Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sciences and technologies'
To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Sciences and technologies.
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Sciences and technologies.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Rivero, Manuel. "Technologie et religionNotes bibliogr. Index : l'impact du confucianisme sur l'usage des technologies industrielles, l'impact du christianisme sur l'usage des technologies de la communication." Aix-Marseille 3, 1995. http://www.theses.fr/1995AIX30082.
Abstract:
Y a-t-il une relation entre la technologie et la religion ? la religion influence-t-elle l'usage des technologies et l'innovation technologique ? s'agit-il d'un impact positif ou negatif ? le developpement extraordinaire de certains pays de l'asie du sud-est a-t-il quelque chose a voir avec leur religion ? nombreux sont les scientifiques et les sociologues qui se posent aujourd'hui ces questions. Cette recherche concerne le role joue par le confucianisme dans l'usage des technologies industrielles ainsi que l'impact du christianisme sur l'usage des technologies de la communication dans les cinq petits dragons: singapour, hong-kong, taiwan, japon et coree du sud. Il s'agit d'une etude realisee sur le terrain et completee par l'apport theorique des chercheurs
2
Jha, Anjani Kumar. "Comparison of JavaSpace and CORBA Technologies." UNF Digital Commons, 2003. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/328.
Abstract:
With computer industry increasingly moving towards network-centric systems, particularly the Internet, competing technologies that help design and develop such systems are fast emerging in the marketplace. The fundamental characteristics of a networked environment are heterogeneity, partial failure, latency and difficulty of "gluing together" multiple, independent processes into a robust, scalable application. JavaSpaces, a shared memory paradigm, provides high-level coordination mechanism for Java easing the burden of creating distributed systems. Large class of distributed problems can be approached using Javaspaces' simple framework. JavaSpaces allows processes to communicate even if each was wholly ignorant of the others. CORBA on the other hand is a standard developed by OMG that allows communication between objects written in different programming languages. It provides common message passing mechanism for interchanging data and discovering services. The purpose of this graduate project was to compare JavaSpaces and CORBA technologies by developing an Insertion Sort and comparing their response times. Javaspaces outpaced CORBA in terms of response time. These technologies make the implementation of distributed algorithms reasonably fault tolerant and highly scalable.
3
Puel, Gilles. "Des technologies et des territoires." Habilitation à diriger des recherches, Université Toulouse le Mirail - Toulouse II, 2006. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00085835.
Abstract:
Ces travaux font l'hypothèse que la technologie, qu'il s'agisse de mécanisation, d'irrigation ou de TIC est incluse, comme l'espace dans le social. Si les TIC possèdent leurs dynamiques propres, construites par des interactions multiples entre des acteurs exogènes et endogènes, l'auteur ne souscrit pas ni au paradigme techniciste ni à l'autonomie de la technique. S'il n'y a pas lieu de mythifier les TIC, la difficulté consiste à évaluer leur place dans un système territorial comme signe et/ou agent de la production de l'espace. Il s'agit d'aller au-delà d'une géographie de l'inventaire certes utile pour un objet aussi récent et instable, pour se tourner vers une géographie de l'ingénierie spatiale, intégrant dans une critique sociale raisonnée, les « effets » de l'introduction d'une perturbation sur un territoire. L'approche se centre sur les interactions et les changements d'échelle qui montrent qu'en fonction des clés d'entrée, la hiérarchie des interactions peut se modifier même si le cadre d'analyse utilisé pour la recherche reste stable et repose sur un ensemble de sept variables (l'innovation, les champs de force du système englobant, le jeu des politiques publiques, le capital social du territoire, les stratégies des acteurs, les temporalités, les formes spatiales).
Les stratégies des acteurs sociaux occupent donc une place majeure dans des travaux qui ne prennent tout leur sens que dans une approche interdisciplinaire s'ils veulent éclairer l'ensemble des problématiques recoupant les champs de la technologie, de l'espace et de la société.
L'auteur revisite la problématique de l'emboîtement des échelles territoriales. Comment des stratégies d'acteurs, externes à un territoire (à l'échelle locale ou régionale), interfèrent-elles avec le système d'acteurs territorial et produisent-elles de l'espace ? Trois niveaux d'analyse sont enchâssés. L'analyse « macro » se fonde sur les effets contraignants pour les jeux d'acteurs, des cadres réglementaires (lois, normes, standards) et idéologiques, eux-mêmes produits sociaux de jeux d'acteurs. L'analyse « méso » est centrée sur le jeu d'acteurs des politiques publiques (croisement des politiques de subventions, du choix des territoires, du discours sur la technologie). Enfin l'analyse « micro » consiste à étudier la technologie « en pratique » à partir d' études de terrain longitudinales.
Un détour vers la littérature des « stratégistes » permet de réintroduire un peu plus de « temps » dans l'espace. Si ces positions de recherche ont toujours donné une place importante au temps cristallisé des objets ou au temps présent des conflits d'acteurs ou des représentations, le temps de la technologie présente certains caractères (évanescence de la technique, importance de la dimension prospective) qui impliquent d'inclure toutes les dimensions tactiques et surtout stratégiques des jeux acteurs dans l'analyse. Enquête, modèles et modélisations, analyse systémique ou systèmes théoriques ont accompagné la démarche de recherche Chemin faisant, l'auteur a écarté de sa boîte à outil certains appareils ou au contraire procédé à quelques acquisitions. Mais tout cet outillage est le produit d'une synthèse, celle de l'apport méthodologique (enquête de terrain, interdisciplinarité, analyse systémique ) de deux maîtres successifs, B. Kayser et R. Brunet.
4
Borgers, Jocelyn. "Web 2.0 Technologies in the Software Development Process." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/honors/164.
Abstract:
Software engineers must communicate with many different people, likely in different locations, in order to create a successful piece of software. Social media can be used to communicate quickly and efficiently to minimize miscommunications and facilitate collaboration in the software development process. Research in this area has been sparse but significant because initial findings show that social media is being used in innovative ways to improve software development. Surveys of what social media some companies are currently using along with information about new social media systems indicate possible uses for these technologies on future software development projects such as documentation maintenance, employee training, and predicting and thus preventing build failures.
5
Carter, Nancy. "Usability, Efficiency and Security of Personal Computing Technologies." W&M ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1550153977.
Abstract:
New personal computing technologies such as smartphones and personal fitness trackers are widely integrated into user lifestyles. Users possess a wide range of skills, attributes and backgrounds. It is important to understand user technology practices to ensure that new designs are usable and productive. Conversely, it is important to leverage our understanding of user characteristics to optimize new technology efficiency and effectiveness. Our work initially focused on studying older users, and personal fitness tracker users. We applied the insights from these investigations to develop new techniques improving user security protections, computational efficiency, and also enhancing the user experience. We offer that by increasing the usability, efficiency and security of personal computing technology, users will enjoy greater privacy protections along with experiencing greater enjoyment of their personal computing devices. Our first project resulted in an improved authentication system for older users based on familiar facial images. Our investigation revealed that older users are often challenged by traditional text passwords, resulting in decreased technology use or less than optimal password practices. Our graphical password-based system relies on memorable images from the user's personal past history. Our usability study demonstrated that this system was easy to use, enjoyable, and fast. We show that this technique is extendable to smartphones. Personal fitness trackers are very popular devices, often worn by users all day. Our personal fitness tracker investigation provides the first quantitative baseline of usage patterns with this device. By exploring public data, real-world user motivations, reliability concerns, activity levels, and fitness-related socialization patterns were discerned. This knowledge lends insight to active user practices. Personal user movement data is captured by sensors, then analyzed to provide benefits to the user. The dynamic time warping technique enables comparison of unequal data sequences, and sequences containing events at offset times. Existing techniques target short data sequences. Our Phase-aware Dynamic Time Warping algorithm focuses on a class of sinusoidal user movement patterns, resulting in improved efficiency over existing methods. Lastly, we address user data privacy concerns in an environment where user data is increasingly flowing to manufacturer remote cloud servers for analysis. Our secure computation technique protects the user's privacy while data is in transit and while resident on cloud computing resources. Our technique also protects important data on cloud servers from exposure to individual users.
6
Anjum, Chaudhary. "Learner’s Interaction With Information and Communication Technologies." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för datavetenskap, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-44994.
Abstract:
This Master’s thesis aims to explore how children and teen-agers (i.e. learners) interact and create a use for information and communication technology in the classroom during their lectures. The study is based on distributed cognition theory in order to describe a cognitive system which involves interactions among humans (i.e. learners), artifacts which they use (i.e. information and communication technology active boards) and the environment in which they interact (i.e. a classroom). User’s (such as the children, teen-agers and teachers) interaction with information and communication technology can lead towards new and important ways of invention in the classroom. No doubt the ideas, thoughts and vision of these users (such as children and teenagers) are very important which can change an environment that supports learning. The Distributed Cognition Approach is a widely acknowledged approach, but it is less commonly applied in order to observe learner’s (such as children and teen-agers) interaction with information and communication technologies in their learning setting. Therefore this study aims to explore the children and teen-agers interaction with the information and communication technology active boards by using distributed cognition theory which can be expressed as important and interesting for the researchers, designers and developers in evaluating, designing and developing effective interactive technologies that supports better education. Through an empirical case study, qualitative data have been collected using interviews and observations. Based on related research, related theory, qualitative results and analysis, a conclusion is presented which shows that (with the help of the analysis of distributed cognition theory) the information and communication technology active boards seems to engage the children and teen-ager’s to collaborative learning activities which supports collaboration and shared knowledge. It helps to capture their concentration towards learning which can increase the opportunities and possibilities of better learning results related to their education. The distributed cognition approach provides an analytic and investigative methodology in order to examine the learner’s interactions with artifacts which are difficult with other traditional methodologies to the analysis of cognitive-tasks. This approach highlights the complicated interdependencies among learners and artifacts in collaborative learning activities.
7
Boulanger, Adam. "Autism, new music technologies and cognition." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/37390.
Abstract:
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2006.Page 108 blank.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-107).
