The multi-platform user engagement and data visualisation tool

The ability to identify and assess user engagement with transmedia productions is vital to the success of individual projects and the sustainability of this mode of media production as a whole. It is essential that industry players have access to tools and methodologies that offer the most complete and accurate picture of how audiences/users engage with their productions and which assets generate the most valuable returns of investment. Drawing upon research conducted with Hoodlum Entertainment, a Brisbane-based transmedia producer, this project involved an initial assessment of the way engagement tends to be understood, why standard web analytics tools are ill-suited to measuring it, how a customised tool could offer solutions, and why this question of measuring engagement is so vital to the future of transmedia as a sustainable industry. Working with data provided by Hoodlum Entertainment and Foxtel Marketing, the outcome of the study was a prototype for a custom data visualisation tool that allowed access, manipulation and presentation of user engagement data, both historic and predictive. The prototyped interfaces demonstrate how the visualization tool would collect and organise data specific to multiplatform projects by aggregating data across a number of platform reporting tools. Such a tool is designed to encompass not only platforms developed by the transmedia producer but also sites developed by fans. This visualisation tool accounted for multiplatform experience projects whose top level is comprised of people, platforms and content. People include characters, actors, audience, distributors and creators. Platforms include television, Facebook and other relevant social networks, literature, cinema and other media that might be included in the multiplatform experience. Content refers to discreet media texts employed within the platform, such as tweet, a You Tube video, a Facebook post, an email, a television episode, etc. Core content is produced by the creators’ multiplatform experiences to advance the narrative, while complimentary content generated by audience members offers further contributions to the experience. Equally important is the timing with which the components of the experience are introduced and how they interact with and impact upon each other. Being able to combine, filter and sort these elements in multiple ways we can better understand the value of certain components of a project. It also offers insights into the relationship between the timing of the release of components and user activity associated with them, which further highlights the efficacy (or, indeed, failure) of assets as catalysts for engagement. In collaboration with Hoodlum we have developed a number of design scenarios experimenting with the ways in which data can be visualised and manipulated to tell a more refined story about the value of user engagement with certain project components and activities. This experimentation will serve as the basis for future research.

Facebook, telecollaboration, and international access to technology in the classroom

This study uses the well-known social networking site, Facebook (FB), for a study of differences in perceptions on the use of technologies in the classroom around the world. This study is part of a larger project exploring telecollaboration and the use of online discussions between graduate students in an online masters program based in Australia and students in the graduate education program at a regional university in Greece. Postings reveal more similarities between the situations and perceptions of the participants from the different countries than differences. Most participants indicated that while they and their students had access in general to computers and the internet, they did not necessarily have this access in the classroom. Even when technologies were available in schools, participants identified a critical need for professional development to increase teachers’ use of ICT. These findings are relevant to educators and policy development in terms of implementation of ICT or social networking in the language classroom.

High-temperature growth of graphene films on copper foils by ethanol chemical vapour deposition

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is widely utilized to synthesize graphene with controlled properties for many applications, especially when continuous films over large areas are required. Although hydrocarbons such as methane are quite efficient precursors for CVD at high temperature (∼1000 °C), finding less explosive and safer carbon sources is considered beneficial for the transition to large-scale production. In this work, we investigated the CVD growth of graphene using ethanol, which is a harmless and readily processable carbon feedstock that is expected to provide favorable kinetics. We tested a wide range of synthesis conditions (i.e., temperature, time, gas ratios), and on the basis of systematic analysis by Raman spectroscopy, we identified the optimal parameters for producing highly crystalline graphene with different numbers of layers. Our results demonstrate the importance of high temperature (1070 °C) for ethanol CVD and emphasize the significant effects that hydrogen and water vapor, coming from the thermal decomposition of ethanol, have on the crystal quality of the synthesized graphene.

Tailoring the resonance of bilayer graphene sheets by interlayer sp3 bonds

Graphene-based resonators are envisioned to build the ultimate limit of two-dimensional nanoelectromechanical system due to their ultrasensitive detection of mass, force, pressure and charge. However, such application has been greatly impeded by their extremely low quality factor. In the present work, we explore, using the large-scale molecular dynamics simulation, the possibility of tailoring the resonance properties of a bilayer graphene sheet (GS) with interlayer sp3 bonds. For the bilayer GS resonator with interlayer sp3 bonds, we discovered that the sp3 bonds can either degrade or enhance the resonance properties of the resonator depending on their density and location. It is found that the distribution of sp3 bonds only along the edges of either pristine or hydrogenated bilayer GS, leads to a greatly enhanced quality factor. A quality factor of ~1.18×105 is observed for a 3.07×15.31 nm2 bilayer GS resonator with sp3 bonds, which is more than 30 times larger comparing with that of a pristine bilayer GS. The present study demonstrates that the resonance properties of a bilayer GS resonator can be tuned by introducing sp3 bonds. This finding provides a useful guideline for the synthesis of the bilayer GS for its application as a resonator component.

