scholarly journals Building the Biodiversity Heritage Library's Technical Strategy

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Herrmann
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Biodiversity Research ◽  
The Future ◽  
Responsive Design ◽  
Technical Plan ◽  
Machine Readability

In 2016 the United Nations published the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It quickly became clear that information is a catalyst for almost every goal, and enhancing information access is necessary to achieve and ultimately improve global community life. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is therefore an invaluable resource for redressing inequallities as it provides information and literature as an open access library. But there are also still hurdles to overcome to ensure information for all. In the following, we will focus on technical developments outlined in the BHL’s technical strategy. One challenge is the different digital infrastructures resulting in limited access to the web-based BHL. In 2019, only 53.6% of the global population accessed the internet (Clement 2020). Even if the reasons for this are diverse, we assume that network coverage is a problem we have to address. One focus of the BHL's technical strategy is to support and provide solutions for remote areas with no or low bandwidth connection. Furthermore the technical strategy focuses on the provision of services and tools for various usage scenarios by implementing a responsive design. In 2019, mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, accounted for 54% of all page views worldwide (Poleshova 2020). Even though a differentiated view must be taken of which devices are used for which scenario, it can be assumed that mobile devices will be used more frequently in everyday scientific life, for example in field research. By a responsive design of the BHL website, we address this trend in technological development and media usage in order to remain a user-friendly research infrastructure in the future. Another challenge is the multilingual user experience. The multilingualism of BHL will become an essential part of the technological development to address the global biodiversity community and to reflect the worldwide biodiversity research. We aim to achieve this through a multilingual user interface and multilingual search options. The services and tools mentioned above require a high quality database, especially machine-readable text. The improvement of optical character recognition (OCR) is fundamentally important for further technological developments. Good OCR results ensure a comprehensive search in the entire corpus, and with further technological possibilities, data could be added that goes beyond the pure text. Currently taxonomic names are parsed and linked to the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), giving users the opportunities to search for taxonomic synonyms. In the future, this enrichment could be used for more data, such as collection data, geographical names, etc. In the challenge of improving and enriching the data, the BHL will depend on its large community, for example in crowdsourcing transcription projects. In order to reach those objectives and to continue to offer BHL's services to the global community in the best possible way, we need to monitor best practices in digital library and bioinformatics developments and implement them wherever possible. The BHL consortium will have to rely on partnerships and collaborations to fulfill this plan. We are therefore looking into cooperation with other consortia and will also explore alternative technological development models where third parties would develop apps and services from open BHL data. Taking all the mentioned approaches into account, the BHL will develop from a mainly literature library to a data library. It will be our task to create open source software and tools, like better APIs, to support the re-use of the data. This goes along with the aim to increase the awareness of the BHL within the biodiversity community as it is set in the BHL Strategic Plan 2020-2025 (Biodiversity Heritage Library 2020). To draw a conclusion, the BHL's technical strategy focuses on five main objectives to advance information access for the biodiversity community worldwide: Improve global awareness and accessibility Enhance machine-readability of BHL content for data re-use Identify resources needed to achieve the technical plan Ensure continued priorities and leadership for technical infrastructure Implement BHL 2020 Technical Priority Plan (Biodiversity Heritage Library 2020). Improve global awareness and accessibility Enhance machine-readability of BHL content for data re-use Identify resources needed to achieve the technical plan Ensure continued priorities and leadership for technical infrastructure Implement BHL 2020 Technical Priority Plan (Biodiversity Heritage Library 2020). The principle of our work is to adapt BHL to current technological, scientific and social developments in order to provide the global community with the best possible research tool for biodiversity research and to enhance the achievement of the SDGs.

scholarly journals Methods in field chronobiology

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1734) ◽  
pp. 20160247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide M. Dominoni ◽  
Susanne Åkesson ◽  
Raymond Klaassen ◽  
Kamiel Spoelstra ◽  
Martin Bulla
Keyword(s):  
Technological Development ◽  
Monitoring Systems ◽  
Migratory Restlessness ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Rapid Improvement ◽  
Free Living ◽  
The Future ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Temporal Aspect ◽  
Different Levels

