Dynamic Social and Media Content Syndication for Second Screen

Social networking apps, sites and technologies offer a wide range of opportunities for businesses and developers to exploit the vast amount of information and user-generated content produced through social networking. In addition, the notion of second screen TV usage appears more influential than ever, with viewers continuously seeking further information and deeper engagement while watching their favourite movies or TV shows. In this work, the authors present SAM, an innovative platform that combines social media, content syndication and targets second screen usage to enhance media content provisioning, renovate the interaction with end-users and enrich their experience. SAM incorporates modern technologies and novel features in the areas of content management, dynamic social media, social mining, semantic annotation and multi-device representation to facilitate an advanced business environment for broadcasters, content and metadata providers, and editors to better exploit their assets and increase their revenues.

A semantic framework for textual data enrichment

In this work we present a semantic framework suitable of being used as support tool for recommender systems. Our purpose is to use the semantic information provided by a set of integrated resources to enrich texts by conducting different NLP tasks: WSD, domain classification, semantic similarities and sentiment analysis. After obtaining the textual semantic enrichment we would be able to recommend similar content or even to rate texts according to different dimensions. First of all, we describe the main characteristics of the semantic integrated resources with an exhaustive evaluation. Next, we demonstrate the usefulness of our resource in different NLP tasks and campaigns. Moreover, we present a combination of different NLP approaches that provide enough knowledge for being used as support tool for recommender systems. Finally, we illustrate a case of study with information related to movies and TV series to demonstrate that our framework works properly.

The future imagined: Exploring fiction as a means of reflecting on today’s Grand Societal Challenges and tomorrow’s options

European science policy (so-called Horizon 2020) is guided by Grand Societal Challenges (GSCs) with the explicit aim of shaping the future. In this paper we propose an innovative approach to the analysis and critique of Europe’s GSCs. The aim is to explore how speculative and creative fiction offer ways of embodying, telling, imagining, and symbolising ‘futures’, that can provide alternative frames and understandings to enrich the grand challenges of the 21st century, and the related rationale and agendas for ERA and H2020. We identify six ways in which filmic and literary representations can be considered creative foresight methods (i.e. through: creative input, detail, warning, reflection, critique, involvement) and can provide alternative perspectives on these central challenges, and warning signals for the science policy they inform. The inquiry involved the selection of 64 novels and movies engaging with notions of the future, produced over the last 150 years. Content analysis based on a standardised matrix of major themes and sub-domains, allows to build a hierarchy of themes and to identify major patterns of long-lasting concerns about humanity’s future. The study highlights how fiction sees oppression, inequality and a range of ethical issues linked to human and nature’s dignity as central to, and inseparable from innovation, technology and science. It concludes identifying warning signals in four major domains, arguing that these signals are compelling, and ought to be heard, not least because elements of such future have already escaped the imaginary world to make part of today’s experience. It identifies areas poorly defined or absent from Europe's science agenda, and argues for the need to increase research into human, social, political and cultural processes involved in techno-science endeavours.

Countermeasures for young drivers. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Drinking driver and traffic safety project: final report, vol. I.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Using trigger films: a guide for discussion leaders.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

High speed film motion analysis system. Final report.

Mode of access: Internet.

Measurement of pedestrian behavior: a handbook for identifying the behaviors to measure and the measurement systems for use in countermeasure evaluation. Interim report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

The books of Charles E. Van Loan.

Half-title.

Music and bad manners /

Music and bad manners.--Music for the movies.--Spain and music.--Shall we realize Wagner's ideals?--The bridge burners.--A new principle in music.--Leo Ornstein.

