bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Culture or Commerce: Framing Heritage in the Context of Municipal Subsidies. The Annual St. Nicholas Parade in the Netherlands
Authors: Helsloot John
Published: August 2013

This article focuses on the practical effects of ethnology’s framing of ritual. It examines the attitude of Dutch municipalities towards subsidizing the annual St. Nicholas parade. Some are in favor, considering the parade an element of tradition. Others are opposed, arguing that the parade is a commercial activity. Because the parade, and much other ritual, has both cultural and commercial facets, the author encourages ethnology to design a more fitting, encompassing concept.
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Članek obravnava praktične učinke etnološkega uokvirjenja rituala, pri čemer posebej razišče odnos nizozemskih občin do subvencioniranja Miklavževega sprevoda. Nekatere so mu naklonjene, saj jo imajo za sestavni del tradicije. Druge pa mu nasprotujejo in trdijo, da je sprevod komercialna dejavnost. Ker ima parada, pa tudi mnogi drugi rituali, tako kulturno kot komercialno plat, avtor pomaga etnologiji ustvariti ustreznejši, širše zastavljen koncept.
MOGY. A Vessel of Ritual in Post-socialist Hungary
Authors: Povedák István
Published: August 2013

During the last five years, the calendar of Hungarian festivals has turned upside down. Along with the well-known rock festivals for the young (e.g., the Sziget festival), attended by hundreds of thousands every summer, a new type of cultural festival is gaining tremendous popularity in Hungary. The National Assembly of Hungarians (MOGY) is a patriotic/nationalist three-day event that attracts every segment of the Hungarian population, from teenagers to older generations.
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V zadnjih petih letih se je koledar madžarskih festivalov obrnil na glavo. Skupaj z znanimi rokerskimi festivali za mlade, npr. »Sziget«, ki vsako poletje privabljajo tisoče, na Madžarskem postaja izredno priljubljen tudi nov tip kulturnega festivala. »Nacionalno združenje Madžarov« (MOGY) je patriotski/nacionalističen tridnevni dogodek, ki privablja vse segmente madžarske populacije, od najstnikov do starejših generacij.
Creators, Researchers and Users of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Light of the National List of Living Cultural Heritage
Authors: Križnar Naško
Published: August 2013

The drafting of the national list of intangible cultural heritage is a great challenge for the ethnological methodology for the study of cultural heritage. The author focuses on the significance of the triangle that links creators, researchers and users of cultural heritage; this can aid in the redefinition of the role of cultural heritage in science and in society.
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Izdelava nacionalnega seznama nesnovne kulturne dediščine je velik izziv za etnološko metodologijo preučevanja kulturne dediščine. Avtor usmerja pozornost na pomen trikotnika, ki povezuje ustvarjalce, raziskovalce in uporabnike kulturne dediščine; ta lahko na novo definira vlogo kulturne dediščine v znanosti in v družbi.
Management and Production of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Examples in Serbia
Authors: Lukić-Krstanović Miroslava
Published: August 2013

The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) has established new administrative rules and strategies of preservation, protection and implementation. The policy of intangible cultural heritage entails the conceptualization and configuration of the elements of intangible cultural heritage in the national framework as a model and as special perceptive strategies. Administrative stereotypes and pragmatism are confronted with scientific contextualization and with issues that determine various kinds of representation policies. In Serbia, intangible cultural heritage has been adopted as a strategy of state policy, accumulated scientific knowledge and various perceptions. Bearing in mind the specific social and political circumstances of the country in the periods of crisis and transition, the construct and status of intangible cultural heritage are manifested through ambivalent processes of worldwide networking and positioning through a symbolic fight of meanings as a “national issue“.
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Unescova Konvencija o varovanju nesnovne kulturne dediščine je postavila nova administrativna pravila in strategije njenega ohranjanja, zaščite in rabe. Politika nesnovne kulturne dediščine vsebuje nacionalno zasnovo in konfiguracijo elementov nesnovne kulturne dediščine kot model ter posebne strategije. Administritativni stereotipi in pragmatičnost se spoprijemajo s strokovno kontekstualizacijo in vprašanji, ki določajo raznovrstne politike reprezentacije. V Srbiji je nesnovna kulturna dediščina sprejeta kot strategija državne politike, nakopičenih znanstvenih spoznanj in raznovrstnih razumevanj. Upoštevaje posebne družbene in politične okoliščine v državi v času krize in tranzicije, se konstrukt in položaj nesnovne kulturne dediščine izražata v ambivalentnih procesih svetovnega mreženja in postavitve s simbolično bitko pomenov kot »nacionalne zadeve«.
An Overview of Accessibility and Usability of Educational Games
Authors: Hersh Marion A. , Leporini Barbara
Published: August 2013

