From e-voting to smart-voting : e-Tools in and for elections and direct democracy in Switzerland

To what extent do and could e-tools contribute to a democracy like Switzerland? This paper puts forward experiences and visions concerning the application of e-tools for the most traditional democratic processes- elections and, of special importance in Switzerland, direct-democratic votes.Having the particular voting behaviour of the Swiss electorate in mind (low voter turnout - especially among the youngest age group, low political knowledge, etc.) we believe that e-tools which provide information in the forefront of elections or direct-democratic votes offer an enormous service to the voter. As soon as e-voting will be possible in Switzerland (as planned by the government), those e-tools for gathering information online will become indispensable and will gain power enormously. Therefore political scientists should not only focus on potential effects of e-voting itself but rather on the combination of (connected)e-tools of the pre-voting and the voting sphere. In the case of Switzerland, we argue in this paper, the offer of VAAs such as smartvote for elections and direct-democratic votes can provide the voter with more balanced and qualitatively higher information and thereby make a valuable contribution to the Swiss democracy.

A gamma camera count rate saturation correction method for whole-body planar imaging.

Whole-body (WB) planar imaging has long been one of the staple methods of dosimetry, and its quantification has been formalized by the MIRD Committee in pamphlet no 16. One of the issues not specifically addressed in the formalism occurs when the count rates reaching the detector are sufficiently high to result in camera count saturation. Camera dead-time effects have been extensively studied, but all of the developed correction methods assume static acquisitions. However, during WB planar (sweep) imaging, a variable amount of imaged activity exists in the detector's field of view as a function of time and therefore the camera saturation is time dependent. A new time-dependent algorithm was developed to correct for dead-time effects during WB planar acquisitions that accounts for relative motion between detector heads and imaged object. Static camera dead-time parameters were acquired by imaging decaying activity in a phantom and obtaining a saturation curve. Using these parameters, an iterative algorithm akin to Newton's method was developed, which takes into account the variable count rate seen by the detector as a function of time. The algorithm was tested on simulated data as well as on a whole-body scan of high activity Samarium-153 in an ellipsoid phantom. A complete set of parameters from unsaturated phantom data necessary for count rate to activity conversion was also obtained, including build-up and attenuation coefficients, in order to convert corrected count rate values to activity. The algorithm proved successful in accounting for motion- and time-dependent saturation effects in both the simulated and measured data and converged to any desired degree of precision. The clearance half-life calculated from the ellipsoid phantom data was calculated to be 45.1 h after dead-time correction and 51.4 h with no correction; the physical decay half-life of Samarium-153 is 46.3 h. Accurate WB planar dosimetry of high activities relies on successfully compensating for camera saturation which takes into account the variable activity in the field of view, i.e. time-dependent dead-time effects. The algorithm presented here accomplishes this task.

Comparison of fundus autofluorescence images acquired by the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (488 nm excitation) and the modified Topcon fundus camera (580 nm excitation).

To compare autofluorescence (AF) images obtained with the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (using the Heidelberg retina angiograph; HRA) and the modified Topcon fundus camera, in a routine clinical setting. A prospective comparative study conducted at the Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital. Fifty-six patients from the medical retina clinic. All patients had complete ophthalmic slit-lamp and fundus examinations, colour and red-free fundus photography, AF imaging with both instruments, and fluorescein angiography. Cataract and fixation were graded clinically. AF patterns were analyzed for healthy and pathological features. Differences of image noise were analyzed by cataract grading and fixation. A total of 105 eyes were included. AF patterns discovered by the retina angiograph and the fundus camera images, respectively, were a dark optic disc in 72 % versus 15 %, a dark fovea in 92 % versus 4 %, sub- and intraretinal fluid visible as hyperautofluorescence on HRA images only, lipid exudates visible as hypoautofluorescence on HRA images only. The same autofluorescent pattern was found on both images for geographic atrophy, retinal pigment changes, drusen and haemorrhage. Image noise was significantly associated with the degree of cataract and/or poor fixation, favouring the fundus camera. Images acquired by the fundus camera before and after fluorescein angiography were identical. Fundus AF images differ according to the technical differences of the instruments used. Knowledge of these differences is important not only for correctly interpreting images, but also for selecting the most appropriate instrument for the clinical situation.