Knowledge Organization in Transmedia Fictional Worlds: A Study of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Marvel Universe, and Star Wars

Currently there is no structured data standard for representing elements commonly found in transmedia fictional universes. There are websites dedicated to individual universes, however, information found on these sites separates the various formats into books, movies, comics, etc.; concentrate on only the bibliographic aspects of the material; and are only full-text searchable. We have created an ontological model that will allow researchers, fans, brand managers, and creators to search for and retrieve the information contained in these worlds based on how they are structured. We conducted a domain analysis and user studies based on the contents of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, the Marvel Universe, and Star Wars in order to build a new model using the Ontology Web Language (OWL) and an artificial intelligence reasoning engine. This model can infer connections between characters, elements of power, items, places, events, etc. This model will facilitate better search and retrieval of the information contained within these vast story universes for all users interested in them. The result of this project is and OWL ontology that is intuitive for users; can be used by AI systems; and has been updated to reflect real user needs based on user research.

Thinking Local About Self-Driving Cars: a Local Framework for Autonomous Vehicle Development in the United States

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Suntans and sun protection in Australian teen media: 1999 to 2000

In this study, the portrayal of tanned skin and sun protection in magazines, television programs, and movies popular with Australian adolescents were analyzed. Images of models in magazines (n = 1,791), regular/supporting characters in television programs (it = 867), and regular/supporting characters in cinema movies (n = 2,836) for the 12-month period August 1999 to July 2000 were coded and analyzed. Alight tan was the most predominant tan level, and protective clothing was the most common sun protection measure displayed across all forms of media. There were significant associations between gender and tan levels in the television and movie samples. Although it is important to monitor the portrayal of tan levels and sun protection measures in media targeting adolescents, overall, the authors' findings revealed a media environment generally supportive of sun protection objectives.

Who wants to live forever?

For millennia, human civilization has been fascinated with overcoming death. Immortality, eternal youth or at least the prospect of reaching biblical age have had a strong lure for religion, art and popular beliefs. Life after death, which is, in essence, eternal life, is the one central element of nearly all religions since Ancient Egypt. If we believe the Old Testament, some of the patriarchs lived for several hundreds of years. In the medieval ages, the fountain of youth was a popular myth, often illustrated in paintings, such as Lucas Cranach's The Fountain of Youth (Fig 1). And society today has not lost its fascination with immortality, as seen in Hollywood movies such as the Highlander films (1986–2000), The 6th Day (2000) or Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and novels such as H. Rider Haggard's She. But for the first time, modern science may provide the knowledge and tools to interfere with the ageing processes and fulfil this age-old dream. This possibility has triggered an intense debate among scientists and ethicists about the potential of anti-ageing therapies and their ethical and social consequences. Given that anti-ageing therapies could dramatically change the social fabric of modern societies, it is quite astonishing that these debates have neglected the views of the larger public.

JORNALISTAS NO CINEMA: REPRESENTAÇÕES E APROPRIAÇÕES

No contexto da comunicação midiática e suas mediações socioculturais, a tese traz como proposta central uma análise das representações do jornalista no cinema e das apropriações dessas narrativas por aqueles que desejam seguir a profissão no futuro. Buscou-se mostrar que o cinema contribui no imaginário sobre a profissão, trazendo estereótipos sobre o fazer jornalístico. Além disso, ele influencia muitos a seguirem a carreira, também colaborando na forma como os estudantes acreditam que será sua profissão no futuro. O corpus da pesquisa é constituído por 50 filmes que apresentam jornalistas, sendo que três foram analisados em profundidade, por trazerem temas recorrentes e criarem traços de mitologia sobre a profissão: A montanha dos sete abutres, Todos os homens do presidente e Intrigas de Estado. Os parâmetros metodológicos incluem: o levantamento bibliográfico, a análise em profundidade, a exibição de obras, a realização de debates livres e a aplicação de questionários estruturados. A fundamentação teórica inclui autores como Edgar Morin, Stella Senra, Brian McNair, Roland Barthes, Cornelius Castoriadis, Raymond Williams e Jesús Martín-Barbero.Como objetivos específicos, buscou-se: 1) realizar um panorama dos Journalism movies e sua evolução, determinando tipos e temas recorrentes; 2) identificar a criação de possíveis mitologias sobre o Jornalismo por meio do cinema; 3) identificar sintonias e dissonâncias na forma como as imagens são apropriadas por estudantes de Jornalismo, contribuindo na criação de um imaginário próprio sobre a profissão.