This chapter presents an overview of accessibility and usability for educational computer-based games and the first survey of the accessibility and usability of digital educational games. The overview includes a discussion of accessibility and usability, both in general and in the specific context of educational games, as well as a brief presentation of issues relating to game design, including of mobile games. Since there are no previous studies of the accessibility and usability of educational computer-based games, studies of the accessibility and usability of the related areas of virtual learning environments, digital games for entertainment and PDF documents, are also presented. The overview of accessibility and usability and the results of the survey are used to draw up a structured list of 62 guidelines and recommendations, organised into three categories at the first level and ten at the second level. These guidelines and recommendations are illustrated by an example of their application to a fictitious new educational game.
A Brief Survey on User Modelling in Human Computer Interaction
Authors: Biswas Pradipta
Published: August 2013

This chapter presents a brief survey of different user modelling techniques used in human computer interaction. It investigates history of development of user modelling techniques and classified the existing models into different categories. In the context of existing modelling approaches it presents a new user model and its deployment through a simulator to help designers in developing accessible systems for people with a wide range of abilities. This chapter will help system analysts and developers to select and use appropriate type of user models for their applications.
Working Together with Computers
Authors: Tiwary Uma Shanker , Siddiqui Tanveer J.
Published: August 2013

The objective of this chapter is twofold. On one hand, it tries to introduce and present various components of Human Computer Interaction (HCI), if HCI is modeled as a process of cognition; on the other hand, it tries to underline those representations and mechanisms which are required to develop a general framework for a collaborative HCI. One must try to separate the specific problem solving skills and specific problem related knowledge from the general skills and knowledge acquired in interactive agents for future use. This separation leads to a distributed deep interaction layer consisting of many cognitive processes. A three layer architecture has been suggested for designing collaborative HCI with multiple human and computational agents.
Creating Synergies between Participatory Design of E-Services and Collaborative Planning
Authors: Wessels Bridgette , Dittrich Yvonne , Ekelin Annelie , Eriksén Sara
Published: August 2013

In this article, the gap between participatory design of services and planning processes is identified. This means that any innovations in service design – whether technological, social, or locality-based – are not fully developed. The authors address the relationship between operational design and strategic planning. The article feeds some of the insights gained from participatory design into debates about collaborative and communicative planning by drawing on two exemplars. One focuses on creating a synergy between designing and planning in transforming neighborhood-based children’s services: the other discusses the design of Web 2.0 for on-line public consultancy for comprehensive planning and for mobile services for disabled people. All require synergies between operational design and strategic planning to support participation in collaborative planning for accessibility in urban spaces. The article shows how the development of design constituencies within various contexts of participatory design provides a vehicle for developing collaborative and communicative planning.
Intellectual Disability, Identity, and the Internet
Authors: Chadwick Darren D. , Fullwood Chris , Wesson Caroline J.
Published: August 2013

This chapter provides insight into the nature of online engagement by people with intellectual disabilities, the extent and quality of this engagement in terms of the access that people have, and how people with intellectual disabilities present themselves in the online world. The authors of this chapter provide an overview of the extant literature on intellectual disability, identity, and the Internet. The chapter begins by outlining issues around Internet use and access by people with intellectual disabilities, including potential barriers. It then moves on to address online behaviour and the potential benefits of Internet use for people with intellectual disabilities. The chief focus of the chapter follows, describing the manner in which computer mediated communication affects how people with intellectual disabilities present themselves in the online world as well as considering the role that family members and supporters play in the development and management of people’s online identities. Finally, the chapter introduces future directions for research into intellectual disability, identity, and the Internet.
A Model for Gaze Control Assessments and Evaluation
Authors: Holmqvist Eva , Buchholz Margret
Published: August 2013

Technical aids can contribute towards improved health and satisfaction in life by giving the user increased possibilities for participation in a number of areas of daily life. Assessing people with disabilities that affect their motor, communication and cognitive skills can be a complex matter. The result of an assessment might be the user’s only way of independent activity and communication. This stresses the importance of making high quality assessments. This chapter discusses the prerequisites, structure and key elements of a successful gaze control assessment.
In-TIC for Mobile Devices
Authors: Busch Cristina Diaz , Lorenzo Alberto Moreiras , Sánchez Iván Mourelos , González Betania Groba , García Thais Pousada , Riveiro Laura Nieto , Loureiro Javier Pereira
Published: August 2013

