Reviewerly/exHarmony huggingface dataset:
Co-designed Robots towards African Challenges by Basotho Children

As technology and Human-Computer Interaction spread across Africa, young children have been attracted to creative designs. This interactive submission showcases three robots that have been developed by High School Children. We are excited to showcase the achievements of the High School students, who have developed three remarkable robots that address real-world challenges. These robots are the result of dedication, creativity, and hard work, and we believe they hold great potential to inspire and captivate the attendees of the conference. Our interactive design provides a firsthand experience of these robots in action developed by children. They have been meticulously designed to solve daily problems faced by individuals, showcasing how technological advancements can enhance our lives. From assisting with household chores to tackling environmental concerns, these robots demonstrate the incredible possibilities when young minds are encouraged to explore the intersection of technology and problem-solving. All the robots designers' age ranges between 11 -16 years old. The children will be able to present, demonstrate, and explain the developed robots.
A fast algorithm for decoding an object image in structured light for measuring a three-dimensional profi le in a non-linear optical path

The work is devoted to the development of image processing algorithms for measuring a three-dimensional surface profi le using phase triangulation methods. An algorithm for decoding images of an object in structured light is proposed, based on an iterative search for the minimum deviation of the model function from the measurement results and compensating for the nonlinearity of the receiving-transmitting path of the measuring complex. A distinctive feature of the proposed method is that the search for the model function is sought in the form of a polynomial of the second degree, which ensures the stability of the method against nonlinear distortions caused by power-law transformations of the receiving-transmitting path. The use of the interval search method as part of the proposed algorithm provides a qualitative reduction in its algorithmic complexity. It is shown that the proposed algorithm provides a stable search for the value of the initial phase shift in object images, is resistant to noise and non-linear distortions. The algorithm proposed in the paper can be used to process images received in three-dimensional scanning systems based on triangulation methods using structured illumination and phase triangulation. The proposed algorithm will be especially useful for data processing during the operation of measuring systems in the conditions of a nonlinear source-receiver path of optical radiation and measurement time limitations.
Analysis of optimization methods for nonparametric estimation of probability density in large volume samples

A method is proposed for selecting the blurriness coefficient of kernel functions for nonparametric estimation of the probability density of a one-dimensional random variable with large volumes of statistical data, for example, obtained by remote sensing of natural objects. In the proposed method for selecting the blurriness coefficient, a regression estimate of the probability density is used. A method for synthesizing a regression probability density estimate is presented. The synthesis of the estimate is based on compression of the initial sample by decomposition of the range of values of a random variable. To decompose the range of values of a random variable, the Heinhold-Gaede rule and the formula for optimal selection of the number of sampling intervals are applied. Two approaches to the selection of the blurriness coefficient of the regression estimation of probability density using the traditional and proposed by the authors optimization methods of nonparametric estimation of probability density are considered. The traditional method of optimizing nonparametric estimation of probability density is based on minimizing its mean square deviation. In the proposed method, the selection of the blurriness coefficients of the kernel functions is based on the conditions of the minimum error of approximation of the regression estimate of the desired probability density. The approximation properties of the regression estimation of probability density using two methods of its optimization are analyzed. The conditions of their competence in estimating the probability densities of random variables with a lognormal distribution law are established. The results obtained allow for development when optimizing a regression estimate of the probability density of a multidimensional random variable.
Expanding the dynamic range of a measuring system that implements the phase triangulation method

The article is devoted to the development of phase triangulation and structured illumination methods for measuring the geometry of objects with arbitrary light-scattering surface properties. A method for expanding the dynamic range of a measuring system that implements the phase triangulation method is proposed. The method is based on automatic adjustment of the exposure time of the photodetector, excessive collection of experimental data, and complex regression analysis. The results of experimental studies of the effectiveness of the proposed method for expanding the dynamic range of the measuring system are presented. It is shown that the classical approach to image interpretation using a photodetector with a fi xed exposure duration almost always leads to a high level of error over the entire range of light-scattering properties of the surface. For low exposure values, there is an increase in the measurement error in the region of the dark surface, since the signal level there turns out to be signifi cantly weaker than for the bright regions of the measured surface. For large exposure values, an increase in the error is observed when measuring the bright area of the measured surface, since the signal is outside the dynamic range of the photodetector. The proposed method of image interpretation with an extended range of the measuring system demonstrates an error level less than or comparable to the results of image interpretation with a fi xed exposure for all measured light-scattering properties of the surface. The proposed method makes it possible to perform automated measurements without additional optimization of the photodetector parameters for the light-scattering properties of the surface of the measured object.
Image Encryption Algorithm based on Elliptic Curves