Central coherence accounts of autism have shown dysfunction in the processing of local versus global information that may be the source of symptoms in social behavior, communication and repetitive behavior. An application was developed to measure cognitive abilities in central coherence tasks as part of a music composition task. The application was evaluated in collaboration with the Spotlight Program, an interdisciplinary social pragmatics program for children with Asperger's syndrome. This research indicates that it is possible to embed cognitive measure as part of a novel music application. Implications for current treatment interventions, and longitudinal experimentation designs are presented.
by Adam Boulanger.
S.M.
8
Hultman, Axel. "Simple Affective Hapticons using Web Technologies." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-271588.
Abstract:
This paper concerns the creation of short haptic signals called hapticons and how they can be used to build affective haptic interfaces. Previous research in the area of Affective Hap-tics have mainly been focused on experiments in controlled environments using custom hardware purpose built for the study. To contrast this the hapticons created for this study uses the Vibrations API that is included in most smartphones web browsers. Can the affect of the hapticons be identified using this simple system? Participants in an online survey were tasked to classify the hapticons using a visual representation of each emotion. Each emotion corresponded to a location in the Valence and Arousal space. 16 hapticons of varied length, rhythm, intensity and roughness were created and used in the survey. The results of this study indicates that simple web based hapticons can possess the ability to express a variety of emotions, however the accuracy in expressing a particular emotion is low. Future haptic applications using web based hapticons can utilize other available modalities to achieve more accurate results. The results of this study confirm web based hapticons as an appropriate medium for future research, but highlights the need for design procedures appropriate for the medium and further analysis into the correlation between the physical properties of web based hapticons and communicated emotions.Det här examensarbetet behandlar skapandet av korta haptiska signaler, så kallade "Hapticons", och hur de kan användas för att skapa affektiva haptiska gränssnitt. Tidigare forskning inom området har i huvudsak fokuserat på experiment i kontrollerade miljöer och för ändamålet tillverkad hårdvara. Denna studie använder istället hapticons skapade med det Vibrations API som är en del av de flesta smartphones webbläsare. Studien undersöker hurvida de affektiva egenskaperna hos en hapticon skapad med detta enkla system kan identifieras. Deltagare i en webb-baserad studie klassificerade en serie av Hapticons med hjälp av grafiska representationer av olika känslor. Varje känsla korresponderar till en koordinat i Valens-Arousal planet. Resultaten indikerar att enkla webbaserade hapiticons kan uttrycka olika typer av känslor, men att träffsäkerheten i vilken känsla som uttrycks är låg. Framtida haptiska applikationer kan med fördel använda webbaserade haptikons i samspel med andra modaliteter för att uppnå högre träffsäkerhet. Resultaten bekräftar att webbaserade hapticons är ett lämpligt medium för framtida forskning, men tydliggör behovet av designmetodik lämplig för mediet samt behovet av vidare analys av korrelationen mellan en haptikons fysiska egenskaper och dess kommunicerade affekt.
9
Mansurov, Behzod, and Richard Rosengren. "SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGIES : INVESTIGATION ON HOW SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGIES INFLUENCE THE CONSUMER’S PERCEPTION OF QUALITY." Thesis, Mälardalens högskola, Akademin för ekonomi, samhälle och teknik, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-36041.
10
Trakhanas, Pierre. "L'introduction des technologies nouvelles d'information en Grèce." Paris 9, 1987. https://portail.bu.dauphine.fr/fileviewer/index.php?doc=1987PA090036.
11
Sclarsic, Sarah Mary Haiken. "A bioengineering roadmap for negative emissions technologies." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2021. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/130839.
Abstract:
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, February, 2021Cataloged from the official PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 49-59).
Negative emissions technologies that can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are a critical tool to limit global temperature rise and ocean acidification. Bioengineering capabilities have not been sufficiently assessed or utilized for the development of negative emissions technologies. Bioengineering holds the potential to improve the efficiency of some existing technologies and to create new methods of carbon removal. I review existing technologies to assess how bioengineering could improve them, focusing on technologies that could achieve at least 1 Gt of CO₂ removal per year. I also investigate and describe potential new methods of carbon removal that leverage bioengineering. Key questions for additional research are identified, as are key engineering targets for the development of improved negative emissions technologies. This evaluation of potential high-impact R&D work is intended to provide an initial roadmap for the development of bioengineered negative emissions technologies that are scalable, sustainable, and can remove gigatons of CO₂ from the atmosphere.
by Sarah Mary Haiken Sclarsic.
S.M.
S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences
12
Olsson, Maria. "A study and review of distributed ledger technologies." Thesis, Mittuniversitetet, Institutionen för informationssystem och –teknologi, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-39353.
Abstract:
With the rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies, distributed ledger technology is a term that has gained traction. The aim of this study is to review and comparethe distributed ledger technologies blockchain and directed acyclic graph, examining their internal structures as well as some platforms and existing areas of application. An implementation, the goal of which is to illustrate the components of a possible distributed ledger solution and how they might interact, has been made in the form of a smart contract deployed on a simulated distributed ledger network. To give some explanation to the foundations of distributed ledger technology, a brief overview is given on the topics of cryptography, underlying data structures, and the frameworks used in this study. The literature study has been conducted by collecting and reviewing primarily scientific articles on the topic of distributed ledger technologies and consensus algorithms, as well as white papers on selected distributed ledger platforms. The construction has been done using the framework Hyperledger Fabric. The result chapter reviews how the implemented smart contract fulfills the concrete goals. The study is concluded with a discussion regarding how distributed ledgers might possibly be used in thef uture, what might be done to further develop the implemented smart contract and some of the ethical concerns surrounding distributed ledger technology.
13
Barral, Badin Caroline. "Les PME et les nouvelles technologies." Paris 9, 1985. https://portail.bu.dauphine.fr/fileviewer/index.php?doc=1985PA090013.
14
Sharp, Aaron Robert. "Improving Cotton Agronomics with Diverse Genomic Technologies." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2016. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5845.
Abstract:
Agronomic outcomes are the product of a plant's genotype and its environment. Genomic technologies allow farmers and researchers new avenues to explore the genetic component of agriculture. These technologies can also enhance understanding of environmental effects. With a growing world population, a wide variety of tools will be necessary to increase the agronomic productivity. Here I use massively parallel, deep sequencing of RNA (RNA-Seq) to measure changes in cotton gene expression levels in response to a change in the plant's surroundings caused by conservation tillage. Conservation tillage is an environmentally friendly, agricultural practice characterized by little or no inversion of the soil prior to planting. In addition to changes in cotton gene expression and biological pathway activity, I assay the transcriptional activity of microbial symbiotes living in and around the cotton roots. I found a large degree of similarity between cotton individuals in different treatments. However, under conventional disk tillage I did find significantly greater activity of cotton phosphatase and sulfate transport genes, as well as greater abundance of the microbes Candidatus Burkholderia brachynathoides and Arthrobacter species L77. This study also includes the use of high-throughput physical mapping of DNA to examine the genomic structure of a wild cotton species, Gossypium raimondii, which is closely related to the economically significant crop species Gossypium hirsutum. This technology characterizes genomic regions by assembling large input DNA molecules labeled at restriction enzyme recognition sites. I created an efficient algorithm and generated 812 whole genome assemblies from two datasets. The best of these assemblies allowed us to detect 3,806 potential misassemblies in the current release of the G. raimondii genome sequence assembly.
15
Emmons, David R. "Developing An Extensible Authoring System For Computer-Based Instructional Technologies." NSUWorks, 1992. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/504.
Abstract:
To insure the availability of good authoring software at reasonable cost, it was propitious to develop an extensible authoring facility that provides functionality and extensibility throughout its various operating components. The extensible authoring system will be offered at a minimal cost to interested instructional developers, teachers, and students. It incorporates many of the features currently found in authoring systems that include an authoring language, inference engine, windowing, hypertext navigation, and an intelligent initiator. Moreover, the system remains open to user modification and is able to integrate replaceable functions at various levels, including the computer-aided instructional lesson modules produced by the authoring system.
16
Uitto, T. (Teemu). "Detection and recognition of daily activities by utilizing novel technologies." Master's thesis, University of Oulu, 2017. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201711093088.
Abstract:
This thesis studies novel outdoor and indoor positioning technologies enhanced with wearable or body worn motion sensors to recognize daily activities. In gerontology and geriatric medicine, it is fundamentally important to be able to detect changes in physical, psychosocial, and cognitive outcomes over time. In this thesis, intelligent systems for assessing aging changes were discussed. By utilizing novel technologies and methods, efficiency of home care services can be improved. The studied concept enables early detection of changes in functional ability and daily performance. As a research methods both interviews and literature studies were used. The technology study was conducted as a literature study, whereas the concept creation and selection of suitable technologies were based on interviews with experts belonging to 5GTN alliance. As a result, technologies for outdoor and indoor tracking were selected, and sensors for real time tracking of the daily activities and routines were proposed. Pilot project of indoor tracking of elderly people is starting in autumn 2017. Results of that are not covered in this thesis but those are covered in forthcoming thesesOpinnäytetyössä tutkittiin ulko- ja sisäpaikannusteknologioita, sekä yhdessä niiden kanssa käytettäviä kannettavia ja/tai puettavia liikesensoreita, joilla voidaan havaita ja tunnistaa päivittäisiä aktiviteettejä. Ikääntyvien ihmisten hoidossa on erinomaisen tärkeää pystyä havaitsemaan muutoksia fyysisessä, psykososiaalisessa sekä kognitiivisessa toimintakyvyssä. Tässä työssä käsiteltiin älykkäitä järjestelmiä ikääntymisestä aiheutuneiden muutosten arvioimiseksi. Uusia teknologioita ja menetelmiä hyödyntämällä voidaan parantaa kotihoitopalvelujen tehokkuutta. Työssä tutkittu konsepti mahdollistaa toimintakyvyn muutosten, sekä päivittäisen suorituskyvyn muutosten varhaisen tunnistamisen. Tutkimusmenetelminä käytettiin sekä haastatteluja että kirjallisuustutkimuksia. Teknologiatutkimus suoritettiin kirjallisuustutkimuksena eri lähteistä, kun taas konseptointi ja teknologioiden valinta suoritettiin haastattelemalla 5GTN allianssiin kuuluvia moniammatillisia asiantuntijoita. Tutkimuksen tuloksena valittiin käytettävät teknologiat ulko- ja sisäpaikannusmenetelmiin, sekä valittiin sensorityypit päivittäisten toimintojen ja rutiinien reaaliaikaiseen seurantaan. Syksyllä 2017 on käynnistymässä pilottiprojekti, jossa sisätila-antureiden avulla seurataan ikäihmisten toimintaa omassa kodissaan. Tuloksia tuosta projektista ei käsitellä tässä opinnäytetyössä, vaan ne käsitellään tulevissa opinnäytteissä
17
Oyekunle, Abiola Taiwo. "Wireless Short Range Communication Technologies for Home Automation." Thesis, Halmstad University, Halmstad Embedded and Intelligent Systems Research (EIS), 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-4017.