The In-TIC system for mobile devices (in Spanish: Integration with Information and Communication Technologies system for mobile devices) represents an approach towards the area of technical aids for mobile devices. The mobile telephone is a device that makes our lives easier, allowing us to be permanently accessible and in contact, to save relevant information, and also for entertainment purposes. However, people with visual, auditory or motor impairment or the elderly still find these devices difficult to use. They have to overcome a range of difficulties when using mobile telephones: the screens are difficult to read, the buttons are too small to use, and the technical features are too complicated to understand. At present, the main advances in mobile technology have been aimed at improving multimedia-messaging services and reproducing videos and music. This new support system adds accessibility to mobile telephones, making them easier to use for the people who need them the most, people with reduced physical or mental capacities who cannot use a conventional mobile.
Sensors and their Application for Disabled and Elderly People
Authors: Tomas Jesus , Lloret Jaime , Bri Diana , Sendra Sandra
Published: August 2013

Over the years, several systems have been developed in order to improve the quality of life of the disabled and elderly people. Moreover, many systems and devices have been deployed based on their necessities. All of these systems integrate sensors, in order to carry out their functions, and they combine the electronic field, for the sensing systems, and the mechanic field, for their mobile parts. In this paper, we will classify the sensors and their basic principles. The signals gathered by them usually have very low values, thus operational amplifiers are employed frequently to amplify these signals. Finally, we will show the most well known sensor applications for disabled and elderly people. It will be very useful for researchers that need to integrate sensors in their deployment.
Touch Screens for the Elderly
Authors: Luczak Holger , Schlick Christopher M. , Jochems Nicole , Vetter Sebastian , Kausch Bernhard
Published: August 2013

The fast aging of many western and eastern societies and their increasing reliance on information technology create a compelling need to reconsider older users’ interactions with computers. Changes in perceptual and motor skill capabilities that often accompany the aging process bring important implications for the design of information input devices. This paper summarizes the results of a laboratory study with different information input device. Three different input devices; mouse, touch screen and eye-gaze; were analyzed concerning efficiency, effectiveness and mental workload with respect to the age group of the computer user. The results derived from data of 90 subjects between 20 and 75 years show that regardless of participant’s age group the best performance in terms of short execution time results from touch screen information input. This effect is even more pronounced for the elderly.
Automatic Speech Recognition to Enhance Learning for Disabled Students
Authors: Revuelta Pablo , Jiménez Javier , Sánchez José M. , Ruiz Belén
Published: August 2013

This chapter introduces the potential of Automatic Speech Recognition Technology (ASR) in the challenge of inclusive education. ASR technology combined with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enhances the learning of disabled people both in and outside the classroom. In the classroom, deaf and hearing-impaired students can benefit from a real-time transcription of what the teacher is saying. Also, a real-time transcription facilitates note taking for students with visual or physical disabilities. Outside the classroom, transcription and other media files (audio, slides, video, etc.) are powerful educational resources for all students, disabled or able-bodied. Some of most relevant projects and systems around the world are described and compared in this chapter to provide updated information about ASR technology performance and its application to enhancing the learning of disabled students.
Speech Disorders Recognition using Speech Analysis
Authors: Necibi Khaled , Bahi Halima , Sari Toufik
Published: August 2013

Speech disorders are human disabilities widely present in young population but also adults may suffer from such disorders after some physical problems. In this context, the detection and further the correction of such disabilities may be handled by Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology. The first works on the speech disorders detection began early in the 70s and seem to follow the same evolution as those on the ASR. Indeed, these early works were more based on the signal processing techniques. Progressively, systems dealing with speech disorders incorporate more ideas from ASR technology. Particularly, Hidden Markov Models, the state-of-the-art approaches in ASR systems, are used. This chapter reviews systems that use ASR techniques to evaluate pronunciation of people who suffer from speech or voice impairments. The authors investigate the existing systems and present the main innovation and some of the available resources.
Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices
Authors: Frigo Carlo A. , Pavan Esteban E.
Published: August 2013

Prostheses and orthoses are devices intended to improve motor function in amputated patients or patients with different kinds of motor disorders, respectively. Thanks to a multidisciplinary approach that has evolved along the years, prosthetics and orthotics are really two disciplines in which biomechanical and clinical aspects are integrated and take advantage of new materials and technologies. Artificial limb components, limb supporting braces, and many other devices are already available, and can provide effective solutions for locomotion, upper limb function, and posture. Within a clinical/theoretical framework, this chapter addresses the main principles of application and the technical issues related to the use of prostheses and orthoses. These include among others, problems of manufacturing, adaptation to the patient, functional assessment, and the role of advanced technologies. The aforementioned concepts are all to be considered if the objective is to obtain good functional results and to improve the quality of life of disabled people.
Assistive Technologies in Smart Homes
Authors: Yamazaki Tatsuya
Published: August 2013

