scholarly journals Smart Tree: An Architectural, Greening and ICT Multidisciplinary Approach to Smart Campus Environments

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (21) ◽  
pp. 7202
Author(s):  
Sergio Fortes ◽  
Noelia Hidalgo-Triana ◽  
Juan-Manuel Sánchez-la-Chica ◽  
María-Luz García-Ceballos ◽  
Juan Cantizani-Estepa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Furniture Design ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Smart Campus ◽  
Communications Technologies

At present, climate change, pollution, and uncontrolled urbanism threaten not only natural ecosystems, but also the urban environment. Approaches to mitigate these challenges and able to provide an alternative for the use of the space are deemed to be multidisciplinary, combining architecture, vegetation integration, circular economy and information and communications technologies (ICT). University campuses are a key scenario to evaluate such solutions as their student and research community is intrinsically willing to support these experiences and provide a wide knowledge on the fields necessary for their design and implementation. However, the creation of areas combining usability and sustainability is commonly lacking a multidisciplinary approach combining all these different perspectives. Hence, the present work aims to overcome this limitation by the development of a novel integrated approach for campus spaces for co-working and leisure, namely a “Smart Tree”, where novel architecture, furniture design, flora integration, environmental sensoring and communications join together. To this end, a survey of the literature is provided, covering related approaches as well as general principles behind them. From this, the general requirements and constraints for the development of the Smart Tree area are identified, establishing the main interactions between the architecture, greening and ICT perspectives. Such requirements guide the proposed system design and implementation, whose impact on the environment is analyzed. Finally, the research challenges and lessons learned for their development are identified in order to support future works.

ICT and eGovernance

2013 ◽  
pp. 115-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christos Manolopoulos ◽  
Dimitris Sofotassios ◽  
Paul Spirakis ◽  
Yiannis C. Stamatiou
Keyword(s):  
Secure Communication ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
The Body ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
National Elections ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Everyday Lives ◽  
Communications Technologies

One of the cornerstones of Democracy is the participation of citizens in decisions that affect their lives. This participation, traditionally, is exercised: a) through national elections and the body of representatives, and b) through binding procedures such as referendums. However, there are decisions that affect citizens’ everyday lives that require more frequent, day to day participation. Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) can create fast and secure communication channels, enabling politicians and citizens to engage in a mutually rewarding interaction leading to the development eDemocracy. However, lack of trust either between politicians and citizens or lack of trust of citizens towards ICT can raise barriers to this opportunity. In this chapter we discuss the issue of trust among government, citizens, and ICT. Our view is that it is nowadays possible to, at least, handle effectively the citizen-ICT facet of trust and provide the drivers for the convergence of eGoverment and eDemocracy realizing the concept of eGovernance. As a case study we present our experiences from the design and implementation of an eVoting system, which has the same strong relationship with eGovernance as traditional elections have with Governance.

scholarly journals Digital Innovation Hubs as a Tool for Boosting Biomass Valorisation in Regional Bioeconomies: Andalusian and South-East Irish Case Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Marta Macias Aragonés ◽  
Gloria de la Viña Nieto ◽  
María Nieto Fajardo ◽  
David Páez Rodríguez ◽  
James Gaffey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Digital Innovation ◽  
Communication Plan ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Biomass Valorisation ◽  
Irish Case ◽  
The Internet Of Things

Regional bioeconomy development is directly linked to the availability and access to bioresources. Therefore, it is necessary to trigger opportunities for information and communications technologies (ICTs), the Internet of things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 solutions to increase the efficiency of high potential value biomass supply chains, improving this way the accessibility of bioresources. This study aims to present the results achieved through the development of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) as a tool able to boost biomass valorisation, reshaping regional bioeconomy. The objective was to shape these DIHs and assess how stakeholders could be engaged and benefit from such initiatives. This has been attained through the design and implementation of DIHs in two case-study regions, Andalusia (Spain) and south-east Ireland (Ireland). The approaches and results for stakeholders’ engagement, barrier mitigation, DIH structure and activities are presented. So far, more than 100 stakeholders have been engaged, more than 50 business opportunities have been promoted and a set of support services and events have been carried out. Main lessons learned are (1) about the relevance of understanding the needs of stakeholders, (2) impact is bigger when relevant regional industries (rather than academia/technology providers) discuss the technologies they have integrated and how these have improved efficiency or added value to their processes, and (3) about the importance of the communication plan and a well-formed DIH service definition.

scholarly journals Latin American Community Telecenters: "It's a long way to TICperary"

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel J. Menou ◽  
Karin Delgadillo Poepsel ◽  
Klaus Stoll
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Comprehensive Development ◽  
Key Issues

Community Telecenters, that is centers for community development using ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) , have become the focus of attention in international development circles over the past ten years, especially in Latin America. A virtual community called Somos@Telecentros is progressively taking shape in the region (http://www.tele-centros.org) with a specific interest in supporting and enabling these Community Telecenters. As part of the build up effort an inventory of telecenters was conducted, followed by a review of the situation. The latter involved self description, recording of stories on the web and through Email, and Email and face to face interviews. The results were synthesized into an analytical panorama of the telecenters movement in the region, the challenges faced, the solutions encountered and the lessons learned. This paper will summarize these findings and highlight a number of key issues, in particular, the trade-off between top-down connectivity and computer literacy programs; and horizontal and community-led and controlled comprehensive development efforts.

