scholarly journals Augmented proximity: Integration of physical and virtual proximity to enhance network connectivity

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0260349
Author(s):  
Mi Chang ◽  
Ji-Hyun Lee

With the continuing increase in online communications, virtual proximity as well as physical proximity has become a common way to connect individuals. Virtual proximity refers to the psychological closeness felt by people based on their participation in a virtual space. Hence, augmenting physical proximity with virtual types is believed to enhance connectivity within social networks, and applications that consider both types have the capability to provide new forms of interaction. However, despite the importance of their coexistence, these proximity concepts have been studied separately or are being integrated using diverse terminologies that often lead to misunderstandings. Furthermore, although some applications reflect the two proximity types (e.g., location-based services), there is no metric of comparison. This paper proposes the concept of augmented proximity (AP), which combines physical and virtual forms into a network analogous to one of mixed reality (MR). The concept provides a clear distinction between physical and virtual proximity using a single quantitative value. Using this concept, a formal taxonomy is established to compare and evaluate AP-based networks. The taxonomy consists of three dimensions that can be analyzed using graph theory, including the extent of connectivity degree, diffusion effect, and extent of perceived closeness. Furthermore, using the services underlying AP-based network, the proposed taxonomy can be applied to evaluate the suitability of the services as an indicator for comparison. The results show that one of the two services has a higher taxonomy-based value, and a reasonable basis for selecting one based on proximity is established. This study suggests that AP will play an important role as a quantitative indicator in developing and comparing applications that consider proximity in both virtual and physical modes.

Author(s):  
Ou Ruan ◽  
Lixiao Zhang ◽  
Yuanyuan Zhang

AbstractLocation-based services are becoming more and more popular in mobile online social networks (mOSNs) for smart cities, but users’ privacy also has aroused widespread concern, such as locations, friend sets and other private information. At present, many protocols have been proposed, but these protocols are inefficient and ignore some security risks. In the paper, we present a new location-sharing protocol, which solves two issues by using symmetric/asymmetric encryption properly. We adopt the following methods to reduce the communication and computation costs: only setting up one location server; connecting social network server and location server directly instead of through cellular towers; avoiding broadcast encryption. We introduce dummy identities to protect users’ identity privacy, and prevent location server from inferring users’ activity tracks by updating dummy identities in time. The details of security and performance analysis with related protocols show that our protocol enjoys two advantages: (1) it’s more efficient than related protocols, which greatly reduces the computation and communication costs; (2) it satisfies all security goals; however, most previous protocols only meet some security goals.


Author(s):  
Stefan Bittmann

Virtual reality (VR) is the term used to describe representation and perception in a computer-generated, virtual environment. The term was coined by author Damien Broderick in his 1982 novel “The Judas Mandala". The term "Mixed Reality" describes the mixing of virtual reality with pure reality. The term "hyper-reality" is also used. Immersion plays a major role here. Immersion describes the embedding of the user in the virtual world. A virtual world is considered plausible if the interaction is logical in itself. This interactivity creates the illusion that what seems to be happening is actually happening. A common problem with VR is "motion sickness." To create a sense of immersion, special output devices are needed to display virtual worlds. Here, "head-mounted displays", CAVE and shutter glasses are mainly used. Input devices are needed for interaction: 3D mouse, data glove, flystick as well as the omnidirectional treadmill, with which walking in virtual space is controlled by real walking movements, play a role here.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (suppl_6) ◽  
pp. vi184-vi184
Author(s):  
Tsukasa Koike ◽  
Taichi Kin ◽  
Taketo Shiode ◽  
Shunsaku Takayanagi ◽  
Shota Tanaka ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luan Gao ◽  
Luning Liu ◽  
Yuqiang Feng

Prior research on ERP assimilation has primarily focused on influential factors at the organizational level. In this study, the authors attempt to extend their understanding of individual level ERP assimilation from the perspective of social network theory. They designed a multi-case study to explore the relations between ERP users' social networks and their levels of ERP assimilation based on the three dimensions of the social networks. The authors gathered data through interviews with 26 ERP users at different levels in five companies. Qualitative analysis was used to understand the effects of social networks and interactive learning. They found that users' social networks play a significant role in individual level ERP assimilation through interactive learning among users. They also found five key factors that facilitate users' assimilation of ERP knowledge: homophily (age, position and rank), tie content (instrumental and expressive ties), tie strength, external ties, and centrality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-94
Author(s):  
Reza Abedi ◽  
Fatemeh Daneshvar Muhammadzadegan ◽  
Roqayyeh Sadat Hosseini Kerman ◽  
Fatemeh Miri Kolah Kaj