Abstract:
A modern home contains varieties of electronic equipment and systems like: TV, Hi-fi equipment, central heating systems, fire alarm systems, security alarm systems, lighting systems etc. Enabling these devices to communicate is the first step towards the long-predicted smart home, but this requires communication standards to follow. It can be anticipated that the technology must be wireless in order for such network to be feasible. Large set of standards are present for as well wired as wireless communication in between such devices, but today no standard communication interface available.
The goal of this project is to survey available standards for short-range wireless communication, and to evaluate and compare their capabilities to become a general standard for home automation. The evaluation must take such aspects as security, range, network architecture and the heterogeneous set of devices into consideration. Furthermore, this thesis proposes how to interconnect the home network to the external network for remote supervision and control.
18
Le, Gac Hélen. "L'encadrement juridique communautaire des sciences et technologies du vivant dans le secteur agro-alimentaire." Paris 1, 2001. http://www.theses.fr/2001PA010283.
Abstract:
Le développement des sciences de la vie, autrement appelées biotechnologies, introduit de nouveaux paradigmes qu'il convient d'appréhender et de comprendre afin d'adapter le monde agricole et agro-alimentaire. Au début des années 1990, la Communauté européenne, consciente du retard accumulé par rapport à son principal partenaire commercial, les Etats-Unis, prend la décision de légiférer pour encadrer l'utilisation des organismes génétiquement modifiés, au niveau de la recherche, de la production et de la commercialisation, afin d'encourager, par une harmonisation des droits nationaux, le développpement du marché intérieur des produits biotechnologiques. Ainsi, en dépit d'un contexte scientifique incertain, la Communauté met en place une réglementation cadre fondée sur le principe de l'action préventive, composée de deux directives destinées à maîtriser le risque biotechnologique de l'ensemble des produits particuliers comme les nouveaux aliments issus de la culture de plantes génétiquement modifiées. En outre, après une longue bataille législative, la Communauté consacre juridiquement la brevetabilité de la matière vivante, en tentant de préserver les principes éthiques fondamentaux et les intérêts légitimes des agriculteurs. Cependant, après une petite décennie d'existence, le dispositif mis en place par la Communauté ne résistera pas aux turbulences qui accompagnent l'arrivée, sur le marché communautaire, des premiers produits génétiquement modifiés. Les faiblesses scientifiques et juridique du dispositif vont alimenter la ploémique qui s'installe alors, provoquant finalement l'inapplication de fait de la législation. Par conséquent, c'est vers une refonte générale du dispositif, et particulièrement des directives horizontales, que s'est dirigé le législateur communautaire, fondée sur le concept moderne d'analyse du risque.
19
Dublon, Gershon. "Sensor(y) Landscapes : technologies for new perceptual sensibilities." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/119070.
Abstract:
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 151-160).
When we listen closely, there is a pervading sense that we could hear more if we could only focus a little more intently. Our own perceptual limits are a moving target that we cannot delineate and rarely reach. This dissertation introduces technologies that operate at that mysterious boundary. I envision sensor(y) landscapes, physical sites that meld distributed sensing and sensory perception to afford new perceptual sensibilities. Today's mainstream technologies are well designed for rapid consumption of information and linear, sequential action. A side effect of their effectiveness to task, however, is a loss of undirected, curiosity-driven exploration in the world. I propose alternative technologies that would extend perceptual presence, amplify attention, and leverage intuitions. My focus is on turning rich sensor data into compelling sensory input, and as such, a substantial component of my work involved deploying sensor infrastructure in beautiful places. My projects center on a wetland restoration site, called Tidmarsh, where environmental data are densely and continuously collected and streamed. Using sound and vibration as the medium and nature as the setting, I undertook this work in two steps. The first constructs environments suffused with sensing and built for being present in. My projects in this space comprise sensor-driven virtual worlds, glass elevator sound installations, and vibrating forests that give oral histories. Building on lessons and infrastructure from the first approach, my culminating work uses non-occluding spatial audio to create situated perceptions of data. I developed a bone-conduction headphone device, called HearThere, that renders a live soundscape from distributed microphones and sensors, fully merged with the user's natural hearing. HearThere combines its wearer's inferred listening state with classification output from an Al engine to adjust the mix and spatial parameters of virtual audio sources. The device was developed based on findings from lab studies into spatial hearing and attention, and evaluated in a human subjects study with a panel of experts. Through these projects, I found that deriving meaning in the medium is a matter of possessing or developing perceptual sensibilities, intuitions for how the permeated data can be teased out and contemplated. Carefully composed perceptual confusion-a blurring of place and distributed media-becomes an opportunity for the development of new transpresence sensibilities. How do users make sense of these new dimensions of perception, and how can technologies be designed to facilitate perceptual sense-making?
by Gershon Dublon.
Ph. D.
20
Jones, Barbara Wadsworth. "BEHAVIORAL GAIT CHANGE CHARACTERIZATION AND DETECTION USING PRECISION DAIRY MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES." UKnowledge, 2017. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/animalsci_etds/75.
Abstract:
Lameness is a painful disorder that decreases performance and is highly recognized as one of the most important health and welfare concerns for dairy cattle. Visual gait scoring is the most common way to detect gait change in dairy cattle. However, this is not only subjective, but is also time consuming and costly. A need to remove the subjective assessment of human observation exists. Therefore, automatic gait change detection for continuous monitoring by precision dairy monitoring technologies may be beneficial. The first objective of this research was to characterize behavior and production variables as cow gait changed to evaluate potential usefulness in gait change detection across two different studies. Weighted gait score was a significant (P < 0.05) predictor of rumination time for study 1. Rumination time decreased as weighted gait score increased. However, for study 2, numbers of steps and feeding time were significant predictors (P < 0.05). Number of steps increased as weighted gait score increased. Time at the feedbunk and feedbunk visits decreased as cows weighted gait score increased. The second objective was to compare behavior and production variables for each individual gait aspect in increasing gait scores to evaluate potential usefulness in gait change detection across two different studies. For study 1, milk yield, rumination, and neck activity decreased as cows as tracking score increased. For study 2, lying time decreased as cow’s general symmetry score increased. Feedbunk visits decreased as cows tracking score increased. Number of steps increased as cow’s spine curvature score increased. Time active increased as cows head bobbing score increased. Activity increased as cows speed score increased. Lying time decreased as cow’s abduction/adduction score increased. The third objective was to detect gait change utilizing multiple precision dairy monitoring technologies in two different studies. For study 1, 56% of predicted gait scores were within 0.25 points of the actual weighted gait score and for study 2, 41% of predicted gait scores were within 0.25 points of the actual weighted gait score. Pearson Correlation for study 1 and 2 was 0.43 and 0.46, respectively. For both studies, the Pearson Correlation yielded results in the low category, when evaluating goodness of fit.
21
Bureau, Sylvain. "La diffusion des technologies : une approche par la professionnalisation. Le cas des technologies web." Phd thesis, Ecole Polytechnique X, 2007. http://pastel.archives-ouvertes.fr/pastel-00002426.
Abstract:
Si la diffusion des technologies web modifie les dynamiques professionnelles en déclenchant des phénomènes de professionnalisation, les dynamiques professionnelles, en particulier concurrentielles, influencent la diffusion horizontale (adoption des outils par les organisations) et verticale (adoption, assimilation et appropriation au sein d'une même organisation) des technologies web. Pour caractériser ce phénomène, nous étudions les relations entre les évolutions macro (constitution de nouveaux groupes professionnels liés au web, évolution des technologies web) et micro (transformations des pratiques de travail, évolution des relations entre groupes professionnels). Nous utilisons le concept de professionnalisation organisationnelle, défini comme l'organisation d'une nouvelle activité via la structuration des rôles des groupes professionnels, pour analyser les dynamiques au sein des entreprises. Nous adoptons une méthode multi-niveaux fondée sur des données qualitatives (trois études de cas d'entreprise et une comparaison entre le cas français et américain) et quantitatives (trois questionnaires).
22
Deus, Helena Futscher de. "Improving discovery in the life sciences using semantic Web technologies and linked data: design principles for life sciences knowledge organization systems." Doctoral thesis, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/5766.
Abstract:
Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in BioinformaticsThe data deluge in biology resulting from wide adoption of highthroughput technologies, coupled with the increasing reliance on web technologies for knowledge organization, sharing and discovery, has created unprecedented opportunities, and challenges, for knowledge engineering in Life Sciences domains. The Semantic Web technologies correspond to a set of standards and best practices for improving data sharing and interoperability on the Web that can greatly advance research in data-driven sciences such as translational medicine and systems biology. Current Semantic Web approaches for addressing those challenges have either relied on automatically formatting biological data sources as RDF (Resource Description Framework), the lingua franca of the Semantic Web, or in the development of bio-{)ntologies. Albeit the significant integrative advances that those represent, wide adoption of Semantic Web technologies by the communities acquiring and modeling experimental biological data has remained suboptimal.(...)
23
Brueckner, Sophia (Sophia Agnes). "Out of network : technologies to connect with strangers." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/95592.
