Joint Optimization for Social Content Delivery in Wireless Networks

Over the last decade, success of social networks has significantly reshaped how people consume information. Recommendation of contents based on user profiles is well-received. However, as users become dominantly mobile, little is done to consider the impacts of the wireless environment, especially the capacity constraints and changing channel. In this dissertation, we investigate a centralized wireless content delivery system, aiming to optimize overall user experience given the capacity constraints of the wireless networks, by deciding what contents to deliver, when and how. We propose a scheduling framework that incorporates content-based reward and deliverability. Our approach utilizes the broadcast nature of wireless communication and social nature of content, by multicasting and precaching. Results indicate this novel joint optimization approach outperforms existing layered systems that separate recommendation and delivery, especially when the wireless network is operating at maximum capacity. Utilizing limited number of transmission modes, we significantly reduce the complexity of the optimization. We also introduce the design of a hybrid system to handle transmissions for both system recommended contents ('push') and active user requests ('pull'). Further, we extend the joint optimization framework to the wireless infrastructure with multiple base stations. The problem becomes much harder in that there are many more system configurations, including but not limited to power allocation and how resources are shared among the base stations ('out-of-band' in which base stations transmit with dedicated spectrum resources, thus no interference; and 'in-band' in which they share the spectrum and need to mitigate interference). We propose a scalable two-phase scheduling framework: 1) each base station obtains delivery decisions and resource allocation individually; 2) the system consolidates the decisions and allocations, reducing redundant transmissions. Additionally, if the social network applications could provide the predictions of how the social contents disseminate, the wireless networks could schedule the transmissions accordingly and significantly improve the dissemination performance by reducing the delivery delay. We propose a novel method utilizing: 1) hybrid systems to handle active disseminating requests; and 2) predictions of dissemination dynamics from the social network applications. This method could mitigate the performance degradation for content dissemination due to wireless delivery delay. Results indicate that our proposed system design is both efficient and easy to implement.

Reimagining the Public Library as Public Space

Once regarded as the public’s center of knowledge and information, public libraries today are challenged by the rise of mobile technology and the Internet. Information behavior of everyday library patrons have transformed to rely on instant access of information through Google search instead of the resources housed in their local libraries. The focus of public library design is shifting from storing & protecting valuable resources (books) to the experience of an active public space of learning, engaging and reading. This thesis reimagines a public library branch in East Baltimore City by evaluating the architecture of public library examples of the past and of today. By understanding the user experience of the three key elements of public library design – procession, services & flexible space - a new public library design that engages and responds to the local community can be proposed.

Gamification in Skills Management

Employees are the human capital which, to a great extent, contributes to the success and development of high-performance and sustainable organizations. In a work environment, there is a need to provide a tool for tracking and following-up on each employees' professional progress, while staying aligned with the organization’s strategic and operational goals and objectives. The research work within this Thesis aims to contribute to improve employees' selfawareness and auto-regulation; two predominant research areas are also studied and analyzed: Visual Analytics and Gamification. The Visual Analytics enables the specification of personalized dashboard interfaces with alerts and indicators to keep employees aware of their skills and to continuously monitor how to improve their expertise, promoting simultaneously behavioral change and adoption of good-practices. The study of Gamification techniques with Talent Management features enabled the design of new processes to engage, motivate, and retain highly productive employees, and to foster a competitive working environment, where employees are encouraged to be involved in new and rewarding activities, where knowledge and experience are recognized as a relevant asset. The Design Science Research was selected as the research methodology; the creation of new knowledge is therefore based on an iterative cycle addressing concepts such as design, analysis, reflection, and abstraction. By collaborating in an international project (Active@Work), funded by the Active and Assisted Living Programme, the results followed a design thinking approach regarding the specification of the structure and behavior of the Skills Development Module, namely the identification of requirements and the design of an innovative info-structure of metadata to support the user experience. A set of mockups were designed based on the user role and main concerns. Such approach enabled the conceptualization of a solution to proactively assist the management and assessment of skills in a personalized and dynamic way. The outcomes of this Thesis aims to demonstrate the existing articulation between emerging research areas such as Visual Analytics and Gamification, expecting to represent conceptual gains in these two research fields.

