Dynamic privacy in a smart house environment

A smart house can be regarded as a surveillance environment in which the person being observed carries out activities that range from intimate to more public. What can be observed depends on the activity, the person observing (e.g. a carer) and policy. In assisted living smart house environments, a single privacy policy, applied throughout, would be either too invasive for an occupant, or too restrictive for an observer, due to the conflicting goals of surveillance and private environments. Hence, we propose a dynamic method for altering the level of privacy in the environment based on the context, the situation within the environment, encompassing factors relevant to ensuring the occupant's safety and privacy. The context is mapped to an appropriate level of privacy, which is implemented by controlling access to data sources (e.g. video) using data hiding techniques. The aim of this work is to decrease the invasiveness of the technology, while retaining the purpose of the system.

Privacy and the access of information in a smart house environment

In this paper we present a framework for addressing privacy issues raised by the monitoring of assisted living smart house environments. In home environments, the conflict between the goals of the surveillance, and the private nature of the home, raises the issue of occupant privacy. This issue needs to be addressed if applications are to be accepted by the occupant. We identify four key properties required for the design of privacy sensitive ubiquitous computing applications. Subsequently, we develop a dynamic and flexible method for implementing privacy measures through controlling access to data, and an interface to provide feedback to the occupant, enabling them to control the implemented privacy measures. We form a generic framework for implementing privacy sensitive ubiquitous computing applications based on previous applications within the field. This framework was then extended and used to develop a specific framework for a privacy sensitive smart house. The approach proposed in the framework dynamically applies privacy measures to multi-modal data according to the situation, or context, of the environment. We further test an implementation of the privacy measures, and detail methods to implement feedback and control. The approach aims to decrease the invasiveness of the surveillance, while retaining the purpose of the assisted living environment.

Spatial activity recognition in a smart home environment using a chemotactic model

Spatial activity recognition is challenging due to the amount of noise incorporated during video tracking in everyday environments. We address the spatial recognition problem with a biologically-inspired chemotactic model that is capable of handling noisy data. The model is based on bacterial chemotaxis, a process that allows bacteria to change motile behaviour in relation to environmental gradients. Through adoption of chemotactic principles, we propose the chemotactic model and evaluate its performance in a smart house environment. The model exhibits greater than 99% recognition performance with a diverse six class dataset and outperforms the Hidden Markov Model (HMM). The approach also maintains high accuracy (90-99%) with small training sets of one to five sequences. Importantly, unlike other low-level spatial activity recognition models, we show that the chemotactic model is capable of recognising simple interwoven activities.

Efficient Coxian duration modelling for activity recognition in smart environment with the hidden semi-Markov model

In this paper, we exploit the discrete Coxian distribution and propose a novel form of stochastic model, termed as the Coxian hidden semi-Makov model (Cox-HSMM), and apply it to the task of recognising activities of daily living (ADLs) in a smart house environment. The use of the Coxian has several advantages over traditional parameterization (e.g. multinomial or continuous distributions) including the low number of free parameters needed, its computational efficiency, and the existing of closed-form solution. To further enrich the model in real-world applications, we also address the problem of handling missing observation for the proposed Cox-HSMM. In the domain of ADLs, we emphasize the importance of the duration information and model it via the Cox-HSMM. Our experimental results have shown the superiority of the Cox-HSMM in all cases when compared with the standard HMM. Our results have further shown that outstanding recognition accuracy can be achieved with relatively low number of phases required in the Coxian, thus making the Cox-HSMM particularly suitable in recognizing ADLs whose movement trajectories are typically very long in nature.

'Smart' technologies in early years literacy education: a meta-narrative of paradigmatic tensions in iPad use in an Australian preparatory classroom

With the revolution that has taken place in the functionality and uptake of portable networked ‘smart’ technologies, educators are looking to see what potential applications such technologies might have for school education. This article reports on a study into the use of portable personal computing devices in the early years of schooling. Specifically, it focuses on emerging patterns of use of Apple iPads in an Australian Preparatory (first year of compulsory schooling) classroom across the first year of implementation of these devices. We draw on student and teacher interviews and classroom observation data to provide a research meta-narrative of the intentions, practices and reflections of a ‘first year out’ teacher, and to discuss points of tension found in the contested space of early years literacy education, which are highlighted when potentially transformative technologies meet institutionalized literacy education practices. Our findings suggest that the broader policy and curriculum context of early years literacy education, and institutionalized practices found in this space, are potentially at odds with teacher-held intentions to transform learning through technology use, particularly with respect to tensions between print-based traditions and new digital literacies, and those between standards-based classroom curricular and more emancipatory agendas.