Abstract:
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2014.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 131-136).
Popular connective technologies are supposed to save us time and simplify our lives, but instead we are more overwhelmed and scattered than ever. These same technologies promised to help keep us close to our friends and loved ones, but instead we are becoming increasingly isolated. This is result of designing technology with the goal of interactions being efficient rather than interactions being meaningful. Predominant connective technologies do not adequately consider how small design choices shape our mental processes and affect our emotions. In this thesis, I investigate how interfaces structure our thoughts and, as a result, behavior, and I examine how this power can be harnessed to improve mental and physical well-being. I focus in particular on how technology can influence perceived feelings of loneliness. Recent research shows that the subjective experience of loneliness, independent of objectively being alone, has astounding health consequences for a significant percentage of the population. I introduce Lakoffs theory the embodied mind, which is the understanding that the majority of thought is unconscious and experienced through the body, and I discuss how it can be used to design better interfaces. I summarize recent research that demonstrates the inextricable link between physical sensations in the body and feelings of loneliness and connection. To explore these ideas, I designed and built two devices: the Empathy Box, a tabletop appliance inspired by Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick; and the Empathy Amulet, a wearable device that fosters an unconscious sense of our connection to strangers. Both devices use shared physical warmth as a way to cultivate empathy and a novel sense of connection with anonymous others. With the understanding that the aesthetic qualities of a technology greatly influence its effectiveness, I conclude that the perspective of an artist, which is focused on combining aesthetics and context to make meaning, has an important role in the development of new technologies that interface with the self or that mediate relationships between people.
by Sophia Brueckner.
S.M.
24
Gummesson, Karl. "Training measures and technologies for air contaminant risks." Doctoral thesis, KTH, Industriell ekonomi och organisation (Inst.), 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-206466.
Abstract:
Abstract As air contaminants continue to pose a problem in organizations, more studies are needed to identify and reduce employees’ exposure to air contaminants. Limited research proposes methods for managing air contaminants, especially with focus on reducing exposure by improving safety behavior, safety knowledge, safety attitudes and safety motivation among employees in the workplace, by, for instance, using safety training.The aim of this thesis is to develop existing safety measures and analyze new measures for reducing air contaminants in typical industrial work situations by focusing on human aspects, such as safety attitudes and safety motivation. This is carried out by studying safety attitudes, safety motivation, and safety training in relation to air contaminant safety in current Swedish organizations by means of questionnaires, interviews, reviews of research, as well as the exposure monitoring method, PIMEX. This thesis comprises four papers.Sammanfattning Luftföroreningar fortsätter att utgöra ett problem i organisationer. Fler studier behövs för att identifiera och minska exponering hos arbetare för luftföroreningar. För närvarande finns begränsat med forskning som är fokuserat på metoder för att hantera luftföroreningar, särskilt med fokus på att minska exponering genom att ändra beteenden, attityder, kunskap och motivation som relateras tillarbetsmiljöfrågor, genom exempelvis utbildning. Syftet med denna avhandling är att utveckla befintliga arbetsmiljöåtgärderoch analysera nya metoder för att hantera exponering i arbetssituationer där luftföroreningar finns. Detta görs genom att studera arbetsmiljöattityder, arbetsmiljömotivation och arbetsmiljöutbildningar som är relaterade till luftföroreningar i svenska organisationer. Attityder, motivation, utbildning och kontrollmetoder för att minska risker i form av luftföroreningar studeras med hjälp av enkäter, intervjuer, tidigare forskning och PIMEX-metoden. Avhandlingen består av 4 delarbeten/Papers.
QC 20170504
Spetsprojektet
25
Fensham-Smith, Amber J. "New technologies, knowledge, networks and communities in home-education." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2017. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/101035/.
Abstract:
A promising, yet relatively small, body of academic scholarship on UK home-education has emerged in recent years. However, it persists as an area of research marked by partisanship. The digital age is often heralded as an era of liberation; empowering disparate groups to network, exchange practice, and learn from one another. However, few have considered what this might mean for home-education. This study sought to answer the overdue call for research in this area. This thesis is a mixed methods study; based on an online survey of 242 home-educators and 52 individual and group interviews with 85 parents, children and young people who used a range of new technologies. These families resided in different localities across England, Wales and Scotland. The analyses explored the role of new technologies, knowledge and learning within the themes of community, pedagogy and identity. The findings indicated that home-educating families participate in a diverse landscape of online networks and offline communities. New technologies have been effective in mobilising support at times of ‘threat’. It was also found that participation in this landscape has given new home-educators access to resources and confidence in their practice. The use of these resources and networks over time suggests a pedagogical journey that strengthens the transmission of values and production of identity, as learners get older. It concluded that home-education invites ideological conflict and internal struggle and that the appropriation of new technologies has both freed families from the old structures of school and placed them into new ones. This study sheds light on how some learning communities are transforming and being transformed by the tools used to reach an alternative destination in education. For home-education, the mixed role of new technologies surfaces a series of unresolved tensions, paradoxes and unanswered questions.
26
Roychowdhury, Amrita. "NON-USE OF STREAMING MUSIC TECHNOLOGIES." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Informationssystem, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-341750.
Abstract:
Technology non-use or active resistance towards technology is a pertinent issue in Human Computer Interaction, especially when we contemplate the ongoing changes regarding the concept of usability. By combining Theory of Practice and Theory of Materiality with Theory of Affect this thesis explores the resistance towards online streaming music technology among music enthusiasts devoted to vintage Vinyl music culture and also takes an effort to understand any possible effect of this voluntary non-use on the digital music industry. Qualitative research analysis is employed on ten in-depth semi structured interviews showing that material aspects and nostalgia, create an individualistic image and passion for record collection; furthermore, these aspects play a role behind the choice of non-use of online music technology.
27
Shah, Ajay M. (Ajay Mukesh). "Technologies for the isolation of circulating tumor cells." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/72916.
Abstract:
Thesis (Ph. D. in Medical Engineering)--Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-129).
Metastasis, the spread and growth of tumor cells from the primary site to distant organs, is arguably the most devastating and deadly attribute of cancer, and is ultimately responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are exceedingly rare cells found in the whole blood of cancer patients which have the potential to serve as a 'blood biopsy'. The intricate characterization of these cells could result in an entire new class of therapies directly targeting metastasis. Present technologies enable only a susbset of potential analyses to be conducted, principally due to sub-optimal cell isolation sensitivity, purity, throughput, or handling method. Here, we present two novel technologies to address the challenge of CTC isolation. First, we build on affinity-based microfluidic cell capture platforms by developing sacrificial hydrogel coatings to enable the innocuous release of captured cells; we demonstrate that model CTCs captured from whole blood remain viable and proliferative following release and are compatible with downstream immunostaining and FISH analysis. Second, we present a novel cell sorting system that interrogates over 10 million individual events each second, resulting in a high throughput, ultra-efficient rare cell sorter that delivers enriched cells in a vial, readily compatible with virtually any downstream assay. This is the first system combining the high sensitivity and single cell resolution that is characteristic of FACS with the practicality of MACS at a throughput and specificity afforded by inertial focusing, enabling operation in both 'positive selection' and 'negative depletion' modes. We find greater than 90% cell isolation efficiencies with over 2.5 log depletion of contaminating WBCs. Furthermore, the system is applied to clinical patient samples, and proof-of-concept is demonstrated in a cohort of breast, lung and prostate patients. Working in a negative depletion mode to isolate target cells in an unbiased fashion, we used the system to assess single putative CTCs isolated from an endogenous pancreatic mouse model for gene expression of tumor markers. Initial data confirms CTC heterogeneity at the single cell level, and positions us to move forward with single cell transcriptome sequencing, which may reveal a broad array of CTC phenotypes including metastatic precursors.
by Ajay Mukesh Shah.
Ph.D.in Medical Engineering
28
Price, Kellie W. "Using Visual Technologies in the Introductory Programming Courses for Computer Science Majors." NSUWorks, 2013. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/276.
Abstract:
Decreasing enrollments, lower rates of student retention and changes in the learning styles of today's students are all issues that the Computer Science (CS) academic community is currently facing. As a result, CS educators are being challenged to find the right blend of technology and pedagogy for their curriculum in order to help students persist through the major and produce strong graduates.
Visual technologies are being explored as a way to present difficult programming concepts in a manner that is easier to visualize and simpler to use. Visual technologies can make learning programming easier by minimizing the syntax of the programming language being used and providing visual feedback to the students to aid in conceptualization of the programming constructs.
The goal was to improve student retention and performance by incorporating visual technologies in the introductory programming course, CS1, at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). The ADDIE approach to instructional design was used to develop and implement a curriculum that incorporated visual technologies in CS1 at ETSU. Subsequently, quasi-experimental research methods, using the Post-Test Only Nonequivalent Groups Design approach, were used to perform assessment on the effects of the revised curriculum on student performance in the course and retention in the major as compared to student performance and retention as measured prior to the course redesign.
The results of the study indicate a positive impact on student performance in CS1 and student retention in the major as a result of the use of two types of visual technologies in CS1 at ETSU. Visual technologies supporting algorithm development, such as RAPTOR, had a positive impact on student performance in the area of problem solving and algorithm development as well as the use of decision and repetition constructs in programming. Visual technologies supporting program development, such as Alice, had a positive impact on student performance in the area of object-oriented programming concepts such as objects and classes. The combination of these two types of visual technologies showed evidence of improvement among student performance as a whole in the course and slight improvement in student persistence in the major.
29
Cacaly, Serge. "L'information scientifique dans les sciences humaines et sociales : apport des outils informatiques et technologies optiques." Paris 7, 1991. http://www.theses.fr/1991PA077219.
Abstract:
Cette thèse traite des banques de données et des banques d'images en sciences humaines et sociales dans une triple problématique: les aspects historiques, les bilans et évaluations et les aspects politiques.
30
Stranne, Daniel, and Magnus Eklund. "Using today's technologies in tomorrow's contexts." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för arbetsvetenskap och medieteknik, 2001. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-1660.