Diseño positivo: Innovación centrada en el bienestar humano

El ‘Diseño Positivo’ es una filosofía de innovación desarrollada por investigadores líderes en diseño experiencial de la facultad de Diseño Industrial de la Universidad Tecnológica de Delft (TU Delft), en Los Países Bajos. El ‘Diseño Positivo’ plantea estrategias de innovación que buscan esencialmente promover, facilitar o fomentar el bienestar de los usuarios. Lo hace por medio de la aplicación práctica del conocimiento derivado de la investigación científica sobre la experiencia humana: psicología positiva, psicología emocional, economía conductual. Entre los descubrimientos que se han dilucidado se encuentran modelos detallados sobre el comportamiento humano, sobre la forma en que tomamos decisiones, sobre cómo las emociones se suscitan, e incluso sobre cómo está moldeado nuestro sentido del gusto partiendo de teorías evolutivas. El Diseño Positivo busca combinar estos conocimientos científicos con marcos conceptuales sobre la experiencia del usuario (User Experience – UX) en procesos de innovación En la presentación, Simón discutió las premisas básicas del Diseño Positivo, y en especial, cómo estas pueden ser aplicadas a procesos de innovación para crear productos y servicios que generen un impacto positivo en el bienestar psicológico y felicidad de las personas. Además, discutió cómo este conocimiento podría ser aplicado en procesos de innovación en las bibliotecas

Colaboración fabricante-distribuidor en la cadena de suministro para la tecnología aplicada al punto de venta y la mejora de la experiencia de compra

A lo largo de este trabajo se lleva a cabo una investigación sobre la evolución de las relaciones comerciales entre fabricantes y distribuidores, con especial atención en la colaboración conjunta a la hora de comercializar los productos en el punto de venta. El empleo de nuevas herramientas tecnológicas en el establecimiento facilita el merchandising de presentación, ofreciendo ventajas competitivas para los agentes de la cadena de suministros y nuevas experiencias de compra para los consumidores. Una vez analizada la parte teórico-conceptual del trabajo se lleva a cabo el análisis de un caso práctico sobre los beneficios de la tecnología Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) implantada en la empresa Decathlon. Estos sistemas se han convertido en un aliado clave para la mejora de los procesos de negocio, mejorando la gestión de la compañía y la fidelización de los clientes.

Subfilter-scale Stress Modelling for Large Eddy Simulations

A subfilter-scale (SFS) stress model is developed for large-eddy simulations (LES) and is tested on various benchmark problems in both wall-resolved and wall-modelled LES. The basic ingredients of the proposed model are the model length-scale, and the model parameter. The model length-scale is defined as a fraction of the integral scale of the flow, decoupled from the grid. The portion of the resolved scales (LES resolution) appears as a user-defined model parameter, an advantage that the user decides the LES resolution. The model parameter is determined based on a measure of LES resolution, the SFS activity. The user decides a value for the SFS activity (based on the affordable computational budget and expected accuracy), and the model parameter is calculated dynamically. Depending on how the SFS activity is enforced, two SFS models are proposed. In one approach the user assigns the global (volume averaged) contribution of SFS to the transport (global model), while in the second model (local model), SFS activity is decided locally (locally averaged). The models are tested on isotropic turbulence, channel flow, backward-facing step and separating boundary layer. In wall-resolved LES, both global and local models perform quite accurately. Due to their near-wall behaviour, they result in accurate prediction of the flow on coarse grids. The backward-facing step also highlights the advantage of decoupling the model length-scale from the mesh. Despite the sharply refined grid near the step, the proposed SFS models yield a smooth, while physically consistent filter-width distribution, which minimizes errors when grid discontinuity is present. Finally the model application is extended to wall-modelled LES and is tested on channel flow and separating boundary layer. Given the coarse resolution used in wall-modelled LES, near the wall most of the eddies become SFS and SFS activity is required to be locally increased. The results are in very good agreement with the data for the channel. Errors in the prediction of separation and reattachment are observed in the separated flow, that are somewhat improved with some modifications to the wall-layer model.