This book chapter provides a review of the assistive technologies deployed in smart spaces with a variety of smart home or house examples. In the first place, home networking technologies and sensing technologies are surveyed as fundamental technologies to support smart environment. After reviewing representative smart home projects from across the world, concrete assistive services related with the fundamental technologies in smart environment are deployed not only for the elderly and handicapped but for people in ordinary families as well. Adaptability is one of the key essences in the assistive technologies in smart environment and, for this purpose, human-ware studies including man-machine interfaces, ergonomics and gerontology are needed to be linked with the hardware specific fundamental technologies.
E-Health and Telemedicine in the Elderly
Authors: Mazzanti Ilaria , Maolo Alessandro , Antonicelli Roberto
Published: August 2013

In the last sixty years, there has been an increase in life expectance especially in females and in industrialized countries. This, along with the reduction of population growth, is leading to a reversal of the population pyramid: a narrow base of adults has to maintain a wide top of elderly people. Old people are often affected by multi-pathologies and comorbidities. Furthermore, the changes in family’s structure, particularly the reduction of the central rule of the Ancients, contribute to create the “frail elderly syndrome.” Geriatric frailty is found in 20-30% of the elderly population over 75 and increases with advancing age. It was reported to be associated with long-term adverse health-related outcomes such as increased risk of geriatric syndromes, dependency, disability, hospitalization, institutional placement, and mortality. Obviously, it is also associated with an increase in healthcare costs. Telemedicine is an innovative healthcare system capable of ensuring both higher efficiency and better cost-effectiveness. It has wide variety of services, relative simplicity of use and moderate-low costs. Currently there is clinical evidence of telemonitoring impact on management of several clinical conditions such us chronic heart failure, arrhythmias, pacemaker and ICD controls, cardiac rehabilitation programs, and cardiovascular risk factors.
Telegerontology®
Authors: Millán-Calenti José C. , Maseda Ana
Published: August 2013

One of the priorities of a modern society must be to offer all individuals the possibility to access all resources available. In this sense, there are still great differences even among well-developed countries when it comes to facing shortages in two important groups, elderly people and disabled people, even more so in the case of elderly people who are also disabled. The amazing progress of remote ICT applied to this field has meant spectacular advances, some of which will be described in this chapter. We will also devote one section to future tendencies and finally, we will focus on the system called Telegerontology®, which apart from including the basic principles of accessibility and usability, also includes those of gerontology attention, i.e., the capacity to assess the patient before the intervention.
An Overview on the Use of Serious Games in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
Authors: Martins Tiago , Carvalho Vítor , Soares Filomena
Published: August 2013

As a significant number of individuals have severe motor disabilities due to neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, it is important to provide them with an appropriate rehabilitation program in order to improve their quality of life. Several study results suggest that many elements of the interactive games have tremendous potential as rehabilitation tools. Serious games can entertain the players, while rewarding and reinforcing healthy movements. As these technologies create a pleasant environment, they motivate the patients to perform the necessary exercises with satisfaction and total relaxation, even forgetting that they are conducting therapy. In this sense, various serious games are being applied in healthcare settings, namely in many physical therapy and rehabilitation situations. This chapter discusses the different potentialities of several serious games when used in physical therapy and rehabilitation of patients with problems in motor skills.
IDTVOS
Authors: Granadino Raúl Riesco , Cendón Javier Alfonso
Published: August 2013

Internet based networks and core competences; the way we communicate with each other and global economic pressure have changed the way we innovate. In this chapter, a new business model and work philosophy based on “open innovation” are presented. IDTVOS (INTECO Digital Television Operating System), developed by INTECO Labs dept., in collaboration with partners and end users, is the most recent success and serves as an example of this model. IDTVOS, a DTT decoder operating system, provides better interaction and accessibility to digital television services for disabled users. This project is a clear example of open innovation where the technologies developed provide added value for citizens, particularly those with more difficulties, while, at the same time, the knowledge and experience is open and shared with industry to create a new market.
Evaluation of Web Accessibility
Authors: Luján-Mora Sergio , Masri Firas
Published: August 2013

The Web is present in all fields of our life, from information and service Web pages to electronic public administration (e-government). Users of the Web are a heterogeneous and multicultural public, with different abilities and disabilities (visual, hearing, cognitive, and motor impairments). Web accessibility is about making websites accessible to all Internet users (both disabled and non-disabled). To assure and certify the fulfillment of Web accessibility guidelines, various accessibility evaluation methods have been proposed, and are classified in two types: qualitative methods (analytical and empirical) and quantitative methods (metric-based methods). As no method by itself is enough to guarantee full accessibility, many studies combine these qualitative and quantitative methods in order to guarantee better results. Some recent studies have presented combined evaluation methods between qualitative methods only, thus leaving behind the great power of metrics that guarantee objective results. In this chapter, a combined accessibility evaluation method based both on qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods is proposed. This proposal presents an evaluation method combining essential analytical evaluation methods and empirical test methods.
Supports for and Barriers to Implementing Assistive Technology in Schools
Authors: Croasdaile Susanne , Jones Sharon , Ligon Kelly , Oggel Linda , Pruett Mona
Published: August 2013