Several cryptography schemes on the images use chaos theory, these schemes are very effective but have weaknesses such as the distribution of keys between the two entities that want to exchange an image confidentially. In this work, we propose an efficient encryption scheme using elliptic curves, we show that the proposed scheme is tamper-proof against any attack. It also proves security because of the problem of discrete logarithm on this elliptic curve whose calculation is difficult. This scheme achieves the required objectives such as non-repudiation, confidentiality, and integrity. During the security analysis of the proposed scheme, we verified that many security attributes have been satisfied.
An Improved Algorithm for Optical Character Recognition using Graphical User Interface Design

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous jobs have become necessary, including the storing and sharing of printed material across computers. One simple way to save data from printed papers to a computer system is to scan them first and then save them as images. However, it would be quite challenging to extract or query text or other information from these photo files to reuse this information. As a result, a method for automatically retrieving and storing information, particularly text, from picture files is required. Optical character recognition (OCR) is an ongoing research topic that aims to create a computer system capable of extracting and processing text from images. To accomplish successful automation, certain significant problems must be identified and addressed. The font properties of characters in paper documents, as well as image quality, are only a few of the latest problems. Characters may not be recognized correctly by the computer system because of many complexities. So, in this study, authors look into OCR in four different contexts and apply them to get our results. However, every OCR is further followed by these two steps. First, a comprehensive explanation of the challenges that may develop during the OCR phases is provided. The key phases of an OCR system are then executed, including pre-processing, segmentation, normalization, feature extraction, classification, and post-processing. It can be used with deep learning software to provide OCR data which is very useful for robotic and AI applications.
Semiotics of Emoticons and Emoji in the Discoursive Space of Spanish Political Internet Communication

The purpose of the study is to establish significance of graphic symbols - semiotic, cognitive and functional characteristics of emoticons and emoji as paralinguistic means of written communication in Spanish political Internet communication. The materials of the study are the publications of Spanish government bodies, political parties and politicians in the official Twitter accounts. The relevance of the study stems from the need to analyze the functional and impact potential of emoticons and emoji as an integral part of modern Spanish political discourse in the Internet and determine their characteristics from the standpoint of theoretical linguistics, discourse theory, semiotics and pragmalinguistics. The paper concludes that the semiotic characteristics of emoji and emoticons as iconic signs and symbols allow them to perform a number of important functions in the discursive Internet communication, for instance, nominative - identifying referents, due to the fact that they are associated with them by physical similarity; syntactic - structuring the punctuation and intonation contour of the message; cognitive - conveying additional conventional meanings implied by the interpretation of the represented objects; communicative - creating an intonation contour and emotional background of the message; influencing - setting the vector of pragmatic interpretation of the message and its empathic component. At the same time, the verbal and non-verbal components of polycode Internet messages are not opposed to each other, but mutually determine the integral perception, representation and interpretation of reality.
The Spirit of the Information Society, Technologies, and Citizens

Since years the hackers' movement warns about it. For a huge cultural misunderstanding, we are going on trying to learn new technologies according to the rules of the old school or using them as if we could learn directly from the market. The most cannot properly use the present devices too powerful and easy, and many ideas on the future come from science fiction. It's difficult to understand that the Web is made by each of us and depends on what we put in it, more than on our visits online. Once the Internet was attended by a small vanguard capable of managing websites and blogs, gathering in communities, innovating audiovisual and media, sharing experiences and knowledge. Since several years we are billions crowded in networks much more commercial than social, where no technical skills or references to reality are required: Really “ready” for the incoming metaverse, AI and the Web3?
Body, Nature, Machines, a Feasible, Necessary Balance