Abstract:
New technologies are constantly being developed and their success depends highly on finding applications that uses them. A couple of the latest additions to this category are mobile positioning via the GSM-net and mobile Internet. They are both predicted to play an important role in the future. The problem of developing applications for these technologies are many but the most important ones are the limited performance on the current PDA?s. These limitations force the applications to be extremely cheap both on the usage of memory and the use of processor capacity. This affects which kind of applications that are possible to implement on the PDA?s. This report offers a description of a project that aimed at developing applications using mobile Internet and mobile positioning. We focus on the development of the parts that include user involvement and describe our way of dealing with a design process that aims at designing for a nonexistent context. But this report also provides an attempt at identifying what is important when designing applications for a future context. We argue the importance of both practical attempts like the Mapster project and ethnographical studies of situations in the present similar to the future context where the applications are to work.Daniel Stranne, tel. 031-259812 Magnus Eklund, tel. 08-59087969
31
Dawsey, Martha Wallis. "Investigation into High Spectral Resolution Lidar Technologies." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/306986.
Abstract:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found in their 2007 report that aerosol radiative forcing contributed larger uncertainties to estimates affecting future climate change than any other radiative forcing factor. Lidar is a tool with which this uncertainty can be reduced, increasing our understanding of the impact of aerosols on climate change. Lidar, or laser radar, is a monostatic active remote sensing technique used to measure aerosols and particulates in the atmosphere, with accuracies comparable to in-situ measurements (Russell 2002). High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) systems use a narrow band filter to spectrally separate Doppler broadened aerosol and molecular back-scattered return signals, which allows for range resolved profiles of aerosol extinction and backscatter. The narrow band filter is a key component, for which two novel approaches are currently being used: NASA Langley Research Center has implemented a wide-angle Michelson interferometer in the second version of their airborne HSRL, and Montana State University is using a spherical Fabry-Perot interferometer in a ground based HSRL. In this research, a comprehensive comparative analysis of these two interferometric filters is performed, the result of which is a methodology for the design of narrow band filters for HSRL systems. The techniques presented identify the critical components and analyze the performance of each filter based on the spectral and angular properties, as well as the efficiency.
32
Bardinal, Véronique. "VCSELs: technologies et intégration photonique." Habilitation à diriger des recherches, Université Paul Sabatier - Toulouse III, 2009. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00405747.
Abstract:
Depuis le premier concept proposé par K.Iga il y a 30 ans jusqu'aux recherches actuelles sur l'intégration photonique des VCSELs (pour Lasers à Cavité Verticale à Emission par la Surface), une forte activité de recherches a été déployée sur ces composants optoélectroniques emblématiques, du matériau au composant jusqu'au système, leur permettant d'acquérir leur position stratégique actuelle. C'est dans cette dynamique que s'est inscrit mon parcours scientifique. Les principales activités de recherche que j'ai menées depuis 1992 sur la technologie des VCSELs et leur intégration dans des systèmes photoniques sont décrites dans ce mémoire. Je rappelle tout d'abord brièvement les avantages des dispositifs III-V à cavité verticale pour l'optoélectronique et plus particulièrement les propriétés des VCSELs, composants au centre de mes travaux. Ce contexte général étant posé, je décris les contraintes imposées lors de l'élaboration de ces dispositifs à cavité verticale sur GaAs ainsi que la technique de contrôle optique en temps réel qui m'a permis de répondre à ce défi. Je détaille ensuite mes travaux sur la photo-détection en cavité verticale, qui ont porté sur la conception, la réalisation et la caractérisation de photo-détecteurs simples à cavité massive, de VCSELs à double fonction pour la détection d'un faisceau externe, ainsi que de VCSELs avec monitoring intégré exploitant la détection latérale de l'émission spontanée dans le plan de la cavité. La thématique du contrôle de l'injection électrique dans les VCSELs de grandes dimensions pour la manipulation de solitons de cavité ou la génération de puissance est également exposée, ainsi que les études menées sur l'intégration des VCSELs dans les microsystèmes qui m'ont conduite à mettre en place une nouvelle filière sur la micro-optique intégrée à base de polymères pour ces composants. Enfin, les prospectives de recherche qu'ouvrent l'ensemble de ces travaux sont présentées ainsi que le contexte dans lequel elles s'inscrivent.
33
Jacob, Paravila O. "Intelligent Collision Warning System Based on Fuzzy Logic and Neural Network Technologies." NSUWorks, 1997. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/605.
Abstract:
The recent technological changes in computer and industrial control systems have been steadily extending the capabilities to handle a broad range of complex systems. The emergence and development of computer technology and intelligent systems during the past few decades have created a highly promising direction in the field of artificial intelligence. It is increasingly difficult to describe any real system as the level of complexity continues to increase. A combination of systems and techniques are necessary to solve many complex problems. This new direction involves the use of fuzzy logic and artificial neural network theory to enhance the ability of intelligent systems that can learn from experience and to adapt to changes in an environment of uncertainty and imprecision.
The Intelligent Automotive Collision Warning System was developed as a rule based system by integrating a fuzzy logic controller with artificial neural network software. The Intelligent Automotive Collision Warning system constantly monitors the speed of the vehicle and the distance of any object in front of the vehicle using an ultrasonic ranging module to warn the operator to maintain a safe operating distance by using fuzzy logic theory and artificial neural network software.
Descriptive statistics was used for collecting and organizing the data. Inferential statistics was used to prove the hypotheses based on the results of the collected data. NeuFuz4 software was used to train the neural network and to optimize the fuzzy rule base. The fuzzy logic technology provided a means of converting a linguistic control strategy to operate the warning system. The input/output relationship was defined by fuzzy membership functions which enabled the numerical inputs to be expressed as fuzzy variables using linguistic terms. A new fuzzy logic operator was also developed to optimize the fuzzy input/output relationship.
34
Manchala, Dhruv. "Wireless Networking Technologies in the Contexts of Energy Efficiency and Internet Interoperability." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2016. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1409.
Abstract:
At the heart of the Internet of Things revolution is wireless networking. This paper examines wireless networking technologies for the Internet of Things from the two most important, yet conflicting, perspectives – energy efficiency and interoperability with the “traditional” Internet stack – WiFi/TCP/IP. We begin by establishing the need for both energy-efficient and Internet-compatible wireless technologies for the Internet of Things. We then analyze sources of energy consumption at the various layers of wireless networking technologies, and examine alternative energy-efficient protocols and the most popular IoT wireless technologies, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and IEEE 802.15.4.
35
Baker, Catherine Elizabeth. "An ethnographic enquiry into the use of sports science and technologies in professional rugby." Thesis, Durham University, 2012. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4926/.
Abstract:
Sports Science and Sports Medicine are becoming an inherent part of the landscape of high performance sports environments. Such is their visibility, that there are currently over 25,000 students training as sports scientists alone; a number greater than the other classical sciences combined. Through an ethnographic study of two professional rugby teams over the course of 12 months, it is shown that the ways in which these technologies and knowledge are deployed in the field differ substantially from their academic and philosophical basis. Drawing upon the work of Foucault, Goffman and Bourdieu, it is suggested that the use of science and technologies within the Medical and Strength and Conditioning departments alters in light of the physical location, the staff involved and the perceived attachment of these tools to higher order knowledge structures derived from beyond the immediate field of enquiry. Moreover, it is argued that the justification for the adoption of ‘science’ in these specific subcultural domains more often relates to social, political and operative means rather than the theoretical bases cited. A typology of use is presented in an effort to clarify the factors affecting the use of Sports Science and Sports Medicine in elite sport, and the implications that these have for the staff, athletes and serving knowledge bases. Notions of identity, surveillance and self governance are central in understanding the relative ease with which technologies of performance have managed to infiltrate the studied environments, and it is posited that similarities may exist in other cultures synonymous with elite sport. This is an ethnography of ‘science in action’.
36
Sharpe, Michael Edward. "Assistive Technology Attrition: Identifying Why Teachers Abandon Assistive Technologies." NSUWorks, 2010. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/301.
Abstract:
The study surveyed a sample of K-12 teachers who had used assistive technology (AT) in the classroom to determine answers to five research questions. These were, (1) why the teachers adopted AT, (2) their attitudes and perceptions about its value, (3) challenges they have experienced in adopting AT, (4) whether they have discontinued or decreased use of AT, and, if so, (5) the factors that led to this result.
The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. For the quantitative aspect, an online survey instrument was developed to answer five research questions. Participants were teachers who had used AT in the classroom and came from 19 Georgia school districts whose superintendents granted permission for them to participate and whose assistant technology coordinators agreed to inform teachers in their districts' schools of the study. A total of 174 teachers completed the online survey. Of these, 52 agreed to be interviewed by telephone by the researcher, and 10 of those were randomly selected to be interviewed. Telephone interviews were audio recorded with the interviewee's permission, then transcribed by the researcher.
Analysis of quantitative results included factor analysis of replies to Likert-scaled items, compilation of frequency of responses, and determination of means for Likert items. For interview responses, qualitative methods were used to determine any themes in participants' replies.
It was found that (1) the most prevalent reason teachers initially used AT is that they perceived that the technology has value for their students, (2) the teachers had a mostly positive attitude toward the value of AT, (3) most of the teachers reported needing more training in AT, (4) almost half felt that time constraints affected their use of AT, (5) about one-third of online responders and 9 of 10 interviewees agreed that technical problems affected their use of AT, and (6) less than half of online participants perceived that they had adequate AT support. It was also found that most of the teachers had neither decreased nor discontinued use of AT during the 2008-2009 school year. Reasons cited by those who had decreased or discontinued use included time constraints, technical problems, lack of training, and lack of support.
37
Le, hir Boris. "Capturing Information and Communication Technologies as a General Purpose Technology." Phd thesis, Ecole Centrale Paris, 2012. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00997417.