Chronobiological research has seen a continuous development of novel approaches and techniques to measure rhythmicity at different levels of biological organization from locomotor activity (e.g. migratory restlessness) to physiology (e.g. temperature and hormone rhythms, and relatively recently also in genes, proteins and metabolites). However, the methodological advancements in this field have been mostly and sometimes exclusively used only in indoor laboratory settings. In parallel, there has been an unprecedented and rapid improvement in our ability to track animals and their behaviour in the wild. However, while the spatial analysis of tracking data is widespread, its temporal aspect is largely unexplored. Here, we review the tools that are available or have potential to record rhythms in the wild animals with emphasis on currently overlooked approaches and monitoring systems. We then demonstrate, in three question-driven case studies, how the integration of traditional and newer approaches can help answer novel chronobiological questions in free-living animals. Finally, we highlight unresolved issues in field chronobiology that may benefit from technological development in the future. As most of the studies in the field are descriptive, the future challenge lies in applying the diverse technologies to experimental set-ups in the wild. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Wild clocks: integrating chronobiology and ecology to understand timekeeping in free-living animals’.

scholarly journals New Training Schemes for the Future Education in Transport Sector

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17
Author(s):  
Dana Sitányiová ◽  
Jean-Christophe Meunier ◽  
Jaroslav Mašek
Keyword(s):  
Technological Development ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Social Sector ◽  
Training And Education ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
The Future ◽  
Training Schemes ◽  
Future Education ◽  
Mid Term Results

Abstract Transport is a social sector that is rapidly developing, changing and being influenced to the maximum extent by the technological development and innovation, among others, thus facing problems in staffing its several domains with appropriate and qualified personnel. This fact, makes the need for changes in training and education of future transport professionals. SKILLFUL project vision is to identify the skills and competences needed by the transport workforce of the future and define the training methods and tools to meet them. Paper focuses on mid-term results of the project.

scholarly journals Commentary: We Are a Global Community: What if We Collaborated?

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Julie Lindsay
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Connected Learning ◽  
Global Context ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

Connected and collaborative learning that leads to co-creation of ideas and solutions is imperative across all levels of education. To make the shift we want to see, we need to understand the pedagogy of online learning in a global context. This commentary shares an understanding of thought leaders who have developed and shared new approaches that take learning beyond the immediate environment sca olded by digital technologies. It also poses the question, "What if we collaborated as a global community?" and starts a conversation about new pedagogical approaches to support " at," connected learning. This is already happening now—the future is now— it’s time to connect the world.

scholarly journals Redefining Doctrine Concepts in Modern Military Actions

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Mihai-Marcel Neag
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Reference Point ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
The State ◽  
The Future ◽  
National Power ◽  
Mosaic Approach ◽  
The Way

Abstract The mosaic approach to conflict requires redefinition of some doctrinal concepts that can influence the way in which the response to the risks and threats to the state of security, the future of military actions and the acceptance that the technological development will be a factor for the success of the wars future. The issues addressed could be important elements in the architecture of a possible future strategic concept of integrated use of the basic elements of national power - diplomatic, informational, military and economic. At the same time, the results of this theoretical approach can contribute, as a reference point, to proposing viable and innovative doctrinal and operational solutions to counteract aggressions to national security, regardless of their nature or origin.

scholarly journals Præventive potentialer – Populærkulturens overvejelser om overvågning

2018 ◽  
pp. 99-112
Author(s):  
Lone Koefoed Hansen ◽  
Christopher Gad
Keyword(s):  
Popular Culture ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Entry Point ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Intelligent Surveillance ◽  
Technological Research ◽  
The Future ◽  
Minority Report ◽  
Basic Level