For centuries and millennia, human experience has been living, natural, bodily, and only a minority, able to read and write, could think beyond. Visual culture, for all, was limited to painting, sculpture, architecture. Recently, within a few decades, radio, cinema, mass school, and the press came within everyone's reach, and television and internet across the Earth. Knowledge of the world for all humans is now mainly outside the lived experience, while our impact on the planet has become so strong that it endangers plant and animal species, the climate, and human survival itself. Examples show that balancing and reassembling the experience is not so desperate a venture. Virtual and real can easily meet and cooperate, though often we have to know the stories out of mainstream narratives, where actually people take part not only as spectators, but as active players in the planet in which they live.
What if?.. Fabulating African HCI Futures within the Veil of HCI

This workshop aims to bring together researchers and practitioners (African and otherwise) engaging with diverse communities and industries to discuss the geopolitics of knowledge production in computing research and design. Our proposal builds on existing works that have explored the modalities of the knowledge economy - particularly as knowledge is created, legitimized, and circulated as objective truth via the exercise of power. For example, engaging indigenous communities in conferences and knowledge fairs have sought to challenge disciplinary silos and boundaries imposed on non-Western academics and practitioners. This workshop, as a platform for interaction and discussion with no "sage on the stage", is the first of its kind within AfriCHI and it seeks to explore and promote more subtle discussions about HCI knowledge production and dissemination practices.
Co-Designing Technologies with Children

The goal of this workshop is to convene researchers and stakeholders involved in co-creating technologies with children to share their experiences, best tools and methodologies as well as how to effectively manage any challenges they have encountered. Participants may contribute their unique perspectives and ideas to the research process in an effort to share experiences of facilitating co-designing with children, identify challenges, and collaborate on improving strategies, tools, and methodologies to encourage co-design with children globally. This workshop looks into co-designing with children, exploring the hurdles faced by researchers and strategies to overcome them. Participants will discuss, fostering empathy, meaningful participation, and innovative tools to create inclusive outcomes. The sessions aim to promote creative, child-centric solutions by exchanging experiences and success stories. Co-designing with children can be fun and generate insightful design ideas but however, challenges may be encountered during the collaborative design sessions. The workshop will enable researchers and practitioners to discuss some of the challenges they have encountered and elaborate on strategies to mitigate the challenges in an effort to design effective technologies for children. In this workshop, we will work face to face and utilise Jamboard. Participants will share challenging experiences, and develop strategic solutions in teams. Finally, we intend to establish collaboration links between researchers and practitioners to exchange techniques, and resources and engage in new initiatives globally.
Designing a voice-controlled dialogue system for workplace learning of routine physical workers

The design of conversational user interfaces (CUIs) remains challenging because CUIs do not follow the conventional ways we conduct graphical user interface (GUI) designs. Furthermore, conversational experience design is ongoing research in the field of HCI. However, research is still scarce on voice-controlled dialogue systems design in which people can interact with unique audio resources such as podcasts and textual materials such as Wikis by auditory and vocal channels for learning in workplace contexts. We report the preliminary results obtained from Wizard of Oz tests conducted with two participants to find effective and valuable ways to create dialogue scripts for our proposed task-oriented modularised voice-controlled dialogue system for workplace learning of routine physical workers. The results are very insightful for our next design steps of the proposed system.
Reconsidering Network Management Interfaces for Communities

Community-owned mesh wireless networks enable cost-effective sharing of networked resources, expanding internet and local service accessibility through low-cost WiFi hardware. However, maintaining these networks comes with expenses. In addition to hardware costs, community members need extensive training to install, monitor, and troubleshoot the networks using Network Management Interfaces (NMIs). Effective network management is crucial for CWN resilience within communities. This paper presents qualitative interviews with 25 stakeholders from two CWNs in India and four in South Africa, examining challenges to CWN resilience. Workshops were conducted with network operators and users in India (Janastu) and prospective operators in South Africa (FOCUS Network) to reimagine NMIs, discussing challenges and prototyping interfaces. Our findings highlights diverse network management approaches, revealing difficulties in technical capacity building, troubleshooting, and prototyping. Designing NMIs with local network operators' insights and skills is crucial for CWN sustainability. The paper outlines design opportunities to improve network management interfaces for CWNs, fostering network resilience for critical infrastructures.
A Community-Based Exploration Into Gesture-driven Locomotion Control in Virtual Reality