Human-Computer interaction methodologies applied in the evaluation of haptic digital musical instruments

Recent developments in interactive technologies have seen major changes in the manner in which artists, performers, and creative individuals interact with digital music technology; this is due to the increasing variety of interactive technologies that are readily available today. Digital Musical Instruments (DMIs) present musicians with performance challenges that are unique to this form of computer music. One of the most significant deviations from conventional acoustic musical instruments is the level of physical feedback conveyed by the instrument to the user. Currently, new interfaces for musical expression are not designed to be as physically communicative as acoustic instruments. Specifically, DMIs are often void of haptic feedback and therefore lack the ability to impart important performance information to the user. Moreover, there currently is no standardised way to measure the effect of this lack of physical feedback. Best practice would expect that there should be a set of methods to effectively, repeatedly, and quantifiably evaluate the functionality, usability, and user experience of DMIs. Earlier theoretical and technological applications of haptics have tried to address device performance issues associated with the lack of feedback in DMI designs and it has been argued that the level of haptic feedback presented to a user can significantly affect the user’s overall emotive feeling towards a musical device. The outcome of the investigations contained within this thesis are intended to inform new haptic interface.

Child-centred design supported by comprehensive child application use analysis

Since children already use and explore applications on smartphones, we use this as the starting point for design. Our monitoring and analysis framework, BaranC, enables us to discover and analyse which applications children uses and precisely how they interact with them. The monitoring happens unobtrusively in the background so children interact normally in their own natural environment without artificial constraints. Thus, we can discover to what extent a child of a particular age engages with, and how they physically interact with, existing applications. This information in turn provides the basis for design of new child-centred applications which can then be subject to the same comprehensive child use analysis using our framework. The work focuses on the first aspect, namely, the monitoring and analysis of current child use of smartphones. Experiments show the value of this approach and interesting results have been obtained from this precise monitoring of child smartphone usage.

Kinetic modelling of in vitro data of PI3K, mTOR1, PTEN enzymes and on-target inhibitors Rapamycin, BEZ235, and LY294002

The phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin-1 (mTOR1) are two key targets for anti-cancer therapy. Predicting the response of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR1 signalling pathway to targeted therapy is made difficult because of network complexities. Systems biology models can help explore those complexities but the value of such models is dependent on accurate parameterisation. Motivated by a need to increase accuracy in kinetic parameter estimation, and therefore the predictive power of the model, we present a framework to integrate kinetic data from enzyme assays into a unified enzyme kinetic model. We present exemplar kinetic models of PI3K and mTOR1, calibrated on in vitro enzyme data and founded on Michaelis-Menten (MM) approximation. We describe the effects of an allosteric mTOR1 inhibitor (Rapamycin) and ATP-competitive inhibitors (BEZ2235 and LY294002) that show dual inhibition of mTOR1 and PI3K. We also model the kinetics of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), which modulates sensitivity of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR1 pathway to these drugs. Model validation with independent data sets allows investigation of enzyme function and drug dose dependencies in a wide range of experimental conditions. Modelling of the mTOR1 kinetics showed that Rapamycin has an IC50 independent of ATP concentration and that it is a selective inhibitor of mTOR1 substrates S6K1 and 4EBP1: it retains 40% of mTOR1 activity relative to 4EBP1 phosphorylation and inhibits completely S6K1 activity. For the dual ATP-competitive inhibitors of mTOR1 and PI3K, LY294002 and BEZ235, we derived the dependence of the IC50 on ATP concentration that allows prediction of the IC50 at different ATP concentrations in enzyme and cellular assays. Comparison of the drug effectiveness in enzyme and cellular assays showed that some features of these drugs arise from signalling modulation beyond the on-target action and MM approximation and require a systems-level consideration of the whole PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR1 network in order to understand mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance in different cancer cell lines. We suggest that using these models in systems biology investigation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR1 signalling in cancer cells can bridge the gap between direct drug target action and the therapeutic response to these drugs and their combinations.