This article uses the movie Minority Report (2002) as an entry point for discussing conceptions of surveillance technologies and their preventive capacities. The technological research project Intelligent Surveillance Systems located in Belfast shares a vision with MR: that it is possible to construct surveillance systems that are able to foresee criminal acts and thus to prevent them from happening. We argue that the movie exemplifies that technological development and popular culture share dreams, ideas and visions and that on a very basic level, popular culture informs technological development and vice versa. The article explores this relation and argues that popular culture provides analytic insight on important discussions about surveillance and the (future) capacities of technology.

scholarly journals Free and Open Source Tools for Volunteer Geographic Information and Geo-Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 838-863
Author(s):  
Maria Antonia Brovelli ◽  
Blagoj Delipetrev ◽  
Giorgio Zamboni
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Mobile Device ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Geospatial Data ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Volunteer Geographic Information ◽  
The World ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Gis Software

The availability of new mobile devices (tablets and smartphones) equipped with many sensors is changing or, better, enriching the way we monitor and sense the world that surrounds us. The internet has permeated completely not only our scientific and technological development, but also our life. Only some years ago, we used geospatial data and GIS software installed within our computers. Nowadays, data and operators are provided via the net by means of distributed and shared geo-services and a simple and powerless mobile device is enough to connect them. The possibility of interaction has become not only faster and more user friendly but also active, being individuals and communities free of adding, deleting, and changing contents in real time in the new GeoWeb2.0. This chapter explores GeoWeb2.0.

Teaching Students about Online Professionalism

2014 ◽  
pp. 1153-1174
Author(s):  
Thomas Lancaster
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Teaching Activities ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
The Future ◽  
Negative Effect

Many students appear to be continually connected to social media sites such as Facebook. Such social media sites can be pervasive in nature. The use of these sites through mobile devices often extends into the classroom, sometimes to the detriment of scheduled teaching activities. Further, many students do not seem to be aware of the negative effect that ill-considered information placed on social media sites can have towards their future employment. This chapter reviews the positives and negatives of social media as it relates to the future employability of students. Due to the changing nature of this field, the chapter is largely presented from practical experience, rather than a traditional academic research-led approach. Much of the focus is on the ways that students can present themselves online in a manner which should encourage employers to offer students jobs and placement opportunities. The chapter reviews a number of the major Websites where students should establish professional profiles. It also looks at the overall need for students to establish a professional presence online and show that they are a desirable employee. The chapter concludes by looking at the challenges involved with integrating the teaching of employability through social media into existing teaching. A number of research areas for further consideration are also presented.

The Whole World is Going Mobile

2015 ◽  
pp. 137-160
Author(s):  
Charles E. Perkins
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Mobile Internet ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Interactive Applications ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future

The Internet is growing ever more mobile – meaning, that an ever greater proportion of Internet devices are mobile devices. This trend necessitates new designs and will produce new and even unpredictable conceptions about the very nature of the Internet and, more fundamentally, the nature of social interaction. The engineering response to growing mobility and complexity is difficult to predict. This chapter summarizes the past and the present ways of dealing with mobility, and uses that as context for trying to understand what needs to be done for the future. Central to the conception of future mobility is the notion of “always available” and highly interactive applications. Part of providing acceptable service in that conception of the mobile Internet will require better ways to manage handovers as the device moves around the Internet, and ways to better either hide or make available a person's identity depending on who is asking.

Service Provision for Pervasive Computing Environments

2009 ◽  
pp. 279-289
Author(s):  
Emerson Loureiro ◽  
Frederico Bublitz ◽  
Loreno Oliveira ◽  
Nadia Barbosa ◽  
Angelo Perkusich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Pervasive Computing ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
The Other ◽  
Service Oriented Computing ◽  
Computing Paradigm ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
The Future ◽  
Service Oriented ◽  
Computing Environments