ROLE OF LIBRARIANS IN TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY IN ZIMBABWEAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinashe Mugwisi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Information Skills ◽  
The University

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the Internet have to a large extent influenced the way information is made available, published and accessed. More information is being produced too frequently and information users now require certain skills to sift through this multitude in order to identify what is appropriate for their purposes. Computer and information skills have become a necessity for all academic programmes. As libraries subscribe to databases and other peer-reviewed content (print and electronic), it is important that users are also made aware of such sources and their importance. The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching of information literacy (IL) in universities in Zimbabwe and South Africa, and the role played by librarians in creating information literate graduates. This was done by examining whether such IL programmes were prioritised, their content and how frequently they were reviewed. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 12 university libraries in Zimbabwe and 21 in South Africa. A total of 25 questionnaires were returned. The findings revealed that IL was being taught in universities library and non-library staff, was compulsory and contributed to the term mark in some institutions. The study also revealed that 44 per cent of the total respondents indicated that the libraries were collaborating with departments and faculty in implementing IL programmes in universities. The study recommends that IL should be an integral part of the university programmes in order to promote the use of databases and to guide students on ethical issues of information use.

Cyber Peacekeeping: Critical Evaluation of Digital Blue Helmets Program

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-27
Author(s):  
Fahad Nabeel
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Threat Detection ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Article ◽  
Un Peacekeeping ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Future Potential

In 2016, the United Nations (UN) launched the Digital Blue Helmets (DBH) program under its Office of Information and Communications Technologies (OICT). The launching of DBH was a continuation of a series of steps that the UN and its related agencies and departments have undertaken over the past decade to incorporate cyberspace within their working methodologies. At the time of inception, DBH was envisioned as a team capacitated to act as a replica of a physical peacekeeping force but for the sole purpose of overseeing cyberspace(s). Several research studies have been published in the past few years, which have conceptualized cyber peacekeeping in various ways. Some scholars have mentioned DBH as a starting point of cyber peacekeeping while some have proposed models for integration of cyber peacekeeping within the current UN peacekeeping architecture. However, no significant study has attempted to look at how DBH has evolved since its inception. This research article aims to examine the progress of DBH since its formation. It argues that despite four years since its formation, DBH is still far away from materializing its declared objectives. The article also discusses the future potential roles of DBH, including its collaboration with UN Global Pulse for cyber threat detection and prevention, and embedding the team along with physical peacekeepers.

scholarly journals International Schools for Young Astronomers (ISYA): a programme of the International Astronomical Union

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (SPS5) ◽  
pp. 221-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèle Gerbaldi
Keyword(s):  
International Schools ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Data Access ◽  
International Astronomical Union ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
The Past ◽  
Data Archives ◽  
International Astronomical ◽  
Communications Technologies

AbstractThis paper outlines the main features of the International Schools for Young Astronomers (ISYA), a programme developed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1967. The main goal of this programme is to support astronomy in developing countries by organizing a school lasting 3 weeks for students with typically a M.Sc. degree. The context in which the ISYA were developed has changed drastically over the past 10 years. We have moved from a time when access to any large telescope was difficult and mainly organized on a national basis, to the situation nowadays where data archives are established at the same time that any major telescope, ground-based or in space, is built, and these archives are accessible from everywhere. The concept of the virtual observatory reinforces this access. However, the rapid development of information and communications technologies and the increasing penetration of internet have not yet removed all barriers to data access. The role of the ISYA is addressed in this context.

Children's and Families' Use of Computers in Australian Homes

2002 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Downes
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Patterns Of Use ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Instructional Environments ◽  
Computing Environments ◽  
Computer Resources ◽  
Home Computing ◽  
Modern Technologies

Children's approaches to learning may be changing as a result of their interactions with modern technologies. In Australian society there have been quantum leaps in the use of and reliance upon computers and information and communications technologies. An understanding of the lived experiences and interactions of children of various ages with computer technologies in their homes is the focus of this article. Such an understanding informs the work of educators who wish to provide effective instructional environments that draw on children's starting points and the positive aspects of their home computing environments. The research found that children's family computer resources, patterns of use and sociocultural contexts combined to affect children's computing experiences. Several discourses exist surrounding the use of computers by families. These discourses are the importance of computers for education, for the future and as productivity tools. From children's discussions emerged a comfortable co-existence of ‘toy use’ (for playing games) and ‘tool use’ (for purposeful work and leisure tasks) when using the computer and a preference for an exploratory mode of learning. A number of key elements present in domestic computing environments were identified as contributing significantly to children's learning. Implications for teachers are discussed.

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