Mobile technology platforms for flexible access to information resources : considerations in the use of ebook readers, smart phones, netbooks and iPads

Smart phones are everywhere, people are taking eBook readers on holiday, the iPad has queues of people wanting to buy one, and some netbooks can fit in a pocket. The technology is attractive and increasingly affordable – how can it help an individual in their access to and use of texts, journals, databases, clinical sources, the web and day-to-day information? The Library has been investigating and trialling mobile devices during 2010, and has received interesting feedback from staff and students on the effectiveness of the technology in the University and personal environments. Each device has its strengths and weaknesses depending on the needs of the individual or activity it is supporting – productivity, research, study, clinical or recreational. The presentation will explore these issues along with some of the practical implications at Deakin, and international experiences in academic environments.

The moderating influence of device characteristics and usage on user acceptance of Smart Mobile Devices

This study seeks to develop a comprehensive model of consumer acceptance in the context of Smart Mobile Device (SMDs). This paper proposes an adaptation of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model that can be employed to explain and predict the acceptance of SMDs. Also included in the model are a number of external and new moderating variables that can be used to explain user intentions and subsequent usage behaviour. The model holds that Activity-based Usage and Device Characteristics are posited to moderate the impact of the constructs empirically validated in the UTAUT2 model. Through an important cluster of antecedents the proposed model aims to enhance our understanding of consumer motivations for using SMDs and aid efforts to promote the adoption and diffusion of these devices.

Supporting personalised content management in smart health information portals

Information portals are seen as an appropriate platform for personalised healthcare and wellbeing information provision. Efficient content management is a core capability of a successful smart health information portal (SHIP) and domain expertise is a vital input to content management when it comes to matching user profiles with the appropriate resources. The rate of generation of new health-related content far exceeds the numbers that can be manually examined by domain experts for relevance to a specific topic and audience. In this paper we investigate automated content discovery as a plausible solution to this shortcoming that capitalises on the existing database of expert-endorsed content as an implicit store of knowledge to guide such a solution. We propose a novel content discovery technique based on a text analytics approach that utilises an existing content repository to acquire new and relevant content. We also highlight the contribution of this technique towards realisation of smart content management for SHIPs.

Study protocol for "Moving bright, eating smart"- a phase 2 clinical trial on the acceptability and feasibility of a diet and physical activity intervention to prevent recurrence in colorectal cancer survivors

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer and cancer-killer in Hong Kong with an alarming increasing incidence in recent years. The latest World Cancer Research Fund report concluded that foods low in fibre, and high in red and processed meat cause colorectal cancer whereas physical activity protects against
colon cancer. Yet, the influence of these lifestyle factors on cancer outcome is largely unknown even though cancer survivors are eager for lifestyle modifications. Observational studies suggested that low intake of a Western-pattern diet and high physical activity level reduced colorectal cancer mortality. The Theory of Planned
Behaviour and the Health Action Process Approach have guided the design of intervention models targeting a wide range of health-related behaviours.
Methods/design: We aim to demonstrate the feasibility of two behavioural interventions intended to improve colorectal cancer outcome and which are designed to increase physical activity level and reduce consumption of a Western-pattern diet. This three year study will be a multicentre, randomised controlled trial in a 2x2 factorial
design comparing the “Moving Bright, Eating Smart” (physical activity and diet) programme against usual care. Subjects will be recruited over a 12-month period, undertake intervention for 12 months and followed up for a further 12 months. Baseline, interim and three post-intervention assessments will be conducted. Two hundred and twenty-two colorectal cancer patients who completed curative treatment without evidence of recurrence will be recruited into the study. Primary outcome measure will be whether physical activity and dietary targets are met at the end of the 12-month intervention. Secondary outcome measures include the magnitude and
mechanism of behavioural change, the degree and determinants of compliance, and the additional health benefits and side effects of the intervention.
Discussion: The results of this study will establish the feasibility of targeting the two behaviours (diet and physical activity) and demonstrate the magnitude of behaviour change. The information will facilitate the design of a further larger phase III randomised controlled trial with colorectal cancer outcome as the study endpoint to determine whether this intervention model would reduce colorectal cancer recurrence and mortality.

Stair climber smart mobile robot (MSRox)

MSRox is a wheeled mobile robot with two actuated degrees of freedom which enables it to have smooth motion on flat surfaces. It has the capability of climbing stairs and traversing obstacles, and adaptability toward uphill, downhill and slope surfaces. MSRox with 82 cm in length, 54 cm in width and 29 cm in height has been designed to climb stairs of 10 cm in height and 15 cm in width; nevertheless, it has the capability of climbing stairs up to about 17 cm in height and unlimited widt. In this paper, the motion systems and the capabilities of MSRox are described. Furthermore, experimental results of stair climbing and a comparison of the results with others are presented.