Control and Guidance of Low-Cost Robots via Gesture Perception for Monitoring Activities in the Home

This paper describes the development of a low-cost mini-robot that is controlled by visual gestures. The prototype allows a person with disabilities to perform visual inspections indoors and in domestic spaces. Such a device could be used as the operator's eyes obviating the need for him to move about. The robot is equipped with a motorised webcam that is also controlled by visual gestures. This camera is used to monitor tasks in the home using the mini-robot while the operator remains quiet and motionless. The prototype was evaluated through several experiments testing the ability to use the mini-robot’s kinematics and communication systems to make it follow certain paths. The mini-robot can be programmed with specific orders and can be tele-operated by means of 3D hand gestures to enable the operator to perform movements and monitor tasks from a distance.

Testing the level of interactivity of institutional websites: From museums 1.0 to museums 2.0

The Internet has changed the way in which organizations communicate with their publics, and museums are not an exception. The consolidation of Web 2.0 has not only given museums access to a powerful new tool for disseminating information, but has involved significant changes in the relationship between institutions and their publics, facilitating and enhancing the interaction between them. The overall objective of this paper is to analyze the degree of interactivity implemented in the websites of major international art museums, in order to assess if museums are evolving towards more dialogic systems with relation to their publics. The results indicate that museums still have a low level of interactivity on their websites, both in the tools used to present information and the resources available for interaction with virtual visitors. But it has also observed that museums are progressively implementing interactive and dialogic sources, suggesting a clear trend towards new ways of managing these platforms in order to establish more participatory and collaborative communication systems with virtual users.

Structures, Systems and Organizational Communication Processes in Franchises in times of crisis: the Spanish case

Current economic crisis together with the Internet revolution has had direct impacts on the franchise sector of Spain: in particular on its unique communication network. The aim of this research is to analyse how Spanish franchise companies have adapted to these changes through its corporate communications management. We want to determine whether the management of communications is ideal to the growth and consolidation of companies in the market. Corporate communications plans and organizational structures were analyzed to verify whether or not information technology (i.e. the use of the Internet) is maximized: the communications aspect being a critical area of company growth. We found that most franchise companies surveyed had adapted well to the changes in information technology, despite economic challenges. The Internet as a communications tool has been limited to its utility as a “bulletin board” for information. The marketing advantage of Internet communication, or its use as an avenue for customer exchange and exchange of goods and services has yet to be maximized. Future research may look into the details of how companies are able to maximize the communications-marketing advantage that Online/Internet can contribute to the franchise sector.