Innovation and adoption of mobile technology in public organizations: the IBGE case

The use of Mobile and Wireless Information Technologies (MWIT) for provisioning public services by a government is a relatively recent phenomenon. This paper evaluates the results of MWIT adoption by IBGE (The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) through a case study. In 2007, IBGE applied 82,000 mobile devices (PDAs) for data gathering in a census operation in Brazil. A set of challenges for a large scale application of MWIT required intensive work involving innovative working practices and service goals. The case reveals a set of outputs of this process, such as time and cost reductions in service provision, improved information quality, staff training and increased organizational effectiveness and agility.

EVALUATING THE EFFICIENCY PROGRESS WITH TECHNOLOGY IN A SPANISH HOTEL CHAIN

ABSTRACTThis paper analyzes the changes in the total factor productivity index of a Spanish hotel chain in the period from 2007 to 2010 with the purpose of identifying efficiency patterns for the chain in a period of financial crisis. The data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist productivity index was used to estimate productivity change in 38 hotels of the AC chain. Results reveal AC hotels' efficiency trends and, therefore, their competitiveness in the recession period; they also show the changes experienced in these hotels' total productivity and its components: technological and efficiency changes. Positive efficiency changes were due to positive technical efficiency rather than technological efficiency. The recession period certainly influenced the performance of AC Hotels, which focused on organizational changes rather than investing in technology.

Sistema de contagem de tráfego e classificação automática de veículos, em tempo real e sem fios

Esta tese tem por objectivo o desenho e avaliação de um sistema de contagem e classificação de veículos automóveis em tempo-real e sem fios. Pretende, também, ser uma alternativa aos actuais equipamentos, muito intrusivos nas vias rodoviárias. Esta tese inclui um estudo sobre as comunicações sem fios adequadas a uma rede de equipamentos sensores rodoviários, um estudo sobre a utilização do campo magnético como meio físico de detecção e contagem de veículos e um estudo sobre a autonomia energética dos equipamentos inseridos na via, com recurso, entre outros, à energia solar. O projecto realizado no âmbito desta tese incorpora, entre outros, a digitalização em tempo real da assinatura magnética deixada pela passagem de um veículo, no campo magnético da Terra, o respectivo envio para servidor via rádio e WAN, Wide Area Network, e o desenvolvimento de software tendo por base a pilha de protocolos ZigBee. Foram desenvolvidas aplicações para o equipamento sensor, para o coordenador, para o painel de controlo e para a biblioteca de Interface de um futuro servidor aplicacional. O software desenvolvido para o equipamento sensor incorpora ciclos de detecção e digitalização, com pausas de adormecimento de baixo consumo, e a activação das comunicações rádio durante a fase de envio, assegurando assim uma estratégia de poupança energética. Os resultados obtidos confirmam a viabilidade desta tecnologia para a detecção e contagem de veículos, assim como para a captura de assinatura usando magnetoresistências. Permitiram ainda verificar o alcance das comunicações sem fios com equipamento sensor embebido no asfalto e confirmar o modelo de cálculo da superfície do painel solar bem como o modelo de consumo energético do equipamento sensor.

Enhancing reflexivity and technology in translation learning: case study on the use of ePortfolio as a training environment

In this paper we describe a casestudy of an experiment on how reflexivity and technology can enhance learning, by using ePorfolios as a training environment to develop translation skills. Translation is today a multiskilled job and translators need to assure their clients a good performance and quality, both in language and in technology domains. In order to accomplish it, for the translator all the tasks and processes he develops appear as crucial, being pretranslation and posttranslation processes equally important as the translation itself, namely as far as autonomy, reflexive and critical skills are concerned. Finally, the need and relevance for collaborative tasks and networks amongst virtual translation communities, led us to the decision of implementing ePortfolios as a tool to develop the requested skills and extend the use of Internet in translation, namely in terminology management phases, for the completion of each task, by helping students in the management of the projects deadlines, improving their knowledge on the construction and management of translation resources and deepening their awareness about the concepts related to the development and usability of ePorfolios.