This study examines practitioners’ perceptions of the factors impacting the implementation of assistive technology (AT) for students with disabilities in five public school divisions. Participants were five members of division-wide AT facilitation teams. Interview data indicated barriers including lack of stakeholder buy-in with a focus on administrative support. Important supports included the development and maintenance of relationships with instructional staff and technology coordinators. The ongoing need to build stakeholder awareness of and skill in implementing assistive technology was a common theme. Participants perceived that, if empowered to do so, an AT facilitation team can overcome existing barriers to implementation.
Instructional Design in Digital Environments and Availability of Mental Resources for the Aged Subpopulation
Authors: Low Renae , Jin Putai , Sweller John
Published: August 2013

In this digital era, the gap between the elderly and younger generations in their use of computer-based technology is wide, and many researchers in behavioural and social sciences, along with educators, welfare workers, and policy makers, are concerned about this disturbing phenomenon. However, it is not clear whether this discrepancy is due to a lack of previous access to information technology or declining mental ability in the course of aging. The purpose of this chapter is to consider the aged subpopulation’s needs and their ability to use digital technology from the perspectives of human cognitive architecture and the principles of instructional design guided by cognitive load theory. The authors focus on the following critical issues: a) the evolution and formation of human cognitive architecture, b) cognitive functioning as influenced by aging, c) compatibility between elderly people’s available mental resources and the cognitive requirements of digital equipment, and d) guidelines for human-computer multimedia interactions derived from the accumulated experimental evidence on effective instructional design and delivery.
Web-Based Experimentation for Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Chivukula Venkata , Shur Michael
Published: August 2013

Assistive technologies can go a long way in helping learning disabled students to keep-up with their classmates. The ubiquity of internet as an active social networking, communication, and education platform has opened up a wide range of new possibilities for web-based lectures and experimentation that can be used to assist learning disabled students. To this end, the authors developed and applied Automated Internet Modeling (AIM) Lab dedicated to semiconductor device modeling and characterization. Their lab has been extensively used for teaching courses on semiconductor devices at senior and graduate levels. Recently, AIM-lab incorporated additional functionality such as You-Tube compatible on-line video feeds, audio and visual collaboration with peers via web-messaging in order to meet the needs of learning disabled students and make their learning process more effective. In this chapter, the authors focus on recent advances in the development of remote experimentation labs in the context of engineering education with an emphasis on general technological issues and specific experiments offered. Systematic evaluation of educational benefits derived from using these labs will also be presented.
Mental Health, Post-Secondary Education, and Information Communications Technology
Authors: Martin Jenny , McKay Elspeth
Published: August 2013

The primary aim of this chapter is to explore the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in post-secondary education to provide opportunities for students with mental health difficulties to remain engaged in their studies during times of mental illness. Higher incompletion rates are particularly concerning amongst this group. The authors discuss how improved outcomes can be achieved through effective use of ICT. This is particularly important from a human rights perspective so that people diagnosed with mental illness are afforded the same opportunities as other members of the community. Strategies afforded by ICT tools that are essential for supporting students with mental illness to optimise their chances of success in their post-secondary education outcomes are outlined. The authors combine mental health and human-computer interaction (HCI) to argue for the need to design appropriate instructional ICT strategies to support students experiencing mental illness to remain engaged with their studies. ICT has evolved with powerful and unique features, offering special applications such as educational software, eCommerce, and healthcare. Yet, very little is being said about how to streamline these applications as effective HCI environments to enhance mental health and wellbeing. The chapter explores the positive and negative impact of ICT tools on teaching and learning. In considering mental health and post-secondary education, it focuses on human rights issues of access and equity, disclosure, and stigma. Authors suggest that ICT can enable students to remain engaged with their learning in general, while at the same time promote a deep sense of community.
Technology to Facilitate the General Education Curriculum
Authors: Sherman Cindy K. , De La Paz Susan
Published: August 2013

Information and Communication Technology is becoming an essential learning tool for teachers and students in the classroom. The use of Information and Communication Technology scaffolds learning in a pedagogically meaningful way and gives students with learning disabilities more equal opportunities in school. This chapter discusses ways in which Information and Communication Technology benefits students with special educational needs, both academically and socially. Various computer applications create greater possibilities for inclusion by fostering collaborative learning and enhancing peer interaction. New technology also allows students more autonomy in the writing process and helps students develop historical thinking skills.
A Face Based Real Time Communication for Physically and Speech Disabled People
Authors: Ann Ong Chin , Lu Marlene Valerie , Theng Lau Bee
Published: August 2013