Abstract:
This thesis aims to study Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a General Purpose Technology (GPT) and their role in the labor productivity evolution in the United States and Europe during recent decades. This thesis is organized in three parts corresponding to the fundamental GPT features: the wide possibilities for development, the ubiquity of the technology and the ability to create large technological opportunities. The first part depicts, at first, the innovation in ICT, beginning with a short historical review of ICT inventions followed by the analysis of current data on innovation in this field. In particular, it shows how the US was better than the European countries in inventing ICT until now. Second, this first part makes an inventory of measurement difficulties due to the rate and the nature of the change created by such technologies. The second part of the thesis deals with the ubiquitous nature of ICT. It first describes the ICT diffusion across countries and industries and reviews the economic literature on the direct contribution of ICT on labor productivity growth in the US and Europe. The next chapter studies the factor demand's behaviour in sectors that are either ICT producers or ICT intensive users. The third part focuses on the ICT ability to create opportunities for complementarity innovations. Firstly, it identifies the nature of ICT complementary innovations and the corresponding efforts. It shows, then, that national accounts must be improved in order to take these efforts into account as investments. Secondly, this part shows that, among the eleven European countries studied, the problem is highly concentrated in a few countries that invest less both in ICT and in innovative assets and that these two types of effort are complementary.
38
Baumgartner, Max R. "Instructional Technologies in Graduate Physical Therapy Courses." NSUWorks, 2011. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/87.
Abstract:
The problem addressed is the significant lack of empirical research to describe the nature and extent of technology for use in physical therapy education (PTE). The goal was to facilitate the use of instructional technologies in accredited physical therapy (PT) courses.
Computing technologies offer efficient, accessible methods for delivery of education as well as instructional formats with unique advantages for the allied health sciences. In order to facilitate the use of instructional technologies in accredited PT courses the nature and extent of current technology use in PTE are described. A description of technologies used for health professional education was extracted from the literature and used to develop a valid and reliable online survey instrument. An effort was made to survey all full-time faculty in the 200 Doctor of Physical Therapy programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. A 44% response rate was received from 904 faculty representing 193 programs.
The results demonstrate that the technologies used most can be characterized as those that support cognition rather than content delivery. It is also apparent that a significant number of faculty are using technology for education while their self-assessment indicates that they have insufficient knowledge and skills to do so. Also, the findings indicate that many faculty have a limited knowledge of the technologies used in the locations where their students will receive clinical education and possibly gain employment following graduation. These results are discussed in detail. Seven recommendations are offered to facilitate diffusion of technology throughout courses offered in graduate PT programs.
39
Carvalho, Maria. "The internationalisation of green technologies and the realisation of green growth." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2015. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3083/.
Abstract:
This thesis investigates how the ‘spatialisation’ of green technologies influences opportunities to realise green growth from different industrial activities – an aspect of green growth which is currently underrepresented in the literature. The research compiles various datasets representing world-wide indicators of innovation and manufacturing, as well as interviews with researchers and industrial actors in different economies, to investigate the spatialisation of solar photovoltaic (PV) industries. The overarching purpose is to examine whether domestic economies need both innovation and manufacturing in order to supply green technologies. The thesis comprises of four standalone chapters (Chapter 2 to 5) that explore this question by applying evolutionary economic geography (EEG) theory on the concept of green growth. The first chapter (Chapter 2) develops a conceptual framework on how the spatialisation of technologies affects the composition of industrial activities in various economies. It argues the localisation of green innovation enables economies to be resilient to the loss in manufacturing. The second chapter (Chapter 3) demonstrates that both ‘first-mover’ and ‘late-comer’ economies contribute towards solar PV innovation, despite the majority of global manufacturing shifting to China. The third chapter (Chapter 4) finds patterns of research collaboration between different countries based on their respective innovation/manufacturing intensities. The last chapter (Chapter 5) explores how the presence (or absence) of domestic manufacturing influences actors’ commercialisation of different solar PV technologies. The findings seek to advance the competitiveness debate by recognising the tension between the internationalisation of green technologies and the realisation of green growth in domestic economies. First, it argues that economies realise long-term green growth by retaining highvalue activities that other economies cannot reproduce. Second, it recognises that an economy does not need both innovation and manufacturing to commercialise green technologies, but that the propensity to rely on local resources is influenced by the domestic industrial composition and the maturity of a technology. These findings emphasise that industrial policies should consider spatial characteristics in assessing whether domestic green technology supply and/or markets will lead to green growth in the domestic economy.
40
Golan, Amos S. M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "IceBreakware : designing wearable technologies for spatial awareness and social interactions." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/120692.
Abstract:
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 93-96).
We live in an era of constant connectedness; we carry a smartphone in our pocket, headsets on our ears and enjoy limitless and regular access to almost any content we wish. However, the use of the personal computing devices that allow this connection with the virtual world damages our ability to connect with the physical world surrounding us; our eyes are focused on screens, our ears are covered by headphones and our attention jumps between apps. As a result, many of us are actually finding it harder to have face to face interactions with others than ever before. We are getting worse at communicating with the people around us, in the present, and tend to prefer virtual alternatives, as they are easier to operate, less stressful and fully under our control. This thesis proposes a perspective at wearable and personal computing devices and the role that their design may play in creating and fighting the epidemic of growing isolation. We hypothesize that the negative social trends that we witness as a result of using smartphones, headphones and other personal devices are not the purpose of these technologies, but rather an unwanted byproduct of their use. We propose to redesign ubiquitous personal technologies to reduce their isolating effect and use them to foster more physical interpersonal interactions and spatial awareness, by equipping them with additional modes of operation that force interpersonal interaction. We call this family of new interfaces IceBreakware. As a proof of concept, we present LeakyPhones, an instance of IceBreakware and a social version of the ubiquitous headphones. LeakyPhones is an interface that allows colocated and real time audio sharing between two or more people by coupling music sharing with a gaze. LeakyPhones encourages users to explore their surroundings with their eyes, and interact with the people around them. They also change the meaning of a previously private medium such as the headphones and turn it into public at will. By doing this, Leakyphones tries to overcome some of the limitations of normal headphones. This work explores corrective measures to standard personal devices that can possibly be implemented to existing technologies in order to encourage desired social behaviors. It demonstrates how gaze and music sharing may act as a social vehicle and help and encourage positive real-world interactions between people while not substituting them with virtual alternatives.
by Amos Golan.
S.M.
41
Heugh, Sheelagh Mary Bernadette. "The impact of blended learning technologies on student performance/learning in biomedical science higher education." Thesis, University of Portsmouth, 2014. https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-impact-of-blended-learning-technologies-on-student-performancelearning-in-biomedical-science-higher-education(a4833039-b1a8-4e3f-8e5e-c08f3e15025f).html.
Abstract:
This study examines the benefits of learning innovations in e-learning (asynchronous classrooms only) and blended learning (asynchronous virtual classrooms plus traditional learning) compared to traditional learning (classroom lectures). It specifically investigates effects on student satisfaction, retention, progression and achievement. We focussed on core biomedical science modules at London Metropolitan University: and four such modules were electronically supported using a learning and content management system programme. The collaborative learning intervention (N = 193, 71 males, 122 females), showed there was no significant change observed in performance across pre-intervention and post intervention modules over five years, with the exception of the 2010 cohort (p = 0.008) where students responded positively to the intervention. Interestingly, the quality of student online posts and final group grade for coursework revealed a strong positive relationship (r = +0.69, p < 0.0001, 42% improvement). We determined that tutors enhance work quality via moderation of online posts. The availability of personalised, timely and iterative feedback is likely to be responsible for this difference. Gender differences were apparent. There was a strong positive correlation between overall group rating and individual rating in male students only (r = +0.81**, p < 0.0001, 65% of predictions correct) and with males’ personal expectation (r = +0.5**, p < 0.0001) (Table 4.4). Males’ mean self-rating was 9/9 and females 7.9/9. Interestingly, 52% of females were likely to predict their final grade accurately, appearing to base this judgement on their interaction with the work and results self and peer assessment. The judgement of male students appeared to be based solely on self-belief that out stripped attainment with correct predictions in 25% of cases. The mean coursework pass mark for the post intervention module increased compared to previous years. Student self-evaluation showed that >80% enjoyed the collaborative learning work elements. For an optional formative assessment intervention, impact was evaluated over five-years. This study identified a significant difference between the intervention cohorts and the non-intervention year group, who were educated traditionally. When the post intervention groups were compared to the control, highly significant p values were obtained (p = < 0.0001 to < 0.00001). Additionally, students who were ‘quiz avoiders’ attained lower grades. The control group (N = 190), attained a mean mark of 55.3%, within this group, quiz avoiders achieved marks ranging from 34.4-42.6%. Quiz takers performed better than the control group with the mean marks ranging from 59.2-61.2%. Thus, blended learners’ achievements significantly improved (p = 0.0001), compared with those pre-intervention and those not engaging. In terms of self-evaluation, 60% of students rated the formative assessment (online quizzes) as ‘useful’ or ‘very useful’. Web-based collaboration improved academic performance and student satisfaction. Comparisons between pre-intervention and intervention groups were significantly different to the fraction of final exam first sit passes (p = 0.048). The intervention group showed the improvement. Interventions were applied at specific time points so that intra-annual comparisons could be drawn. This study detected profound differences: the mid-year exam (pre-intervention) was compared to the final exam (post-intervention) and showed a significant first sit performance (p = < 0.0001). Interestingly, 70% of students stated they would like the intervention (BB Collaborate) in more of their modules. We have shown, for the first time, that longitudinal studies over five year of large cohorts, there is a consistent significant improvement in student performance and engagement-using reward based formative assessment (Jacoby, et al., 2013 – incorporates data from this thesis). These interventions have subsequently been incorporated into the successful London Metropolitan University biomedical science course and in combination led to enhanced retention, progression and achievement over the study period. Furthermore, the practices illustrated are applicable to a modern higher education environment and are likely to enhance many similar course routes across the sector.
42
Roy, Patrick. "Manuels scolaires et savoirs disciplinaires en sciences et technologies : résultats d'une analyse de la documentation scientifique." Mémoire, Université de Sherbrooke, 2010. http://savoirs.usherbrooke.ca/handle/11143/677.