Environmental sustainability in superior education: case study of Lisbon College of Health Technology

Over the centuries there has been a growing trend of societies and it is possible to verify their economic growth. This growth has provided an increased pressure on natural resources, often over-reaching the boundaries of each country, which has called into question the level of environmental sustainability in different countries. Sustainability is understood as a complex concept involving ecological, social, economic dimensions and temporal urban processes. Therefore, Firmino (2009) suggests that the ecological footprint (EF) allows people to establish dependency relations between human activities and the natural resources required for such activities and for the absorption of waste generated. According to Bergh & Verbruggen (1999) the EF is an objective, impartial and one-dimensional indicator that enables people to assess the sustainability. The Superior Schools have a crucial role in building the vision of a sustainable future as a reality, because in transmitting values and environmental principles to his students, are providing that they, in exercising his professional activity, make decisions weighing the environmental values. This ensures improved quality of life. The present study aims to determine the level of environmental sustainability of the Academic Community of Lisbon College of Health Technology (ESTeSL), by calculating the EF, and describe whether a relation between Footprint and various socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects.

Virtual communities of practice: examining the motivations and constraints in their knowledge creation and knowledge transfer preocesses

Paper accepted for the OKLC 2009 - International Conference on Organizational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities (26-28th, April 2009, Amsterdam, the Netherlands).

User perception and influencing factors of technology in everyday life

An increasing amount of research is being developed in the area where technology and humans meet. The success or failure of technologies and the question whether technology helps humans to fulfill their goals or whether it hinders them is in most cases not a technical one. User Perception and Influencing Factors of Technology in Everyday Life addresses issues of human and technology interaction. The research in this work is interdisciplinary, ranging from more technical subjects such as computer science, engineering, and information systems, to non-technical descriptions of technology and human interaction from the point of view of sociology or philosophy. This book is perfect for academics, researchers, and professionals alike as it presents a set of theories that allow us to understand the interaction of technology and humans and to put it to practical use.

Human interaction with technology for working, communicating, and learning: advancements

The way humans interact with technology is undergoing a tremendous change. It is hard to imagine the lives we live today without the benefits of technology that we take for granted. Applying research in computer science, engineering, and information systems to non-technical descriptions of technology, such as human interaction, has shaped and continues to shape our lives. Human Interaction with Technology for Working, Communicating, and Learning: Advancements provides a framework for conceptual, theoretical, and applied research in regards to the relationship between technology and humans. This book is unique in the sense that it does not only cover technology, but also science, research, and the relationship between these fields and individuals' experience. This book is a must have for anyone interested in this research area, as it provides a voice for all users and a look into our future.

Technology for creativity and innovation: tools, techniques and applications

It is widely accepted that organizations and individuals must be innovative and continually create new knowledge and ideas to deal with rapid change. Innovation plays an important role in not only the development of new business, process and products, but also in competitiveness and success of any organization. Technology for Creativity and Innovation: Tools, Techniques and Applications provides empirical research findings and best practices on creativity and innovation in business, organizational, and social environments. It is written for educators, academics and professionals who want to improve their understanding of creativity and innovation as well as the role technology has in shaping this discipline.

Sociological and philosophical aspects of human interaction with technology: advancing concepts

It is not possible to imagine our lives today without technology. From the moment we get up in the morning until the time that we go to bed at night, technology is present in almost every moment, even if we are not aware of it. Some of the most basic activities we need to perform regularly could not be carried out without technology. Sociological and Philosophical Aspects of Human Interaction with Technology: Advancing Concepts presents a careful blend of conceptual, theoretical and applied research in regards to the relationship between technology and humans. This book explores the importance of these interactions, aspects related with trust, communication, data protection, usability concerning organizational change, and e-learning. The advancement of these theories and practices will benefit from this publication as it provides a voice for the users.