The main purpose of this research is to enhance the communication of the disabled community. The authors of this chapter propose an enhanced interpersonal-human interaction for people with special needs, especially those with physical and communication disabilities. The proposed model comprises of automated real time behaviour monitoring, designed and implemented with the ubiquitous and affordable concept in mind to suit the underprivileged. In this chapter, the authors present the prototype which encapsulates an automated facial expression recognition system for monitoring the disabled, equipped with a feature to send Short Messaging System (SMS) for notification purposes. The authors adapted the Viola-Jones face detection algorithm at the face detection stage and implemented template matching technique for the expression classification and recognition stage. They tested their model with a few users and achieved satisfactory results. The enhanced real time behaviour monitoring system is an assistive tool to improve the quality of life for the disabled by assisting them anytime and anywhere when needed. They can do their own tasks more independently without constantly being monitored physically or accompanied by their care takers, teachers, or even parents. The rest of this chapter is organized as follows. The background of the facial expression recognition system is reviewed in Section 2. Section 3 is the description and explanations of the conceptual model of facial expression recognition. Evaluation of the proposed system is in Section 4. Results and findings on the testing are laid out in Section 5, and the final section concludes the chapter.
Model-Based Approaches for Scanning Keyboard Design
Authors: Bhattacharya Samit
Published: August 2013

Many individuals with speech and motor disorders face problems in expressing themselves in an easy and intelligible way. An array of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and techniques is used to alleviate their problems. One of the commonly used computer based AAC systems is the scanning keyboards. A scanning keyboard refers to an on-screen keyboard operated with a scanning input method. There are many ways to place alpha-numeric characters on the keyboard interface. Therefore, it is necessary to compare alternative layouts to determine the best one in terms of user performance. Usually, layouts are compared by testing prototypes with physically disabled users. This approach is problematic since it is difficult to get physically disabled users or collect data from those users. An alternative approach is to use models to compute user performance, which can serve as the basis of layout comparison as well as automatic design space exploration. Several of these models and design space exploration algorithms are reported in the literature. A review of these works is presented in this chapter. The chapter is concluded with a discussion on the limitations of the existing works and the issues that can be taken up for further research.
Brain-Computer Interfaces and Visual Activity
Authors: Vidaurre Carmen , Kübler Andrea , Tangermann Michael , Müller Klaus-Robert , Millán José del R.
Published: August 2013

There is growing interest in the use of brain signals for communication and operation of devices, in particular, for physically disabled people. Brain states can be detected and translated into actions such as selecting a letter from a virtual keyboard, playing a video game, or moving a robot arm. This chapter presents what is known about the effects of visual stimuli on brain activity and introduces means of monitoring brain activity. Possibilities of brain-controlled interfaces, either with the brain signals as the sole input or in combination with the measured point of gaze, are discussed.
Unconstrained Walking Plane to Virtual Environment for Non-Visual Spatial Learning
Authors: Patel Kanubhai K. , Vij Sanjay Kumar
Published: August 2013

We have integrated the treadmill-style locomotion interface, called the unconstrained walking plane (UWP), with virtual environment (VE) to enhance spatial learning. This setting allows for a new type of experience, whereby participants with visual disability can explore VE for unattended non-visual spatial learning (NSL) and to develop cognitive maps of it. Although audio and haptic interface has been studied for NSL, nothing is known about the use of locomotion interface for supporting NSL. The structure and control mechanism of the device are presented. Discussion of advantages and limitations of the interface are given. Different types of locomotion interface to virtual environment with their constraints and benefits are discussed briefly. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the efficacy of the UWP for VE exploration which leads to enhancement of unattended spatial learning and thereby enhancing the mobility skills of visually impaired people (VIP). We report an experiment that investigates the efficacy of UWP for VE exploration during turning and straight walking mode.
Design of and Experimentation with a Walking Assistance Robot
Authors: Lixun Zhang , Dapeng Bai , Lei Yi
Published: August 2013

To help patients with lower limb disabilities walk, a robot was designed to help train patients to stand up. An experimental prototype was developed, and experiments to train patients stand up and walk were performed using this robot. The results show that the robot can help patients to stand from a sitting position, which is the purpose of standing-up training. At the same time, the standing-up mechanism can coordinate with the walking assistance mechanism in the walking training mode, allowing the robot to help patients to perform rehabilitation walking training. The justification of the mechanism design was demonstrated, and thus, the robot can be used for stranding-up training and walking training.
State-of-the-Art Assistive Technology for People with Dementia
Authors: Phua Clifton , Roy Patrice Claude , Aloulou Hamdi , Biswas Jit , Tolstikov Andrei , Foo Victor Siang-Fook , Aung Aung-Phyo-Wai , Huang Weimin , Feki Mohamed Ali , Maniyeri Jayachandran , Chu Alvin Kok-Weng , Xu Duangui
Published: August 2013

