further improvements to the method and its use in conjunction with other techniques.

An Improved CamShift Algorithm for Target Tracking in Video Surveillance

Chunrong Zhang et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:12 PST

Target tracking in a cluttered environment remains a challenging research topic. The task of target tracking is a key component of video surveillance and monitoring systems. In this paper, we present an improved CamShift algorithm for tracking a target in video sequences in real time. Firstly, a background-weighted histogram which helps to distinguish the target from the background and other targets is introduced. Secondly, the window size is calculated to track the target as its shape and orientation change. Finally, we use a Kalman Filter to avoid being trapped by a local maximum. The introduction of the Kalman Filter also enables track recovery following a total occlusion. Experiments on various video sequences illustrate the proposed algorithm performs better than the original CamShift approach.

Comparison of Feature Classification Algorithm for Activity Recognition Based on Accelerometer and Heart Rate Data

Dominic Maguire et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:11 PST

This paper describes a project to compare two feature classification algorithms used in activity recognition in relation to accelerometer and heart rate data. Data was collected from six male and female subjects using a single tri-axial accelerometer and heart monitor attached to each subject’s dominant thigh. Subjects carried out eight activities and the data was labelled semi-automatically. Features (mean, standard deviation, energy, correlation and mean heart rate) were extracted from the data using a window of 256 (3.4 seconds) and an overlap of 50%. Two classifers, k-NN and J48, were evaluated for activity recognition with 10-fold validation with k-NN (k = 1) achieving a better overall score of 90.07%.

Universal Design, Education and Technology

Ciaran O'Leary et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:10 PST

Universal Design is an approach to design which insists upon the consideration of users with diverse levels of ability. Rather than representing a specialist approach to design, it is recognised that Universal Design results in a better design for all. Furthermore, by isolating design for disability as an independent topic in education, or ignoring it altogether, educators create an exclusionist perception of the role and place of individuals with disability in modern society. Modern education programmes which teach design skills are enhanced in quality by mainstreaming Universal Design as a core topic, permeating all that surrounds it. This paper describes an approach to support and implement this, based on our experience of incorporating Universal Design into a set of three postgraduate programmes in Computing.

Development of a Moodle Course Content Filter Using Meta Data

Kyle Goslin et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:08 PST

Moodle is an E-Learning platform that is in use by many educational institutions across the world. This paper outlines the development of a Course page Content Filter created in PHP which can be applied to a Moodle course page to filter the course’s learning objects, displaying only those documents matching the filter selections. The Course Content Filter has been developed as a code patch to be installed to the Moodle installation and activated by the Moodle administrator. It comprises of additional settings to both the Moodle course page and the learning object upload pages. Filter controls appear at the top of the student’s course page allowing a student to actively filter the course page content. The Course Content Filter assists students in navigating to the learning objects relevant to their needs. An example, as described in this paper, is the filtering of course content by Learning Channel. Learning channels are the modes in which a student can take in information. Providing a student with course material in a form relevant to their learning style makes course content more accessible, optimising the learning experience. For example, a student with a preference for their visual learning channel will benefit from course material presented in a visual form. The content filter described here will allow them to quickly access content which is optimised for their learning preference. This paper also outlines advantages of such a content filter in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), reviews current availability of such filters, and describes our approach to developing such a filter.

Sensing Learner Interest Through Eye Tracking

Haolin Wei et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:07 PST

Due to the rapidly growing of the amount of information, a stronger need emerges for efficient and flexible strategies for personalisation of the educational content. E-learning systems are very helpful for learners, however, people differ in knowledge level, learning styles and may seek for different information when they access web based e-learning systems. Therefore, content adapted to the user’s needs should be supported by the e-learning systems. In this paper we introduce a new e-learning environment that makes use of eye tracking mechanism to follow learner interest in certain topics and to perform content personalisation. The framework of the e-learning system is presented. Furthermore, an exemplification of the e-learning environment is provided.

A Study of Mobile Internet Capability Trends to Assess the Effectiveness of the W3C Default Delivery Context (DDC)

Ivan Dunn et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:06 PST

The mobile Internet is becoming increasingly popular, but the usability of many Web applications provides a negative mobile Internet experience. This paper researched the Internet capabilities of Web-enabled mobile phones through statistics generated using the R programming environment with data sourced from MobileAware’s Device Description Repository (DDR). Time series analysis and measures of location were applied to the data set. Hands-on testing using selected mobile browsers were carried out to backup and prove findings. The data set contained 1384 device descriptions from LG, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson mobile phones that have a browser capable rendering XHTML Basic 1.0 or better. The results of the research were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the W3C Default Delivery Context (DDC) and recommendations were proposed to adjust parts of the specification to improve end user experience and give developers more flexibility when designing mobile Internet applications. Five of the eight DDC recommendations were adjusted and presented as an Enhanced Delivery Context (EDC). Keywords: mobile Internet, mobile browsers, DDC, EDC

Power Save-based Adaptive Multimedia Delivery Mechanism

David McMullin et al. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:43:05 PST

The use of mobile computing devices has become more and more common as such devices have become more and more affordable and powerful. With increases in throughput speed and decreases in device size, wireless multimedia streaming to battery powered mobile devices has become widespread. However, the battery power has not kept up with the advances in technology and has not increased so rapidly. This deficiency in battery power provides motivation for development of more energy efficient multimedia streaming methods and procedures. As such, an adaptive delivery mechanism is proposed to take into account the various drains on battery life and adjust rates appropriately when the battery is low. This paper proposes a Power Save-based Adaptive Multimedia Delivery Mechanism (PS-AMy) which makes a seamless multimedia adaptation based on the current energy level and packet loss, in order to enable the multimedia streaming to last longer while maintaining acceptable user-perceived quality levels. The proposed mechanism is evaluated by simulation using Network Simulator (NS-2).