Use of a-SiC:H Semiconductor-Based Transducer for Glucose Sensing through FRET Analysis

Glucose sensing is an issue with great interest in medical and biological applications. One possible approach to glucose detection takes advantage of measuring changes in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between a fluorescent donor and an acceptor within a protein which undergoes glucose-induced changes in conformation. This demands the detection of fluorescent signals in the visible spectrum. In this paper we analyzed the emission spectrum obtained from fluorescent labels attached to a protein which changes its conformation in the presence of glucose using a commercial spectrofluorometer. Different glucose nanosensors were used to measure the output spectra with fluorescent signals located at the cyan and yellow bands of the spectrum. A new device is presented based on multilayered a-SiC:H heterostructures to detect identical transient visible signals. The transducer consists of a p-i'(a-SiC:H)-n/p-i(a-Si:H)-n heterostructure optimized for the detection of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer between fluorophores with excitation in the violet (400 nm) and emissions in the cyan (470 nm) and yellow (588 nm) range of the spectrum. Results show that the device photocurrent signal measured under reverse bias and using appropriate steady state optical bias, allows the separate detection of the cyan and yellow fluorescence signals presented.

Optoelectronic Digital Capture Device Based on Si/C Multilayer Heterostructures

Combined tunable WDM converters based on SiC multilayer photonic active filters are analyzed. The operation combines the properties of active long-pass and short-pass wavelength filter sections into a capacitive active band-pass filter. The sensor element is a multilayered heterostructure produced by PE-CVD. The configuration includes two stacked SiC p-i-n structures sandwiched between two transparent contacts. Transfer function characteristics are studied both theoretically and experimentally. Results show that optical bias activated photonic device combines the demultiplexing operation with the simultaneous photodetection and self amplification of an optical signal acting the device as an integrated photonic filter in the visible range. Depending on the wavelength of the external background and irradiation side, the device acts either as a short- or a long-pass band filter or as a band-stop filter. The output waveform presents a nonlinear amplitude-dependent response to the wavelengths of the input channels. A numerical simulation and two building-blocks active circuit is presented and gives insight into the physics of the device.

Optoelectronic Logic Functions Based on Reconfigurable SiC Multilayer Devices

WDM multilayered SiC/Si devices based on a-Si:H and a-SiC:H filter design are approached from a reconfigurable point of view. Results show that the devices, under appropriated optical bias, act as reconfigurable active filters that allow optical switching and optoelectronic logic functions development. Under front violet irradiation the magnitude of the red and green channels are amplified and the blue and violet reduced. Violet back irradiation cuts the red channel, slightly influences the magnitude of the green and blue ones and strongly amplifies de violet channel. This nonlinearity provides the possibility for selective removal of useless wavelengths. Particular attention is given to the amplification coefficient weights, which allow taking into account the wavelength background effects when a band needs to be filtered from a wider range of mixed signals, or when optical active filter gates are used to select and filter input signals to specific output ports in WDM communication systems. A truth table of an encoder that performs 8-to-1 multiplexer (MUX) function is presented.

Study of the one dimensional and transient bioheat transfer equation: Multi-layer solution development and applications

: In this work we derive an analytical solution given by Bessel series to the transient and one-dimensional (1D) bioheat transfer equation in a multi-layer region with spatially dependent heat sources. Each region represents an independent biological tissue characterized by temperature-invariant physiological parameters and a linearly temperature dependent metabolic heat generation. Moreover, 1D Cartesian, cylindrical or spherical coordinates are used to define the geometry and temperature boundary conditions of first, second and third kinds are assumed at the inner and outer surfaces. We present two examples of clinical applications for the developed solution. In the first one, we investigate two different heat source terms to simulate the heating in a tumor and its surrounding tissue, induced during a magnetic fluid hyperthermia technique used for cancer treatment. To obtain an accurate analytical solution, we determine the error associated with the truncated Bessel series that defines the transient solution. In the second application, we explore the potential of this model to study the effect of different environmental conditions in a multi-layered human head model (brain, bone and scalp). The convective heat transfer effect of a large blood vessel located inside the brain is also investigated. The results are further compared with a numerical solution obtained by the Finite Element Method and computed with COMSOL Multi-physics v4.1 (c). (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.