PHA urges 'freshers' to be smart and know their alcohol limits

As 'fresher's week' commences, the Public Health Agency is encouraging students across Northern Ireland to avoid binge drinking and to know their limits if they do choose to drink alcohol.Enjoying new freedoms, at college or university, means taking care of yourself and others and, if you choose to drink, staying within safe alcohol limits. Owen O'Neill, PHA Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager for drugs and alcohol, said: "Some young people may drink more when they leave home, or join their friends in college or university for the first time. They might think that, as young people, they don't have to take care with alcohol, but staying within the safe drinking limits is important for everyone who drinks. Excessive and binge drinking can have lasting effects on health, such as damage to the liver, heart, brain and stomach. Drinking too much can also increase the risk of accidents and antisocial behaviour as well as sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy"."We would also strongly advise against drinking games. Although they are regarded as a 'bit of fun', in reality they can be very dangerous. As an extreme form of binge drinking, where large quantities of alcohol are consumed in a very short time, drinking games can result in alcohol poisoning, leading to brain damage, coma or death. The PHA encourages students to enjoy their new student life, but urges them to be aware of their alcohol intake and drink responsibly, especially throughout fresher's week, with the many cheap drink promotions currently available."Daily alcohol limits are recommended by the government in order to avoid the risks of excessive and binge drinking in any one session. These are:Men: No more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day and no more than 21 units over the course of the week.Women: No more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day and no more than 14 units over the course of the week.Examples of units:Can of extra strong lager - 4 unitsBottle of lager - 1.5 unitsPint of standard lager - 2.5 unitsPint of premium larger - 3 unitsSmall pub bottle of wine - 2.25 units70cl bottle of wine - 7 to 10 unitsStandard 275ml of alcopops - 1.5 to 1.8 units70cl bottle of alcopops - 3.75 to 4.5 unitsPub measure of spirits - 1.5 unitsPint of cider - 3 unitsPint of stout - 2.5 unitsIf you do choose to drink alcohol:DON'T:Ever drink and driveDrink on an empty stomachMix alcohol with other drugsDrink in rounds as this may speed up your drinkingLeave your drinks unattendedDO:Take sips rather than gulpsAlternate each alcoholic drink with a non alcoholic drink e.g. water or a soft drinkSet yourself a limit and try to stick to it (refer to daily alcohol limits) Take frequent breaks from drinking to give your body time to recoverTell friends and family where you are going and who you will be withRemember, that for each unit you drink over the daily limit, the risk to your health increases. It's important to spread the units throughout the week - you can't 'save up' your units for the weekend or your holiday. It is also important to drink plenty of water, ideally matching the amount of alcohol you have consumed.So students make smart choices this term - drink sensibly and know your limits!For further information on sensible drinking and alcohol units visit the Public Health Agency's website www.knowyourlimits.info

A New Year's Resolution - be smart about your drinking!

Now 2012 has arrived, the Public Health Agency is encouraging people to make a New Year's resolution to know their limits when it comes to alcohol, not to drink excessively and to cut back for a while, especially if the festive period led to a little too much consumption.Owen O'Neill, PHA Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager and drugs and alcohol lead, explained: "The New Year is a great opportunity for us to be positive about our health, making resolutions that make us look and feel better. If people choose to drink, staying within the safe drinking limits is important. Excessive and binge drinking can have lasting effects on health, such as damage to the liver, heart, brain and stomach. Drinking too much can also increase the risk of accidents and antisocial behaviour as well as sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy. And it doesn't have to be drinking to extremes - regularly drinking over the recommended limits can have a damaging effect."Remember that for each unit you drink over the daily limit, the risk to your health increases. It's important to spread the units throughout the week and not 'save' them for the weekend and to drink plenty of water, ideally matching the amount of alcohol you have consumed."For those who have consumed a lot of alcohol over the festive season, cutting back in the New Year and being careful can have immediate, positive effects particularly on helping you to look and feel better, being less tired during the day, feeling fitter and perhaps losing weight. Longer term, the benefits include improved mood, sleep, memory and general health, particularly improving liver function, immunity to illness and preventing any damage caused by any excessive drinking getting any worse."Daily alcohol limits are recommended by the government to avoid the dangers of excessive and binge drinking in any one session. These are:MenNo more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day and no more than 21 units over the course of the week.WomenNo more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day and no more than 14 units over the course of the week.Examples of units:Can of extra strong lager - 4 unitsBottle of lager - 1.5 unitsSmall pub bottle of wine - 2.25 unitsPub measure of spirits - 1.5 unitsPint of stout - 2.5 unitsPint of cider - 3 unitsFor further information on sensible drinking and alcohol units visit the Public Health Agency's website www.knowyourlimits.info

Smart Schools = Smart Economy

Ireland’s national recovery will be rooted in further developing our outstanding education system. Schools and colleges are key contributors to economic growth and national competitiveness, providing successive generations with the skills and abilities necessary for a vibrant economy and inclusive society. Within the educational system, teachers play a central role in developing the potential of our children and young people. Our education system must continue to be responsive to and supportive of the economic life of this country.

