Avoimet tuotealustat ja allianssit ��lytelevisiomarkkinoilla

��lytelevisiomarkkinat ovat nykyisell����n pirstaloituneet eri valmistajien kehitt��ess�� omia ��lytelevisioalustoitaan, mik�� tekee sovelluskehitt��misest�� eritt��in ty��l��st��, kun kehitysty�� pit���� tehd�� jokaiselle alustalle erikseen. LG:n ja Philipsin perustama Smart TV Alliance pyrkii yksinkertaistamaan sovelluskehitt��jien ty��t��, samalla houkutellen lis���� kehitt��ji�� alalle. Ty��ss�� tutustutaan tuotealustoihin, avoimeen ja suljettuun innovaatioon, sek�� alliansseihin. Lis��ksi perehdyt����n ��lytelevisioihin sek�� tietenkin itse Smart TV Allianceen. Lis��ksi tarkastellaan nykyist�� markkina-asetelmaa ja arvioidaan yksitt��isten toimijoiden tilannetta ja mahdollisia toimenpiteit��. Ty��n painopiste on fyysisen laitevalmistajan ja k��ytt��j��rjestelm��n kehitt��j��n/yll��pit��j��n n��k��kulmasta. Ty��n kannalta t��rke��ss�� roolissa ovat ohjelmistopohjaiset tuotealustat. Eritoten ty��ss�� k��sitell����n ��lytelevisioiden ohjelmistoa tuotealustana, mutta hyv�� vaihtoehtoinen ja eritoten monille k��yt��nn��nl��heisempi esimerkki on tietokoneen k��ytt��j��rjestelm��, kuten Microsoft Windows tai useat Linux-pohjaiset k��ytt��j��rjestelm��t. Keskeisen�� ominaisuutena n��iss�� kaikissa on, ett�� itse k��ytt��j��rjestelm�� toimii yhteisen�� pohjana, jonka p����lle voidaan rakentaa muuta toiminnallisuutta, kuten pelej�� ja toimistosovelluksia.

VVER-440 Thermal Hydraulics as a Computer Code Validation Challenge

This thesis concentrates on the validation of a generic thermal hydraulic computer code TRACE under the challenges of the VVER-440 reactor type. The code capability to model the VVER-440 geometry and thermal hydraulic phenomena specific to this reactor design has been examined and demonstrated acceptable. The main challenge in VVER-440 thermal hydraulics appeared in the modelling of the horizontal steam generator. The major challenge here is not in the code physics or numerics but in the formulation of a representative nodalization structure. Another VVER-440 specialty, the hot leg loop seals, challenges the system codes functionally in general, but proved readily representable. Computer code models have to be validated against experiments to achieve confidence in code models. When new computer code is to be used for nuclear power plant safety analysis, it must first be validated against a large variety of different experiments. The validation process has to cover both the code itself and the code input. Uncertainties of different nature are identified in the different phases of the validation procedure and can even be quantified. This thesis presents a novel approach to the input model validation and uncertainty evaluation in the different stages of the computer code validation procedure. This thesis also demonstrates that in the safety analysis, there are inevitably significant uncertainties that are not statistically quantifiable; they need to be and can be addressed by other, less simplistic means, ultimately relying on the competence of the analysts and the capability of the community to support the experimental verification of analytical assumptions. This method completes essentially the commonly used uncertainty assessment methods, which are usually conducted using only statistical methods.

Tietokonepelien teko��lyn rajat

Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin, kuinka hyv�� teko��ly tietokonepeliin on mahdollista toteuttaa nykytiedolla ja -tekniikalla. Teko��ly rajattiin tarkoittamaan teko��lyn ohjaamia pelihahmoja. Lis��ksi yksinkertaisia teko��lytoteutuksia ei huomioitu. Ty�� toteutettiin tutustumalla aiheeseen liittyv����n kirjallisuuteen sek�� kehitt��j��yhteis��n web-sivustojen tietoon. Hyv��n teko��lyn kriteereiksi valikoituivat viihdytt��vyys ja uskottavuus. Katsaus suosituimpiin toteuttamistekniikoihin ja teko��lyn mahdollisuuksiin osoitti, ett�� teoriassa hyvinkin edistynyt teko��ly on toteutettavissa. K��yt��nn��ss�� tietokoneen rajalliset resurssit, kehitt��jien rajalliset taidot ja pelinkehitysprojektien asettamat vaatimukset n��ytt��v��t kuitenkin rajoittavan teko��lyn toteuttamista kaupallisessa tuotteessa.