Abstract:
Cette recherche consiste en une analyse de la documentation scientifique qui s'est intéressée aux manuels scolaires et à leur utilisation par les enseignants et les élèves du point de vue des savoirs disciplinaires en sciences et technologies. Trente-trois études ont été analysées sous l'angle de leurs objectifs, de leurs cadres de référence, de leurs méthodologies et de leurs résultats. Les résultats montrent : a) une prédominance des études sur les manuels comme objet d'étude, b) des constats très critiques sur la manière dont les manuels abordent les savoirs disciplinaires, c) les effets positifs de l'utilisation de certaines approches pédagogiques sur les apprentissages disciplinaires, d) les retombées positives d'une formation des enseignants centrée sur une utilisation stratégique des manuels. Des implications des résultats de cette étude sur la production des manuels et sur leur utilisation en classe, ainsi que des pistes de recherche à développer dans le domaine sont également présentées.
43
Arneng, Per, and Richard Bladh. "Performance Analysis of Distributed Object Middleware Technologies." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för programvaruteknik och datavetenskap, 2003. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-5906.
Abstract:
Each day new computers around the world connects to the Internet or some network. The increasing number of people and computers on the Internet has lead to a demand for more services in different domains that can be accessed from many locations in the network. When the computers communicate they use different kinds of protocols to be able to deliver a service. One of these protocol families are remote procedure calls between computers. Remote procedure calls has been around for quite some time but it is with the Internet that its usage has increased a lot and especially in its object oriented form which comes from the fact that object oriented programming has become a popular choice amongst programmers. When a programmer has to choose a distributed object middleware there is a lot to take into consideration and one of those things is performance. This master thesis aims to give a performance comparison between different distributed object middleware technologies and give an overview of the performance difference between them and make it easier for a programmer to choose one of the technologies when performance is an important factor. In this thesis we have evaluated the performance of CORBA, DCOM, RMI, RMI-IIOP, Remoting-TCP and Remoting-HTTP. The results we have seen from this evaluation is that DCOM and RMI are the distributed object middleware technologies with the best overall performance in terms of throughput and round trip time. Remoting-TCP generally generates the least amount of network traffic, while Remoting-HTTP generates the most amount of network traffic due to it's SOAP-formated protocol.Detta magister arbete handlar om en prestanda analys av distribuerade objectorienterande mellanlagers teknologier. Dokumentet jämför prestandan på följande teknologier: CORBA, DCOM, RMI, RMI-IIOP, Remoting-TCP and Remoting-HTTP. Jämförelsen är i både server och klient perspektiv.
The authors can probably not be reached on the e-mail addresses given here or in the thesis. A simple search on any search engine will probably lead to valid an address. The reason for this is becouse the student mail is not a longterm address.
44
Bousadra, Fatima. "L’enseignement par projets en sciences et technologies : études des pratiques d’enseignement chez des enseignants du secondaire au Québec." Thèse, Université de Sherbrooke, 2014. http://savoirs.usherbrooke.ca/handle/11143/157.
Abstract:
Dans l’enseignement des sciences et technologies (ST) au secondaire au Québec, les
prescriptions officielles en lien avec les démarches d’enseignement préconisent le recours à des
situations d’enseignement-apprentissage contextualisées, ouvertes et intégratives (MELS, 2006).
Parmi les dispositifs pédagogiques retenus pour actualiser ces orientations, on retrouve
l’enseignement par projets (EPP). Si plusieurs études empiriques montrent des effets positifs du
recours à l’EPP sur l’apprentissage des savoirs disciplinaires, d’autres écrits pointent les risques
réels de dérives lors de sa mise en oeuvre.
Dans cette thèse, nous avons analysé les pratiques de six enseignants qui disent recourir à l’EPP.
Les projets ont été élaborés par eux-mêmes pour enseigner des contenus disciplinaires de leurs
choix. Les données considérées sont issues d’enregistrements vidéo en classe, précédées et
suivies d’entrevues qui tiennent compte de quelques dimensions relatives aux apprentissages des
contenus disciplinaires: quoi enseigner (quels savoirs disciplinaires sont visés et traités dans le
projet)?; Comment (le déroulement et les tâches des enseignants et des élèves)?; En recourant à
quelles ressources didactiques?
Les résultats révèlent des conceptions très variées des caractéristiques de l’EPP et une centration,
dans les justifications du recours à cette approche, sur des finalités d’ordre
psychopégadagogique. Par ailleurs l’articulation entre les caractéristiques des projets, véhiculée
par les liens entre les mises en situation, les problèmes et les produits réalisés, et les savoirs visés
s’avère déficiente dans la majorité des projets. Un seul enseignant a proposé un contexte qui, à la
fois, fait partie de la vie quotidienne des élèves et tient compte des enjeux épistémologiques des
concepts traités. Pour le reste, les liens de pertinence, d’un point de vue scientifique et
technologique, entre les tâches des élèves et les savoirs visés sont superficiels ou absents.
45
Carpenter, Phoebe KitSum. "The effects of assistive technologies on family caregivers| A secondary analysis." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1523040.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore family caregivers' perceptions of the use of assistive technology to manage care, through secondary analysis of data from the Healthy@home 2.0 survey. An online survey conducted by Knowledge Panel (KP) was distributed via email invitation to those who met the qualifications for the sample. The data was collected between November 22 and November 29,2010. The sample (N = 1, 152) consisted of caregivers between the ages of 45 to 75 years. This study examined a total of 31 questions assessing caregivers' actual use, awareness, willingness, enablers, and barriers to assistive technology. Assistive technologies have become crucial when caring for patients at home. Assistive technologies can help cut healthcare cost by shorter hospital stay and assist the elderly to continue to live independently at home and caring for themselves or with the help of family members. The findings highlighted that most participants are willing to use the assistive technologies despite a high reporting of barriers. Despite some limitations in this study, these highlighted findings will present some understanding into the perception of assistive technologies in the caregivers.
46
Mccarthy, Matthew James. "Evaluating satellite and supercomputing technologies for improved coastal ecosystem assessments." Scholar Commons, 2017. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7059.
Abstract:
Water quality and wetlands represent two vital elements of a healthy coastal ecosystem. Both experienced substantial declines in the U.S. during the 20th century. Overall coastal wetland cover decreased over 50% in the 20th century due to coastal development and water pollution. Management and legislative efforts have successfully addressed some of the problems and threats, but recent research indicates that the diffuse impacts of climate change and non-point source pollution may be the primary drivers of current and future water-quality and wetland stress. In order to respond to these pervasive threats, traditional management approaches need to adopt modern technological tools for more synoptic, frequent and fine-scale monitoring and assessment. In this dissertation, I explored some of the applications possible with new, commercial satellite imagery to better assess the status of coastal ecosystems.
Large-scale land-cover change influences the quality of adjacent coastal water. Satellite imagery has been used to derive land-cover maps since the 1960’s. It provides multiple data points with which to evaluate the effects of land-cover change on water quality. The objective of the first chapter of this research was to determine how 40 years of land-cover change in the Tampa Bay watershed (6,500 km2) may have affected turbidity and chlorophyll concentration – two proxies for coastal water quality. Land cover classes were evaluated along with precipitation and wind stress as explanatory variables. Results varied between analyses for the entire estuary and those of segments within the bay. Changes in developed land percent cover best explained the turbidity and chlorophyll-concentration time series for the entire bay (R2 > 0.75, p < 0.02).
The paucity of official land-cover maps (i.e. five maps) restricted the temporal resolution of the assessments. Furthermore, most estuaries along the Gulf of Mexico do not have forty years of water-quality time series with which to perform evaluations against land-cover change. Ocean-color satellite imagery was used to derive proxies for coastal water with near-daily satellite observations since 2000. The goal of chapter two was to identify drivers of turbidity variability for 11 National Estuary Program water bodies along the Gulf of Mexico. Land cover assessments could not be used as an explanatory variable because of the low temporal resolution (i.e. approximately one map per five-year period). Ocean color metrics were evaluated against atmospheric, meteorological, and oceanographic variables including precipitation, wind speed, U and V wind vectors, river discharge, and water level over weekly, monthly, seasonal and annual time steps. Climate indices like the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño Southern Oscillation index were also examined as possible drivers of long-term changes. Extreme turbidity events were defined by the 90th and 95th percentile observations over each time step. Wind speed, river discharge and El Niño best explained variability in turbidity time-series and extreme events (R2 > 0.2, p < 0.05), but this varied substantially between time steps and estuaries.
The background land cover analyses conducted for coastal water quality studies showed that there are substantial discrepancies between the wetland extent estimates mapped by local, state and federal agencies. The third chapter of my research sought to examine these differences and evaluate the accuracy and precision of wetland maps using high spatial-resolution (i.e. two-meter) WorldView-2 satellite imagery. Ground validation data showed that wetlands mapped at two study sites in Tampa Bay were more accurately identified by WorldView-2 than by Landsat imagery (30-meter resolution). When compared to maps produced separately by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Florida Water Management District, and National Wetland Inventory, we found that these historical land cover products overestimated by 2-10 times the actual extent of wetlands as identified in the WorldView-2 maps.
We could find no study that had utilized more than six of these commercial images for a given project. Part of the problem is cost of the images, but there is also the cost of processing the images, which is typically done one at a time and with substantial human interaction. Chapter four explains an approach to automate the preprocessing and classification of imagery to detect wetlands within the Tampa Bay watershed (6,500 km2). Software scripts in Python, Matlab and Linux were used to ingest 130 WorldView-2 images and to generate maps that included wetlands, uplands, water, and bare and developed land. These maps proved to be more accurate at identifying forested wetland (78%) than those by NOAA, SWFWMD, and NWI (45-65%) based on ground validation data. Typical processing methods would have required 4-5 months to complete this work, but this protocol completed the 130 images in under 24 hours.
Chapter five of the dissertation reviews coastal management case studies that have used satellite technologies. The objective was to illustrate the utility of this technology. The management sectors reviewed included coral reefs, wetlands, water quality, public health, and fisheries and aquaculture.
47
Downey, Laura. "Well-being Technologies: Meditation Using Virtual Worlds." NSUWorks, 2015. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/65.