With an ever-increasing development of internet communications, human reactions have interred a new phase. The results of these communications are a most significant matter considered by the sociologists. Using the internet is developing and forms a significant part of individuals` lives. The advantages and disadvantages of this easiness in communicating and traveling through boundaries should be considered. Breaking the norms happened in the light of these reactions should be discussed, also increasing in awareness and availability to information, joining to global information networks and communication is another face of this placeless and timelessness. This contrasting face challenges the position of cyber space in the social communications, a challenge of which there is no escape by the society. In this research it is an attempt to criticize this challenge through criticizing the position of internet and to consider the role of social networks. We suppose that it is not possible to neglect the advantages of virtual space in developing a new level of human occasions but via this method lack of proper awareness in principle using of it results in some problems which should be covered by a proper training and comprehensive informing. Online spaces penetrate in human`s life in an extended way and it is a good opportunity to have good use from social networks as the basic condition. The results of this presence form reaction in individuals which will be considered in the present study.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-208
Author(s):  
Ana Pérez-Escoda ◽  
◽  
Gema Barón-Dulce ◽  
Juana Rubio-Romero ◽  
◽  
...  

The explosion of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a major transformation in media consumption and the use of social networks. New habits and extensive exposure to connected devices coupled with unmanageable amounts of information warn of a worrying reality, especially among the younger population. The aim of this research is to discover the degree of trustworthiness of Generation Z towards the media, their media consumption preferences and the association they make between media consumption and fake news. Using a descriptive and exploratory quantitative methodology, a study is presented with a sample of 225 young people belonging to this population niche. The study addresses three dimensions: media consumption, social networks and perception of fake news. The results show that generation Z is an intensive consumer of the media they trust the least and perceive traditional media as the most trustworthy. The findings indicate that social networks are the main source of information consumption for this ge­neration, among other content, despite also being the least trustworthy and the most likely to distribute fake news according to their perceptions. There is a lack of media literacy from a critical rather than a formative perspective.


2020 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 20016
Author(s):  
Zinaida Ryabikina ◽  
Ekaterina Bogomolova ◽  
Lyudmila Ozhigova

The Internet users have been studied in the terms of a positive or negative impact on personality existence and co-existence in the context of virtual reality. Personality activity focus on backing up their own identity during the interaction with the Other in the virtual co-existence space. The web content mining of opinions expressed by social networks on thematic forums shows that major activity drivers in the virtual space of social networks are communicative, affiliative and self-assertive drivers. This is due to a personality's aim at backing up their identity in co-existence with the Other. The FIRO-B questionnaire has revealed relevant dominance of virtual communication participants' own activity over activity expected from their communication partner regarding the scales of inclusion and control. The opportunity to be an agent for "both" (themselves and their virtual communication partner) in the fields of inclusion and control makes it easier to gain a personality's required confirmation of their identity in relationship with the Other as well as get reassured that their being has been successfully extended into the Other's agent world (to personalize). Virtualization of a personality's relationship carries risks for identity being simulated due to non-availability of a true dialogue with the Other.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.O. Koroleva

The article introduces the methodologies of the study of the everyday life of modern teenagers whiсh can simultaneously be used to traceevents occurring in real and virtual space: “Online and offline diary" and "15 minutes". The data of pilot studies showed that the teenager’s online performance is mainly presented in a form of communication in social networks. We have discovered that the on- and offline convergence of space for growth is inseparable from respondents themselves. Through the active use of social networks, a modern teenager is able to be present in different socialenvironments simultaneously. Constant checking news and posts in social networks is a new, peculiar to teenage daily ritual. The so-called "red zones", where a teenager consciously waives the possibility of "escape" into a parallel reality, are linked to significant events in everyday life, while a feeling of boredom brings to life the compensation through "getting about" in virtual space


Author(s):  
Carl Smith

The contribution of this research is to argue that truly creative patterns for interaction within cultural heritage contexts must create situations and concepts that could not have been realised without the intervention of those interaction patterns. New forms of human-computer interaction and therefore new tools for navigation must be designed that unite the strengths, features, and possibilities of both the physical and the virtual space. The human-computer interaction techniques and mixed reality methodologies formulated during this research are intended to enhance spatial cognition while implicitly improving pattern recognition. This research reports on the current state of location-based technology including Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) and GPS. The focus is on its application for use within cultural heritage as an educational and outreach tool. The key questions and areas to be investigated include: What are the requirements for effective digital intervention within the cultural heritage sector? What are the affordances of mixed and augmented reality? What mobile technology is currently being utilised to explore cultural heritage? What are the key projects? Finally, through a series of case studies designed and implemented by the author, some broad design guidelines are outlined. The chapter concludes with an overview of the main issues to consider when (re)engineering cultural heritage contexts.


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