Measurement of epidermal thickness in a patient with psoriasis by computer-supported image analysis

The aim of the present study was to measure full epidermal thickness, stratum corneum thickness, rete length, dermal papilla widening and suprapapillary epidermal thickness in psoriasis patients using a light microscope and computer-supported image analysis. The data obtained were analyzed in terms of patient age, type of psoriasis, total body surface area involvement, scalp and nail involvement, duration of psoriasis, and family history of the disease. The study was conducted on 64 patients and 57 controls whose skin biopsies were examined by light microscopy. The acquired microscopic images were transferred to a computer and measurements were made using image analysis. The skin biopsies, taken from different body areas, were examined for different parameters such as epidermal, corneal and suprapapillary epidermal thickness. The most prominent increase in thickness was detected in the palmar region. Corneal thickness was more pronounced in patients with scalp involvement than in patients without scalp involvement (t = -2.651, P = 0.008). The most prominent increase in rete length was observed in the knees (median: 491 ��m, t = 10.117, P = 0.000). The difference in rete length between patients with a positive and a negative family history was significant (t = -3.334, P = 0.03), being 27% greater in psoriasis patients without a family history. The differences in dermal papilla distances among patients were very small. We conclude that microscope-supported thickness measurements provide objective results.

How computer programmers work : understanding software development in practise

Hur arbetar en framg��ngsrik programmerare? Uppgifterna att programmera datorspel och att programmera industriella, s��kerhetskritiska system verkar t��mligen olika. Genom en noggrann empirisk unders��kning j��mf��r och kontrasterar avhandlingen dessa tv�� former av programmering och visar att programmering innefattar mer ��n teknisk f��rm��ga. Med utg��ngspunkt i hermeneutisk och retorisk teori och med hj��lp av b��de kulturvetenskap och datavetenskap visar avhandlingen att programmerarnas tradition och v��rderingar ��r grundl��ggande f��r deras arbete, och att b��da sorter av programmering kan uppfattas och analyseras genom klassisk texttolkningstradition. Dessutom kan datorprogram betraktas och analyseras med hj��lp av klassiska teorier om talproduktion i praktiken - program ses d�� i detta sammanhang som ett slags yttranden. Allt som allt f��respr��kar avhandlingen en ��terkomst till vetenskapens grunder, vilka inneb��r en st��ndig och oupph��rlig cyklisk r��relse mellan att erfara och att f��rst��. Detta st��r i kontrast till en reduktionistisk syn p�� vetenskapen, som skiljer skarpt mellan subjektivt och objektivt, och p�� s�� s��tt utg��r fr��n m��jligheten att uppn�� fullst��ndigt vetande. Ofullst��ndigt vetande ��r tolkandets och hermeneutikens dom��n. Syftet med avhandlingen ��r att med hj��lp av exempel demonstrera programmeringens kulturella, hermeneutiska och retoriska natur.