Abstract:
In a technologically overloaded world, is it possible to use technology to support well-being activities and enhance human flourishing? Proponents of positive technology and positive computing are striving to answer yes to that question. However, the impact of technology on well-being remains unresolved. Positive technology combines technology and positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on well-being and the science of human flourishing. Positive computing includes an emphasis on designing with well-being in mind as a way to support human potential. User experience (UX) is critical to positive technology and positive computing. UX researchers and practitioners are advocating for experience-driven design and third wave human-computer interaction (HCI) that focuses on multi-dimensional, interpretive, situated, and phenomenological aspects. Third-wave HCI goes beyond cognition to include emotions, values, culture, and experience. This research investigated technology-supported meditation in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual world from a positive technology perspective to examine how technology can support engagement, self-empowerment, and well-being. Designing and evaluating technology for well-being support is complex and challenging. Further, although virtual worlds have been used in positive technology applications, little research exists that illuminates the experience of user engagement in virtual worlds. In this formative exploratory study, experienced meditators (N = 12) interacted with a virtual meditation world titled Sanctuarium that was developed for this research. Using a third wave HCI approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to understand the nature of engagement with a virtual world and the experiential aspects of technology-supported meditation. Results supported using virtual worlds to produce restorative natural environments. Participants overwhelmingly reacted positively to the islandscape including both visual and sound elements. Findings indicated that Sanctuarium facilitated the meditation experience, similar to guided meditation – although participants remarked on the uniqueness of the experience. Aspects of facilitation centered on the concepts of non-distraction, focus, and simplicity of design and instructions. Participants also identified Sanctuarium as a good tool for helping those new to meditation. Meditators described positive effects of their meditation experience during interviews and also rated their experience as positive using the scale titled Effects of Meditation During Meditation. Phenomenological analysis provided a rich description of the nature of engagement while meditating with Sanctuarium. Meditators also rated engagement as high via an adapted User Engagement Scale. This interdisciplinary work drew from multiple fields and contributes to the HCI domain, virtual worlds’ literature, information systems research, and the nascent areas of positive technology and positive computing.
48
Ibrahimli, Nihad. "BlockChain Technologies in the World of Fashion." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-290894.
Abstract:
Blockchain, a solution for different parties to reach consensus in a peertopeer (P2P) networks, allows us to distribute data across different entities. Many areas, including financial, health care, eCommerce, marketing, can benefit from blockchain technology. Influencer marketing also takes benefit from the properties of blockchain technology. Most of the time, social media influencers have an” ideal” body, affecting how theproduct they are advertising looks on them, which results in increased returns inonline shopping. Moreover, existing applications are not involving microinfluencers(10,000 100,000 followers) in the campaigns that brands have created. In order to tackle the mentioned problems, a blockchain distributed size and fit application framework is proposed in this thesis. The framework offers a possibility for micro influencers to participate in the brands’ campaigns. However, microinfluencers are not directly involved in communication with brands. Instead, macroinfluencers (over100,000 followers) play a role as a bridge between microinfluencers and brands by creating subcampaigns of the brands’ campaigns. With the involvement of micro influencers in the proposed framework, they also share their pictures with the same outfit (different body sizes and shapes), which gives potential buyers a better idea of how the same outfit would look on them before they decide to buy. The proposed solution is implemented with smart contracts using Solidity and tested in the Ropstentest network. Testing the smart contract in the Ropsten test network shows that the proposed solution is feasible in terms of financial costs. The proposed framework is not limited to giving the possibility to only brands to advertise products, but it also offers macroinfluencers and potential microinfluencers an opportunity to earna reward in exchange for promoting the products of brands. The whole process starting from applying for a campaign to claiming reward is handled without manual intervention.Blockchain, en lösning för olika parter för att nå konsensus i ett peertopeernätverk(P2P), låter oss distribuera data över olika enheter. Många områden, inklusiveekonomi, hälsovård, ehandel, marknadsföring, kan dra nytta av blockchainteknik.Influencermarknadsföring drar också nytta av blockchainteknikens egenskaper.För det mesta har påverkare på sociala medier en ”idealisk” kropp som påverkarhur produkten de annonserar ser ut på dem, vilket resulterar i ökad avkastning ionlineshopping. Dessutom involverar befintliga applikationer inte mikroinfluencer(10 000 100 000 följare) i de kampanjer som varumärken har skapat. För atthantera de nämnda problemen föreslås en blockchaindistribuerad applikationsrami denna avhandling. Ramverket erbjuder en möjlighet för mikroinfluencer attdelta i varumärkets kampanjer. Mikroinfluencer är dock inte direkt inblandade ikommunikation med varumärken. Istället spelar makroinfluencer (över 100 000följare) en roll som en bro mellan mikroinfluencer och varumärken genom att skapaunderkampanjer av varumärkets kampanjer. Med deltagande av mikroinfluenceri det föreslagna ramverket delar de också sina bilder med samma outfit (olikakroppsstorlekar och former), vilket ger potentiella köpare en bättre uppfattning omhur samma outfit skulle se ut på dem innan de bestämmer sig för att köpa . Denföreslagna lösningen implementeras med smarta kontrakt använder Solidity och testasi Ropstentestnätverket. Att testa det smarta kontraktet i Ropstentestnätverket visaratt den föreslagna lösningen är genomförbar när det gäller finansiella kostnader.Den föreslagna ramen är inte begränsad till att ge endast varumärken möjlighetatt marknadsföra produkter, men den ger också makroinflytande och potentiellamikroinfluencer möjlighet att tjäna en belöning i utbyte för att marknadsföraprodukter från varumärken. Hela processen från att ansöka om en kampanj till attfå belöning hanteras utan manuellt ingripande
49
Lannabi, Mohammed. "Technologies modernes de communication dans l'enseignement supérieur algérien." Université Stendhal (Grenoble ; 1970-2015), 1987. http://www.theses.fr/1987GRE39034.
Abstract:
L'universite algerienne a interet a promouvoir une technologie moderne de communication (tmc) en vue d'ameliorer ses pratiques pedagogiques. De tels changements interviendront avec la participation de tous les agents pedagogiques interesses. Or cette participation met en jeu divers parametres socio-culturels, en plus de toutes les contraintes materielles et institutionnelles que l'algerie continue d'affronter. Les experiences d'utilisation des tmc appliquees a l'enseignement montrent que les equipements doivent etre integres, sans quoi ils sont gaspilles. Ces tmc ne sont pas seulement des supports d'informations a vehiculer. Ils introduisent des langages et des codes a prendre en compte et a developper dans des processus d'apprentissage et d'enseignement. Pour cela, des programmes de formation pedagogique acceleree sont a lancer a la base. Ils donnent toujours lieu a des transformations qui ne manqueront pas de toucher aux habitudes sociales et aux modes de formation et de pensee. Ce qui explique l'apparition de resistances qui freinent les projets rationnels d'activites pedagogiques d'innovation. Ce volet psycho sociologique et culturel est a l'origine de l'echec de nombreuses experiences de transfert de technologies, tentees dans divers pays, notamment dans des pays du tiers-monde. Or, ces tmc peuvent servir a la creation d'outils pedagogiques qui soient des solutions pedagogiques d'avenir. Des adaptations dictees par les realites locales s'imposent et se precisent avec la participation d'agents pedagogiques algeriens. De plus en plus des recherches s'affinent et portent sur les moyens de rapprochement entre les tmc et la pedagogie. Elles visent une meilleure integration professionnelle et sociale des innovations dans une lutte contre l'alienation materielle et culturelle. Des organismes internationaux et intergouvernementaux apportent leur soutien a des projets qui ont besoin de mouvements d'educateurs pour les mener a bien.
50
Amara, Sofiane. "Novel and ancient technologies for heating and cooling buildings." Doctoral thesis, Luleå tekniska universitet, Arkitektur och vatten, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-16977.
Abstract:
The basic issue of this thesis concerns one of the fundamental problems of the future of our society: How to meet the energy requirements for a large and growing world population while preserving our environment? This question is important for the world and the answers are complex and interwoven.Conventional energy sources, fossil and fissile, are polluting in the present and in the future: they erode the environment and their resources are limited. Renewable energy (hydro, wind, solar, geothermal) constitutes a minimum of pollution in the different energy systems. The technologies for using renewable energy are well known though further development and progress are made. This development also requires behavioural change, adaptation, and above all political will. The transition from an economy based on fossil energy to an economy based on renewable energy appears necessary for the protection of the environment. The cost of renewable energy is often represented as an obstacle but remains competitive in the long run.The development and availability of renewable energy, which varies because of its spatial and temporal distribution, require an adaptation of lifestyle, habits, habitat design (passive bioclimatic houses), urban planning and transportation.The focus of this thesis was to apply renewable energy in an area with hot summers and cold winter, a climate like that in the northwest of Algeria. In order to provide improved comfort in the buildings and also economic development in this area, the energy demand for heating and cooling was analyzed in the ancient city of Tlemcen. To supply domestic hot water and space heating, water must be simultaneously available at two different temperature levels. Cold water temperature, close to that of the atmosphere, and hot water between 50 and 60°C. An interesting feature of the preparation of hot water is the small variation of requirements during the year, unlike that to heating. The preparation of hot water is one of the preferred applications of solar energy in the building for several reasons. For this reason an experimental study of the thermal behaviour of a domestic hot water storage tank was undertaken. The phenomena that affect the thermal behaviour of tank especially the coupling between the solar collector and storage tank was studied. This study included concentrating solar collector in which optical fibers were used to transport the energy to the storage tank. Another technology was introduced and developed for the heating and cooling of buildings in the desert involving an existing ancient irrigation system called Fouggara. The novel idea is to use the Fouggara as an air conditioner by pumping ambient air through this underground system. Then air at a temperature of about 21°C would be supplied to the building for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. This study shows the feasibility of using this ancient irrigation system of Fouggara and contributes to reducing and eliminating the energy demand for heating and cooling buildings in the Sahara desert.Godkänd; 2011; 20110920 (sofama)