The fast development on microelectronics has promoted the increase on the computational power of hardware components. On the other hand, we are facing a significant improvement on energy consumption as well as the reduction of the physical size of such components. These improvements and the emergence of wireless networking technologies are enabling the development of small and powered mobile devices. Due to this scenario, the so-called pervasive computing paradigm, introduced by Mark Weiser in 1991 (Weiser, 1991) is becoming a reality. Such a paradigm envisions a world where environments are inhabited by computing devices, all of them seamlessly integrated into peoples’ lives, and effectively helping to carry on their daily tasks. Among others, one major characteristic of Weiser’s vision is that each device in an environment becomes a potential client or provider of resources. Not surprisingly, pervasive computing environments are becoming dynamic repositories of computational resources, all of them available to mobile users from the palm of their hands. However, devices can unpredictably join and leave such environments. Thus, resources can be dynamically made available or unavailable. Such a scenario has a great impact on the way that resources are found and used. In the case of static environments, such as the Web, it is reasonable to look up and access resources, such as Web pages, knowing the address of their providers beforehand. On the other hand, for dynamic environments, such as the pervasive computing ones, this is not a reasonable approach. This is due to the fact that one cannot guarantee that the provider of a resource will be available at any moment, because it may have left the environment or simply turned off. A better approach would be to discover these resources based on their descriptions, or any other feature that does not require the client to know the specific address of their providers. To this end, some of the current pervasive computing solutions, like Wings (Loureiro, Bublitz, Oliveira, Barbosa, Perkusich, Almeida, & Ferreira, 2006), Green (Sivaharan, Blair, & Coulson, 2005), RUNES (Costa, Coulson, Mascolo, Picco, & Zachariadis, 2005), and Scooby (Robinson, Wakeman, & Owen, 2004), are making use of a novel approach from the branch of distributed applications, the service-oriented computing paradigm (Papazoglou, 2003; Huhns & Singh, 2005). This is due to the fact that such a paradigm provides a crucial element for pervasive computing systems, the ability for dynamically binding to remote resources (Bellur & Narenda, 2005), which enables mobile devices to find needed services on demand. However, pervasive environments may be structured in different ways. They can range from wired networks to completely wireless ones, where communication among the devices is performed in an ad hoc way. Such a characteristic indicates that the way services are provisioned in a pervasive computing environment should fit in its organization, in order to enhance the access to the services available. Considering the above discussion, in this article we provide a review on service provision and its applicability in pervasive computing. More precisely, we will list the existing service provision approaches and discuss the characteristics and problems associated with each one, as well as their usage in pervasive computing environments. We start by providing introductory concepts of service-oriented and pervasive computing, respectively in the service-oriented computing and pervasive computing sections. Next, we present the service provision techniques available and how they can be applied for pervasive computing environments. The main current solutions within this scope will be introduced in the service oriented technologies section. Some of the future trends associated with research for service provision in pervasive computing environments will be presented in the future research trends section. Finally, in the conclusions sect

Stepping back to move forward: Centering capital in discussions of technology and the future of work

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 129-133
Author(s):  
Benjamin Shestakofsky
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Future Of Work ◽  
Technological Unemployment ◽  
The Future ◽  
Constructivist Approaches ◽  
The Relationship

Some researchers have warned that advances in artificial intelligence will increasingly allow employers to substitute human workers with software and robotic systems, heralding an impending wave of technological unemployment. By attending to the particular contexts in which new technologies are developed and implemented, others have revealed that there is nothing inevitable about the future of work, and that there is instead the potential for a diversity of models for organizing the relationship between work and artificial intelligence. Although these social constructivist approaches allow researchers to identify sources of contingency in technological outcomes, they are less useful in explaining how aims and outcomes can converge across diverse settings. In this essay, I make the case that researchers of work and technology should endeavor to link the outcomes of artificial intelligence systems not only to their immediate environments but also to less visible—but nevertheless deeply influential—structural features of societies. I demonstrate the utility of this approach by elaborating on how finance capital structures technology choices in the workplace. I argue that investigating how the structure of ownership influences a firm’s technology choices can open our eyes to alternative models and politics of technological development, improving our understanding of how to make innovation work for everyone instead of allowing the benefits generated by technological change to be hoarded by a select few.

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