Studio del processo di progettazione di una stampella sensorizzata

Lo studio presentato in questa tesi vuole riportare la ricerca e l’analisi di una nuova esperienza di utilizzo di una stampella, spinto dalla richiesta di migliorare la performance e l’interfaccia dello strumento con un paziente con rilevanti difficoltà motorie. Analizzando lo stato dell’arte e la ricerca in ambito ortopedico, la stampella risulta essere lo strumento più comunemente utilizzato in caso di riabilitazione o difficoltà motorie, ma, allo stesso tempo, comporta rischi e ulteriori danni al paziente, nel caso vi sia un uso scorretto dello strumento. Lo scopo principale del progetto è fornire un supporto, sia al paziente, sia alla terapia, tramite l’ottimizzazione e il miglioramento di alcuni elementi costituenti di una stampella e l’implementazione di un nuovo servizio. Durante lo studio sono stati sfruttati i metodi dell’ingegneria industriale, utili per le fasi di sviluppo del progetto, ma si è cercato anche di dare importanza alla user experience, riportando considerazioni e opinioni di diversi utilizzatori della stampella. Si spera che il risultato sia uno strumento funzionale, utile e soprattutto che vada incontro alle esigenze non solo dell’utente, ma anche delle figure che lo assistono, come il medico ortopedico o il fisioterapista.

Una proposta di edizione digitale semantica della vita di Federico da Montefeltro di Vespasiano da Bisticci

Il patrimonio culturale è l’espressione della comunità a cui si riferisce e il digitale può essere un valido strumento per raccontare le storie relative ai beni culturali affinché siano, non solo studiati, ma anche recepiti nel loro significato più profondo da più pubblici. L’inserimento di testi manoscritti sul web utilizzando le tecnologie dei Linked Data facilitano la fruizione del testo da parte dell’utente non specializzato e la creazione di strumenti per la ricerca. La proposta di digitalizzazione della tesi ha come oggetto la vita di Federico da Montefeltro scritta da Vespasiano da Bisticci utilizzando i vocabolari schema.org, FOAF e Relationship per la marcatura del testo e i Content Management System per la pubblicazione dei dati. In questo modo sarà possibile avere un sito web in cui potrà essere curato anche l’aspetto grafico seguendo le regole della user experience e dell’information achitecture per valorizzare le figure del duca di Urbino e del cartolaio fiorentino.

Progettazione ed Implementazione Front-End di un Sistema Integrato di Customer Assistance in ambito Industry 4.0

Al giorno d'oggi, l'industry 4.0 è un movimento sempre più prominente che induce ad equipaggiare gli impianti industriali con avanzate infrastrutture tecnologiche digitali, le quali operano sinergicamente con l'impianto, al fine di controllare ed aumentare la produttività, monitorare e prevenire i futuri guasti, ed altro ancora. In questo ambito, gli utenti sono parte integrante della struttura produttiva, in cui ricoprono ruoli strategici e flessibili, collaborano fra loro e con le macchine, con l’obiettivo di affrontare e risolvere proattivamente una vasta gamma di problemi complessi. In particolare, la customer assistance nel settore industriale può certamente variare in relazione a molteplici elementi: il tipo di produzione e le caratteristiche del prodotto; l'organizzazione ed infrastruttura aziendale interna; la quantità di risorse disponibili che possono essere impiegate; il grado di importanza ricoperto dalla customer assistance nel settore industriale di riferimento; altri eventuali fattori appartenenti ad un dominio specifico. Per queste ragioni, si è cercato di individuare e categorizzare nel modo più accurato possibile, il lavoro svolto in questo elaborato ed il contesto nel quale è stato sviluppato. In questa tesi, viene descritta un'applicazione web per erogare assistenza al cliente in ambito di industria 4.0, attraverso il paradigma di ticketing o ticket di supporto/assistenza. Questa applicazione è integrata nel sistema Mentor, il quale è attivo già da anni nel settore industriale 4.0. Il progetto Mentor è una suite di applicazioni cloud-based creata dal gruppo Bucci Industries, una multinazionale attiva nell'industria e nell'automazione con sede a Faenza. In questo caso di studio, si presenta la progettazione ed implementazione della parte front-end del suddetto sistema di assistenza, il quale è integrato ed interconnesso con un paio di applicazioni tipiche di industria 4.0, presenti nella stessa suite di applicazioni.