User Experience of Geocaching and Its Application to Tourism and Education

Advances in technology have provided new ways of using entertainment and game technology to foster human interaction. Games and playing with games have always been an important part of people���s everyday lives. Traditionally, human-computer interaction (HCI) research was seen as a psychological cognitive science focused on human factors, with engineering sciences as the computer science part of it. Although cognitive science has made significant progress over the past decade, the influence of people���s emotions on design networks is increasingly important, especially when the primary goal is to challenge and entertain users (Norman 2002). Game developers have explored the key issues in game design and identified that the driving force in the success of games is user experience. User-centered design integrates knowledge of users��� activity practices, needs, and preferences into the design process. Geocaching is a location-based treasure hunt game created by a community of players. Players use GPS (Global Position System) technology to find ���treasures��� and create their own geocaches; the game can be developed when the players invent caches and used more imagination to creations the caches. This doctoral dissertation explores user experience of geocaching and its applications in tourism and education. Globally, based on the Geocaching.com webpage, geocaching has been played about 180 countries and there are more than 10 million registered geocachers worldwide (Geocaching.com, 25.11.2014). This dissertation develops and presents an interaction model called the GameFlow Experience model that can be used to support the design of treasure hunt applications in tourism and education contexts. The GameFlow Model presents and clarifies various experiences; it provides such experiences in a real-life context, offers desirable design targets to be utilized in service design, and offers a perspective to consider when evaluating the success of adventure game concepts. User-centered game designs have adapted to human factor research in mainstream computing science. For many years, the user-centered design approach has been the most important research field in software development. Research has been focusing on user-centered design in software development such as office programs, but the same ideas and theories that will reflect the needs of a user-centered research are now also being applied to game design (Charles et al. 2005.) For several years, we have seen a growing interest in user experience design. Digital games are experience providers, and game developers need tools to better understand the user experience related to products and services they have created. This thesis aims to present what the user experience is in geocaching and treasure hunt games and how it can be used to develop new concepts for the treasure hunt. Engineers, designers, and researchers should have a clear understanding of what user experience is, what its parts are, and most importantly, how we can influence user satisfaction. In addition, we need to understand how users interact with electronic products and people, and how different elements synergize their experiences. This doctoral dissertation represents pioneering work on the user experience of geocaching and treasure hunt games in the context of tourism and education. The research also provides a model for game developers who are planning treasure hunt concepts.

Sustainable Computer Science Education

As the world becomes more technologically advanced and economies become globalized, computer science evolution has become faster than ever before. With this evolution and globalization come the need for sustainable university curricula that adequately prepare graduates for life in the industry. Additionally, behavioural skills or ���soft��� skills have become just as important as technical abilities and knowledge or ���hard��� skills. The objective of this study was to investigate the current skill gap that exists between computer science university graduates and actual industry needs as well as the sustainability of current computer science university curricula by conducting a systematic literature review of existing publications on the subject as well as a survey of recently graduated computer science students and their work supervisors. A quantitative study was carried out with respondents from six countries, mainly Finland, 31 of the responses came from recently graduated computer science professionals and 18 from their employers. The observed trends suggest that a skill gap really does exist particularly with ���soft��� skills and that many companies are forced to provide additional training to newly graduated employees if they are to be successful at their jobs.

Exploring business models for medical games: Key components and challenges

The costs of health care are going up in many countries. In order to provide affordable and effective health care solutions, new technologies and approaches are constantly being developed. In this research, video games are presented as a possible solution to the problem. Video games are fun, and nowadays most people like to spend time on them. In addition, recent studies have pointed out that video games can have notable health benefits. Health games have already been developed, used in practice, and researched. However, the bulk of health game studies have been concerned with the design or the effectiveness of the games; no actual business studies have been conducted on the subject, even though health games often lack commercial success despite their health benefits. This thesis seeks to fill this gap. The specific aim of this thesis is to develop a conceptual business model framework and empirically use it in explorative medical game business model research. In the first stage of this research, a literature review was conducted and the existing literature analyzed and synthesized into a conceptual business model framework consisting of six dimensions. The motivation behind the synthesis is the ongoing ambiguity around the business model concept. In the second stage, 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted with different professionals within the value network for medical games. The business model framework was present in all stages of the empirical research: First, in the data collection stage, the framework acted as a guiding instrument, focusing the interview process. Then, the interviews were coded and analyzed using the framework as a structure. The results were then reported following the structure of the framework. In the results, the interviewees highlighted several important considerations and issues for medical games concerning the six dimensions of the business model framework. Based on the key findings of this research, several key components of business models for medical games were identified and illustrated in a single figure. Furthermore, five notable challenges for business models for medical games were presented, and possible solutions for the challenges were postulated. Theoretically, these findings provide pioneering information on the untouched subject of business models for medical games. Moreover, the conceptual business model framework and its use in the novel context of medical games provide a contribution to the business model literature. Regarding practice, this thesis further accentuates that medical games can offer notable benefits to several stakeholder groups and offers advice to companies seeking to commercialize these games.