The work is motivated by the expanding demand and limited supply of long-term personal care for People with Dementia (PwD), and assistive technology as an alternative. Telecare allows PwD to live in the comfort of their homes for a longer time. It is challenging to have remote care in smart homes with ambient intelligence, using devices, networks, and activity and plan recognition. Our scope is limited to mostly related work on existing execution environments in smart homes, and activity and plan recognition algorithms which can be applied to PwD living in smart homes. PwD and caregiver needs are addressed in a more holistic healthcare approach, domain challenges include doctor validation and erroneous behaviour, and technical challenges include high maintenance and low accuracy. State-of-the-art devices, networks, activity and plan recognition for physical health are presented; ideas for developing mental training for mental health and social networking for social health are explored. There are two implications of this work: more needs to be done for assistive technology to improve PwD’s mental and social health, and assistive software is not highly accurate and persuasive yet. Our work applies not only to PwD, but also the elderly without dementia and people with intellectual disabilities.
The LiveAbility House
Authors: Kirby Sarah D. , Sellers Debra M.
Published: August 2013

This chapter follows efforts of an online community of practice whose mission is to make individual educational experiences for family caregivers widely available. The case study illustrates the collaborative learning and creative processes of the community of practice as it worked to construct and transform informal educational content into engaging, interactive, and immersive educational tools for its intended audience. As part of its efforts, the CoP created The LiveAbility House, a virtual demonstration home, constructed in Second Life®. This virtual home is designed to teach individuals about real life universal design principles and assistive technology devices that may increase their ability to remain living at home despite physical or cognitive challenges they may encounter due to aging, illness, or disability. In addition to the creation of a virtual learning experience, the chapter also addresses plans to then take that experience out of the virtual world and apply and demonstrate learning principles in a real world setting.
Academic and Professional Qualifications of the Systems Administrator Required to Work in the Organizational Context
Authors: Monteiro José , Lousã Mário
Published: August 2013

This chapter presents the factors that influence the career of the systems administrator in the context of the organizations, namely the roles and the responsibilities. The objective is to provide a contribution to the future systems administrators, employers, and academics to better understand what factors influence the role of the systems administrator. The approaches to identify the main concepts are based on the past experience of the authors in the information technology systems area, a systematic study of professional groups, and a study about academic entities. As a result, the authors present a conceptual view to frame the roles and responsibilities of the systems’ administrator in the context of his/her instruction and the organizations where he/she works.
Beyond Compliance
Authors: Wasilko Peter J.
Published: August 2013

This chapter focuses on the relationship between law and information systems administration. It highlights how technological choices can facilitate regulatory compliance, reduce legal costs, and allow agile responses to emerging risks. The reader should not regard this chapter as a comprehensive introduction to all of the world’s criminal and civil IT related statutes, regulations, and case law. It should be used as a basis for discussions with local counsel.
Role of Cloud Systems as Enabler of Global Competitive Advantages
Authors: Soliman Fawzy
Published: August 2013

The goal of cloud systems is to provide easy, scalable access to computing resources and IT services. However, the ability of the cloud system to transfer knowledge to assist the innovator should also be a key objective of cloud system deployment. This chapter presents an approach for assessment of cloud systems for innovation on the basis of the system’s abilities to differentiate between the various types of knowledge. In this regard, the chapter also proposes a number of success factors for deployment of cloud systems for innovation in a global setting.
A Conceptual Framework for Big Data Analysis
Authors: Almeida Fernando , Santos Mário
Published: August 2013

Big data is a term that has risen to prominence describing data that exceeds the processing capacity of conventional database systems. Big data is a disruptive force that will affect organizations across industries, sectors, and economies. Hidden in the immense volume, variety, and velocity of data that is produced today is new information, facts, relationships, indicators, and pointers that either could not be practically discovered in the past, or simply did not exist before. This new information, effectively captured, managed, and analyzed, has the power to enhance profoundly the effectiveness of government. This chapter looks to the main challenges and issues that will have to be addressed to capture the full potential of big data. Additionally, the authors present a conceptual framework for big data analysis structured in there layers: (a) data capture and preprocessing, (b) data processing and interaction, and (c) auxiliary tools. Each has a different role to play in capturing, processing, accessing, and analyzing big data.
Practical Approach for Data Breach Cases in ERP Systems
Authors: Sousa Pedro , Costa José , Manso Vitor
Published: August 2013