Exchanging data between Digital Human Modelling systems : a review of data formats

Digital human modeling (DHM) systems underwent significant development within the last years. They achieved constantly growing importance in the field of ergonomic workplace design, product development, product usability, ergonomic research, ergonomic education, audiovisual marketing and the entertainment industry. They help to design ergonomic products as well as healthy and safe socio-technical work systems. In the domain of scientific DHM systems, no industry specific standard interfaces are defined which could facilitate the exchange of 3D solid body data, anthropometric data or motion data. The focus of this article is to provide an overview of requirements for a reliable data exchange between different DHM systems in order to identify suitable file formats. Examples from the literature are discussed in detail. Methods: As a first step a literature review is conducted on existing studies and file formats for exchanging data between different DHM systems. The found file formats can be structured into different categories: static 3D solid body data exchange, anthropometric data exchange, motion data exchange and comprehensive data exchange. Each file format is discussed and advantages as well as disadvantages for the DHM context are pointed out. Case studies are furthermore presented, which show first approaches to exchange data between DHM systems. Lessons learnt are shortly summarized. Results: A selection of suitable file formats for data exchange between DHM systems is determined from the literature review.

Opening digital learning to deeper inquiry

This chapter presents an historical narrative on the recent evolution of information and communications technology (ICT) that has been, and is, utilized for purposes of learning. In other words, it presents an account of the development of e-learning supported through the Web and other similar virtual environments. It does not attempt to present a definitive account; as such an exercise is fraught with assumptions, contextual bias, and probable conjecture. The concern here is more with contextualizing the role of inquiry in learning and the evolving digital tools that enable interfaces that promote and support it. In tracking this evolution, both multi-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary research has been pursued. Key historical developments are identified as well as interpretations of the key drivers of e-learning over time and into what might be better described as digital learning. Innovations in the development of digital tools are described as dynamic and emergent, evolving as a consequence of multiple, sometimes hidden drivers of change. But conflating advancements in learning technologies with e-learning seems to be pervasive. As is the push for the “open” agenda – a growing number of initiatives and movements dominated by themes associated with access, intellectual property, public benefit, sharing and technical interoperability. Openness is also explored in this chapter, however, more in terms of what it means when associated with inquiry. By investigating opportunities for the stimulation and support of questioning online – in particular, why-questioning – this chapter is focused on “opening” content – not just for access but for inquiry and deeper learning.

Overview of INEX 2013

INEX investigates focused retrieval from structured documents by providing large test collections of structured documents, uniform evaluation measures, and a forum for organizations to compare their results. This paper reports on the INEX 2013 evaluation campaign, which consisted of four activities addressing three themes: searching professional and user generated data (Social Book Search track); searching structured or semantic data (Linked Data track); and focused retrieval (Snippet Retrieval and Tweet Contextualization tracks). INEX 2013 was an exciting year for INEX in which we consolidated the collaboration with (other activities in) CLEF and for the second time ran our workshop as part of the CLEF labs in order to facilitate knowledge transfer between the evaluation forums. This paper gives an overview of all the INEX 2013 tracks, their aims and task, the built test-collections, and gives an initial analysis of the results

Specification & design of safety technologies for complex socio-technical systems : low-cost level crossings case study

The introduction of safety technologies into complex socio-technical systems requires an integrated and holistic approach to HF and engineering, considering the effects of failures not only within system boundaries, but also at the interfaces with other systems and humans. Level crossing warning devices are examples of such systems where technically safe states within the system boundary can influence road user performance, giving rise to other hazards that degrade safety of the system. Chris will discuss the challenges that have been encountered to date in developing a safety argument in support of low-cost level crossing warning devices. The design and failure modes of level crossing warning devices are known to have a significant influence on road user performance; however, quantifying this effect is one of the ongoing challenges in determining appropriate reliability and availability targets for low-cost level crossing warning devices.

Multidirectional effects of Sr, Mg and Si-containing bioceramic coatings with high bonding strength on inflammation, osteoclastogenesis and osteogenesis

Ideal coating materials for implants should be able to induce excellent osseointegration, which requires several important parameters, such as good bonding strength, limited inflammatory reaction, balanced osteoclastogenesis and osteogenesis, to gain well-functioning coated implants with long-term life span after implantation. Bioactive elements, like Sr, Mg and Si, have been found to play important roles in regulating the biological responses. It is of great interest to combine bioactive elements for developing bioactive coatings on Ti-6Al-4V orthopedic implants to elicit multidirectional effects on the osseointegration. In this study, Sr, Mg and Si-containing bioactive Sr2MgSi2O7 (SMS) ceramic coatings on Ti-6Al-4V were successfully prepared by plasma-spray coating method. The prepared SMS coatings have significantly higher bonding strength (~37MPa) than conventional pure hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings (mostly in the range of 15-25 MPa). It was also found that the prepared SMS coatings switch the macrophage phenotype into M2 extreme, inhibiting the inflammatory reaction via the inhibition of Wnt5A/Ca2+ and Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways of macrophages. In addition, the osteoclastic activities were also inhibited by SMS coatings. The expression of osteoclastogenesis related genes (RANKL and MCSF) in bone marrow derived mesenchymal cells (BMSCs) with the involvement of macrophages was decreased, while OPG expression was enhanced on SMS coatings compared to HA coatings, indicating that SMS coatings also downregulated the osteoclastogenesis. However, the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs with the involvement of macrophages was comparable between SMS and HA coatings. Therefore, the prepared SMS coatings showed multidirectional effects, such as improving bonding strength, reducing inflammatory reaction and downregulating osteoclastic activities, but maintaining a comparable osteogenesis, as compared with HA coatings. The combination of bioactive elements of Sr, Mg and Si into bioceramic coatings can be a promising method to develop bioactive implants with multifunctional properties for orthopaedic application.