Digital Exhaustion in relation to Video Games ��� The Consumer Perspective

This thesis regards exhaustion of copyright���s distribution right in intangible transfers of video games. It analyses whether, under the current law of the European Union, the phenomenon of digital exhaustion, especially in relation to games exists. The thesis analyses the consumers��� position in the market for copyright protected goods. It uses video games market as an example of the wider phenomenon of the effect of latest technological developments on consumers. The research conducted for the thesis is mostly legal dogmatic, although also comparative analysis, law and economics and law and technology methods are utilised. The thesis evaluates the effects of the most recent case law of the European Court of Justice to analyse the current state of digital exhaustion. In the analysis of effects that the existence of digital exhaustion has, the thesis uses the consumers��� point of view. The thesis introduces the current state of technology in the field of video games from a legal perspective. Furthermore the thesis analyses the effects on consumers of a scenario that no digital exhaustion exists in the future. Such scenario under the recent European case law at the moment seems realistic. The conclusion of my research is most importantly that the consumer position in the market for digital goods has deteriorated and that the probable exclusion of the exhaustion for digital goods is another piece of evidence of this development. Most importantly however, the state of affairs where no certainty prevails on whether digital exhaustion exists, creates injustice from the consumers��� point of view. Accordingly, acts by EU legislators of the Court of Justice of the European Union are required to clarify the issue.

Explaining the intention to play and behavior of playing sports betting games of young Finnish adults : an application of the theory of planned behavior

The aim of this Master���s Thesis was to examine the determinants of intention and behavior of playing sports betting games in order to explain the intention to play in a more precise way and to be able to understand the behavior of playing. The theory of planned behavior was applied in explaining the intention of young Finnish adults aged 18 to 34. A quantitative research method was applied and an online survey was sent to the students of Lappeenranta University of Technology and to the subscribers of Urheilulehti in order to reach a sample that present the young population of Finland. The theory of the study focused on the theory of planned behavior and its antecedents, attitude towards behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control as well as motivation. By analyzing the data, causal relationships were found through which the explanation of intention was possible. The results showed that attitude towards playing, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and motivation impact the formation of intention significantly. The results also indicated that intention impacts significantly to the playing frequency.

Viable Health Games: Elements for Success

The main purpose of this study is to identify the elements of children's health games that have a positive impact on children���s health. The investigation is done by evaluating previous health game studies concentrating on children and five health affairs (such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, nutrition and obesity). In order to do so, firstly the topic of children���s health games is explained through its roots, as it is an interdisciplinary topic pertinent with many other fields. For this reason, the topics regarding the children���s health games as games, video games, children���s gameplay, and serious games along with health, relevant health affairs, and health promotion were covered. Secondly, the meta-study was conducted with the 56 articles on children���s health games. These 56 articles were analyzed with the coding technique defined by Charmaz���s Grounded Theory Method (Charmaz, 2006) for finding out which elements of children���s health games have a positive impact on children���s health promotion. The main result suggests that, although there are 24 different elements found and listed which all positive in their nature, their positive impact is a matter of how they are used or implemented through the consumption cycle of children���s health games and how all these elements interact with each other. In addition to this, a pragmatic proposal is formulated for possibly better or more successful health games. The study concludes with the declaration of the limitations encountered through the research and the recommendations for future research.

Viable Health Games: Elements for Success

The main purpose of this study is to identify the elements of children's health games that have a positive impact on children���s health. The investigation is done by evaluating previous health game studies concentrating on children and five health affairs (such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, nutrition and obesity). In order to do so, firstly the topic of children���s health games is explained through its roots, as it is an interdisciplinary topic pertinent with many other fields. For this reason, the topics regarding the children���s health games as games, video games, children���s gameplay, and serious games along with health, relevant health affairs, and health promotion were covered. Secondly, the meta-study was conducted with the 56 articles on children���s health games. These 56 articles were analyzed with the coding technique defined by Charmaz���s Grounded Theory Method (Charmaz, 2006) for finding out which elements of children���s health games have a positive impact on children���s health promotion. The main result suggests that, although there are 24 different elements found and listed which all positive in their nature, their positive impact is a matter of how they are used or implemented through the consumption cycle of children���s health games and how all these elements interact with each other. In addition to this, a pragmatic proposal is formulated for possibly better or more successful health games. The study concludes with the declaration of the limitations encountered through the research and the recommendations for future research.