A Camera-Projector System for Robot Positioning by Visual Servoing

Positioning a robot with respect to objects by using data provided by a camera is a well known technique called visual servoing. In order to perform a task, the object must exhibit visual features which can be extracted from different points of view. Then, visual servoing is object-dependent as it depends on the object appearance. Therefore, performing the positioning task is not possible in presence of nontextured objets or objets for which extracting visual features is too complex or too costly. This paper proposes a solution to tackle this limitation inherent to the current visual servoing techniques. Our proposal is based on the coded structured light approach as a reliable and fast way to solve the correspondence problem. In this case, a coded light pattern is projected providing robust visual features independently of the object appearance

Identification and Semiactive Control of Smart Structures Equipped with Magnetorheological Actuators

This paper deals with the problem of identification and semiactive control of smart structures subject to unknown external disturbances such as earthquake, wind, etc. The experimental setup used is a 6-story test structure equipped with shear-mode semiactive magnetorheological actuators being installed in WUSCEEL. The experimental results obtained have verified the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithms

Application of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) to evaluate the whole gastrointestinal tract: a comparative study of single-camera and dual-camera analysis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) was developed for the evaluation of colorectal pathology. In this study, our aim was to assess if a dual-camera analysis using CCE allows better evaluation of the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract compared to a single-camera analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS We included 21 patients (12 males, mean age 56.20 years) submitted for a CCE examination. After standard colon preparation, the colon capsule endoscope (PillCam Colon™) was swallowed after reinitiation from its "sleep" mode. Four physicians performed the analysis: two reviewed both video streams at the same time (dual-camera analysis); one analyzed images from one side of the device ("camera 1"); and the other reviewed the opposite side ("camera 2"). We compared numbers of findings from different parts of the entire GI tract and level of agreement among reviewers. RESULTS A complete evaluation of the GI tract was possible in all patients. Dual-camera analysis provided 16% and 5% more findings compared to camera 1 and camera 2 analysis, respectively. Overall agreement was 62.7% (kappa = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.373-0.510). Esophageal (kappa = 0.611) and colorectal (kappa = 0.595) findings had a good level of agreement, while small bowel (kappa = 0.405) showed moderate agreement. CONCLUSION The use of dual-camera analysis with CCE for the evaluation of the GI tract is feasible and detects more abnormalities when compared with single-camera analysis.

Application of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) to evaluate the whole gastrointestinal tract: a comparative study of single-camera and dual-camera analysis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) was developed for the evaluation of colorectal pathology. In this study, our aim was to assess if a dual-camera analysis using CCE allows better evaluation of the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract compared to a single-camera analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS We included 21 patients (12 males, mean age 56.20 years) submitted for a CCE examination. After standard colon preparation, the colon capsule endoscope (PillCam Colon™) was swallowed after reinitiation from its "sleep" mode. Four physicians performed the analysis: two reviewed both video streams at the same time (dual-camera analysis); one analyzed images from one side of the device ("camera 1"); and the other reviewed the opposite side ("camera 2"). We compared numbers of findings from different parts of the entire GI tract and level of agreement among reviewers. RESULTS A complete evaluation of the GI tract was possible in all patients. Dual-camera analysis provided 16% and 5% more findings compared to camera 1 and camera 2 analysis, respectively. Overall agreement was 62.7% (kappa = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.373-0.510). Esophageal (kappa = 0.611) and colorectal (kappa = 0.595) findings had a good level of agreement, while small bowel (kappa = 0.405) showed moderate agreement. CONCLUSION The use of dual-camera analysis with CCE for the evaluation of the GI tract is feasible and detects more abnormalities when compared with single-camera analysis.

Towards smart user models in open environments

Our work is concerned with user modelling in open environments. Our proposal then is the line of contributions to the advances on user modelling in open environments thanks so the Agent Technology, in what has been called Smart User Model. Our research contains a holistic study of User Modelling in several research areas related to users. We have developed a conceptualization of User Modelling by means of examples from a broad range of research areas with the aim of improving our understanding of user modelling and its role in the next generation of open and distributed service environments. This report is organized as follow: In chapter 1 we introduce our motivation and objectives. Then in chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 we provide the state-of-the-art on user modelling. In chapter 2, we give the main definitions of elements described in the report. In chapter 3, we present an historical perspective on user models. In chapter 4 we provide a review of user models from the perspective of different research areas, with special emphasis on the give-and-take relationship between Agent Technology and user modelling. In chapter 5, we describe the main challenges that, from our point of view, need to be tackled by researchers wanting to contribute to advances in user modelling. From the study of the state-of-the-art follows an exploratory work in chapter 6. We define a SUM and a methodology to deal with it. We also present some cases study in order to illustrate the methodology. Finally, we present the thesis proposal to continue the work, together with its corresponding work scheduling and temporalisation

Usabilidad en dispositivos smart TV

Este trabajo pretende estudiar los aspectos referentes a la usabilidad de los smart TV realizando un análisis de sus funciones más comunes y concluyendo con propuestas para la mejora de la usabilidad de estos dispositivos.

Smart News, Issue 5, Spring 2001

Newsletter for Economic Development

Smart News, Issues 6, Summer 2001

Newsletter for Economic Development

Smart News, Issue 7, Fall, 2001

Newsletter for Economic Development