On-line Demand Management of Low Voltage Residential Distribution Networks in Smart Grids

A novel intelligent online demand management system is discussed in this chapter for peak load management in low voltage residential distribution networks based on the smart grid concept. The discussed system also regulates the network voltage, balances the power in three phases and coordinates the energy storage within the network. This method uses low cost controllers, with two-way communication interfaces, installed in costumers’ premises and at distribution transformers to manage the peak load while maximizing customer satisfaction. A multi-objective decision making process is proposed to select the load(s) to be delayed or controlled. The efficacy of the proposed control system is verified by a MATLAB-based simulation which includes detailed modeling of residential loads and the network.

Atomistic simulation of surface functionalization on the interfacial properties of graphene-polymer nanocomposites

Graphene has been increasingly used as nano sized fillers to create a broad range of nanocomposites with exceptional properties. The interfaces between fillers and matrix play a critical role in dictating the overall performance of a composite. However, the load transfer mechanism along graphene-polymer interface has not been well understood. In this study, we conducted molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the influence of surface functionalization and layer length on the interfacial load transfer in graphene polymer nanocomposites. The simulation results show that oxygen-functionalized graphene leads to larger interfacial shear force than hydrogen-functionalized and pristine ones during pull-out process. The increase of oxygen coverage and layer length enhances interfacial shear force. Further increase of oxygen coverage to about 7% leads to a saturated interfacial shear force. A model was also established to demonstrate that the mechanism of interfacial load transfer consists of two contributing parts, including the formation of new surface and relative sliding along the interface. These results are believed to be useful in development of new graphene-based nanocomposites with better interfacial properties.

A multi-scaling approach to predict hydraulic damage of poromaterials

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of hydraulic damage and its numerical integration. Unlike the common phenomenological continuum damage mechanics approaches, the procedure introduced in this paper relies on mature concepts of homogenization, linear fracture mechanics, and thermodynamics. The model is applied to the problem of fault reactivation within resource reservoirs. The results show that propagation of weaknesses is highly driven by the contrasts of properties in porous media. In particular, it is affected by the fracture toughness of host rocks. Hydraulic damage is diffused when it takes place within extended geological units and localized at interfaces and faults.

An intuitive multi-touch surface and gesture based interaction for video surveillance systems

This paper discusses the idea and demonstrates an early prototype of a novel method of interacting with security surveillance footage using natural user interfaces in place of traditional mouse and keyboard interaction. Current surveillance monitoring stations and systems provide the user with a vast array of video feeds from multiple locations on a video wall, relying on the user’s ability to distinguish locations of the live feeds from experience or list based key-value pair of location and camera IDs. During an incident, this current method of interaction may cause the user to spend increased amounts time obtaining situational and location awareness, which is counter-productive. The system proposed in this paper demonstrates how a multi-touch screen and natural interaction can enable the surveillance monitoring station users to quickly identify the location of a security camera and efficiently respond to an incident.

Development of a Remote Sensing Core Curriculum submitted for the sessions on educational initiatives in Geoscience and Remote Sensing

A Remote Sensing Core Curriculum (RSCC) development project is currently underway. This project is being conducted under the auspices of the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA). RSCC is an outgrowth of the NCGIA GIS Core Curriculum project. It grew out of discussions begun at NCGIA, Initiative 12 (I-12): 'Integration of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems'. This curriculum development project focuses on providing professors, teachers and instructors in undergraduate and graduate institutions with course materials from experts in specific subject matter for areas use in the class room.

A Survey of the 2010 Quartz Crystal Microbalance Literature

In 2010 there has again been an increase in the number of papers published involving piezoelectric acoustic sensors, or quartz crystal microbalances (QCM), when compared to the last period reviewed 2006-2009. The average number of QCM publications per annum was 124 in the period 2001-2005, 223 in the period 2006-9, and 273 in 2010. There are trends towards increasing use of QCM in the study of protein adsorption to surfaces (93% increase), homeostasis (67% increase), protein-protein interactions (40% increase), and carbohydrates (43% increase). New commercial systems have been released that are driving the uptake of the technology for characterisation of binding specificities, affinities, kinetics and conformational changes associated with a molecular recognition event. This article highlights theoretical and practical aspects of the principals that underpin acoustic analysis, then reviews exemplary papers in key application areas involving small molecular weight ligands, carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, viruses, bacteria, cells, and membrane interfaces.