Evaluating fear of falling among community-dwelling older people: A qualitative pattern model based on the experience of falls

This research was conducted in the context of the project IRIS 8A Health and Society (2002-2008) and financially supported by the University of Lausanne. It was aomed at developping a model based on the elder people's experience and allowed us to develop a "Portrait evaluation" of fear of falling using their examples and words. It is a very simple evaluation, which can be used by professionals, but by the elder people themselves. The "Portrait evaluation" and the user's guide are on free access, but we would very much approciate to know whether other people or scientists have used it and collect their comments. (contact: Chantal.Piot-Ziegler@unil.ch)The purpose of this study is to create a model grounded in the elderly people's experience allowing the development of an original instrument to evaluate FOF.In a previous study, 58 semi-structured interviews were conducted with community-dwelling elderly people. The qualitative thematic analysis showed that fear of falling was defined through the functional, social and psychological long-term consequences of falls (Piot-Ziegler et al., 2007).In order to reveal patterns in the expression of fear of falling, an original qualitative thematic pattern analysis (QUAlitative Pattern Analysis - QUAPA) is developed and applied on these interviews.The results of this analysis show an internal coherence across the three dimensions (functional, social and psychological). Four different patterns are found, corresponding to four degrees of fear of falling. They are formalized in a fear of falling intensity model.This model leads to a portrait-evaluation for fallers and non-fallers. The evaluation must be confronted to large samples of elderly people, living in different environments. It presents an original alternative to the concept of self-efficacy to evaluate fear of falling in older people.The model of FOF presented in this article is grounded on elderly people's experience. It gives an experiential description of the three dimensions constitutive of FOF and of their evolution as fear increases, and defines an evaluation tool using situations and wordings based on the elderly people's discourse.

Experimental Model of Isolated Lung Perfusion in Rats: First Brazilian Experience Using the IL-2 Isolated Perfused Rat or Guinea Pig Lung System

Introduction. Lung transplantation has become the mainstay therapy for patients with end-stage lung disease refractory to medical management. However, the number of patients listed for lung transplantation largely exceeds available donors. The study of lung preservation requires accurate, cost-effective small animal models. We have described a model of ex vivo rat lung perfusion using a commercially available system. Methods. Male Wistar rats weighing 250 g-300 g were anesthetized with intraperitoneal sodium thiopental (50 mg/kg body weight). The surgical technique included heart-lung block extraction, assembly, and preparation for perfusion and data collection. We used an IL-2 Isolated Perfused Rat or Guinea Pig Lung System (Harvard Apparatus, Holliston, Mass, United States; Hugo Sachs Elektronik, Alemanha). Results. Preliminary results included hemodynamic and pulmonary mechanics data gathered in the experiments. Conclusion. The isolated rat lung perfusion system is a reliable method to assess lung preservation.

A unified model of flames as gasdynamic discontinuities

Viewed on a hydrodynamic scale, flames in experiments are often thin so that they may be described as gasdynamic discontinuities separating the dense cold fresh mixture from the light hot burned products. The original model of a flame as a gasdynamic discontinuity was due to Darrieus and to Landau. In addition to the fluid dynamical equations, the model consists of a flame speed relation describing the evolution of the discontinuity surface, and jump conditions across the surface which relate the fluid variables on the two sides of the surface. The Darrieus-Landau model predicts, in contrast to observations, that a uniformly propagating planar flame is absolutely unstable and that the strength of the instability grows with increasing perturbation wavenumber so that there is no high-wavenumber cutoff of the instability. The model was modified by Markstein to exhibit a high-wavenumber cutoff if a phenomenological constant in the model has an appropriate sign. Both models are postulated, rather than derived from first principles, and both ignore the flame structure, which depends on chemical kinetics and transport processes within the flame. At present, there are two models which have been derived, rather than postulated, and which are valid in two non-overlapping regions of parameter space. Sivashinsky derived a generalization of the Darrieus-Landau model which is valid for Lewis numbers (ratio of thermal diffusivity to mass diffusivity of the deficient reaction component) bounded away from unity. Matalon & Matkowsky derived a model valid for Lewis numbers close to unity. Each model has its own advantages and disadvantages. Under appropriate conditions the Matalon-Matkowsky model exhibits a high-wavenumber cutoff of the Darrieus-Landau instability. However, since the Lewis numbers considered lie too close to unity, the Matalon-Matkowsky model does not capture the pulsating instability. The Sivashinsky model does capture the pulsating instability, but does not exhibit its high-wavenumber cutoff. In this paper, we derive a model consisting of a new flame speed relation and new jump conditions, which is valid for arbitrary Lewis numbers. It captures the pulsating instability and exhibits the high-wavenumber cutoff of all instabilities. The flame speed relation includes the effect of short wavelengths, not previously considered, which leads to stabilizing transverse surface diffusion terms.