Gesture-based control in virtual reality applications provides a more natural interaction but at the same time brings about new challenges in regards to implementing actions such as locomotion. In an effort to maintain a user-driven approach to the design of more intuitive and natural control gestures, we have run an exploratory study with a rural partner community in Southern Africa. We conducted one gesture elicitation session, which informed the implementation of a locomotion control gesture, which was evaluated after a second elicitation session. The findings will guide application specific implementations and further research to confirm user approval and minimized cybersickness.
Investigating the Efficacy of Large Language Models in Reflective Assessment Methods through Chain of Thought Prompting

Large Language Models, such as Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (aka. GPT-3), have been developed to understand language through the analysis of extensive text data, allowing them to identify patterns and connections between words. While LLMs have demonstrated impressive performance across various text-related tasks, they encounter challenges in tasks associated with reasoning. To address this challenge, Chain of Thought (CoT) prompting method has been proposed as a means to enhance LLMs' proficiency in complex reasoning tasks like solving math word problems and answering questions based on logical argumentative reasoning. The primary aim of this research is to assess how well four language models can grade reflective essays of third-year medical students. The assessment will specifically target the evaluation of critical thinking skills using CoT prompting.
Pilot Study on Likelihood of Adoption of Immersive Technology for Teaching and Learning of STEM based Course in Tertiary Institutions in Africa: A Case Study of Nigeria

This pilot study aims to investigate the factors that influence the likelihood of adopting immersive technology for teaching and learning STEM-based courses in tertiary institutions in Africa, with a specific focus on the case of Nigeria. Immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have shown promise in enhancing student engagement and understanding of complex STEM concepts. However, the adoption of these technologies in educational settings remains relatively low. By conducting a case study in Nigeria, this research aims to identify the key factors that contribute to the adoption of immersive technology in the Nigerian context. The study employs a quantitative approach of immersive technology use, targeting 60 participants in selected tertiary institutions, and uses Cronbach's coefficient to evaluate the consistency of responses. The preliminary findings provide valuable insights into the barriers, opportunities, and strategies for promoting the adoption of immersive technology for STEM education in Nigeria and potentially other African countries.
Bridging Opportunities: A User-Centered Approach to Enhancing Usability in a Digital Skills and Employment Information System for Ex-Offenders in Nigeria

This study focuses on employment challenges for ex-offenders in Nigeria and introduces Bridging Opportunities (DSEISEN), a system to assist their reintegration into society. Two participant categories were involved: Category 1 (28 participants, aged 26-55, with computer literacy and primarily educated) and Category 2 (112 participants, aged 18+, with varying education levels). The methods used are quantitative heuristics and qualitative analysis of theme-related words. The study found stigmas limiting ex-offenders employment opportunities, emphasizing the need for support. Bridging Opportunities' user interface design holds promise in improving ex-offenders livelihoods by providing employment information and digital skills. These user-centered designs can reduce recidivism, promote inclusion, and create equal employment opportunities, fostering a more just and inclusive society.
Unmasking the Potential of Usable Security and Privacy Technologies in Empowering African Digital Landscapes

This paper comprehensively explores the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), usable security, and privacy technologies within the context of the rapidly digitising African continent. Recognising the increasing digitalisation in Africa, we assert the criticality of focusing on usable security and privacy features to ensure safe and meaningful user engagement. We systematically review existing literature, present five illustrative case studies across different sectors, including finance, health, education, agriculture, and internet services, and highlight their application within Africa's unique socio-cultural and economic realities. Our findings underscore the transformative potential of these technologies in enhancing user experiences, securing data, providing context-specific solutions, considering socio-cultural factors, and fostering accessibility and inclusivity. This paper argues for the vital role of user-friendly, context-specific, and culturally aware technology design in overcoming the digital divide, enhancing the adoption and trust of digital systems, and fostering an inclusive, secure digital ecosystem in Africa.