This chapter is based on a case study scenario where a major data breach happens in one institution of public sector, a municipality, in Portugal. The focus of this chapter is to explain the gap between software development and security specialists because these are two fields of information and technology with specialized staff, but they do not work together. Quality Software may increase if these two fields work together and all specialists work for a good end product. At the other extreme are organizations with security problems because the software is bad in the security field, and these organizations do not have mechanisms that help internal teams in case of security incidents. If security is not a concern when companies are developing software, the security specialists have a lot of problems when trying to audit the system.
Adapting Informal and Formal Learning Skills for Success in the Virtual Learning Environment
Authors: Barrett Jr. Bob
Published: August 2013

Technology is still evolving. However, two items have remained constant over the past several centuries: the use of formal and informal learning. While not all people have the luxury of attending college and university, informal learning has served as a tool in which a variety of stakeholders have helped others to learn and grow from each other. The key emphasis of this chapter is to focus on these two types of learning, but with a concentration on their relevance in the virtual learning environment. The topics of time management, group interaction, communications skills, and social media will be examined in terms of how these skill sets can be useful to the virtual learner.
The Effect of Human Resource Competencies on Human Resource Management Effectiveness
Authors: Yusliza Mohd-Yusoff , Ramayah T. , Siti-Fatimah Zakaria
Published: August 2013

The aim of this chapter is to study human resource (HR) competencies (i.e., HR functional expertise, knowledge of business, and managing change) is related to HRM effectiveness. This research was conducted with a sample of HR professionals who attended courses, programs, and seminars organized by HRM institute. The final sample consists of 201 respondents. The measurement model was tested by using structural equation modeling applying partial least squares (PLS) estimation. The results in this chapter demonstrate the direct association of all dimensions of HR competencies and HRM effectiveness. This chapter aids in uncovering the relationship between HR competencies and HRM effectiveness.
Creating and Destroying Knowledge
Authors: Giuliani Marco
Published: August 2013

This chapter develops the discussions about Intellectual Capital (IC) dynamics. More in depth, here IC is analysed in terms both of value creation and of value destruction adopting a temporal lens. The main findings of this study are the following. First, it emerges that the roles of IC in creating and destroying value are not the same and thus there is the managerial need to consider both of them. Second, it emerges that the time-lags related to IC tend to be not monitored but only perceived. Third, IC and FC are perceived to be a “distant” relationship in time (i.e., deferred in temporal terms). Forth, the time-lags related to the value destruction process do not the ones referred to the value creation one.
Dynamics of Knowledge Renewal for Professional Accountancy Under Globalization
Authors: Ng Artie W. , Ho Florence
Published: August 2013

Turmoil in the global financial markets has raised concerns about the role of professional accountants in safeguarding the interests of corporate stakeholders. This chapter aims to articulate the interrelated developments that critically challenge the profession in delivering quality financial reporting and the implications to accounting education. Based on an interdisciplinary literature review, it contains a conceptual framework that exemplifies a model for dynamic human capital development with a trilogy of quality in professional accountancy in light of the changes under the contemporary global financial system that demands knowledge of both local and global relevance. This study suggests the renewed responsibilities and challenges taken up by professional accountants under the current global environment. A framework is developed to illustrate the pertinence of renewal for accounting professional initiated at the institutional level that integrates tertiary education with current practice knowledge, continuing professional development, as well as standards set by the professional accounting bodies.
Enhanced TCR Footprint by a Novel Glycolipid Increases NKT-Dependent Tumor Protection
Authors: Aspeslagh Sandrine , Nemčovič Marek , Pauwels Nora , Venken Koen , Wang Jing , Van Calenbergh Serge , Zajonc Dirk M. , Elewaut Dirk
Published: August 2013

NKT cells, a unique type of regulatory T cells, respond to structurally diverse glycolipids presented by CD1d. Although it was previously thought that recognition of glycolipids such as α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) by the NKT cell TCR (NKTCR) obeys a key–lock principle, it is now clear this interaction is much more flexible. In this article, we report the structure–function analysis of a series of novel 6′′-OH analogs of α-GalCer with more potent antitumor characteristics. Surprisingly, one of the novel carbamate analogs, α-GalCer-6′′-(pyridin-4-yl)carbamate, formed novel interactions with the NKTCR. This interaction was associated with an extremely high level of Th1 polarization and superior antitumor responses. These data highlight the in vivo relevance of adding aromatic moieties to the 6′′-OH position of the sugar and additionally show that judiciously chosen linkers are a promising strategy to generate strong Th1-polarizing glycolipids through increased binding either to CD1d or to NKTCR.