Molecular Visualization with Supports of Interaction, Immersion, and Collaboration among Geographically Separated Research Groups

Author(s):  
Moacyr Francischetti-Corrêa

In the search for new drug and medication discovery, especially related to drug-receptor interaction, the importance of interaction among researchers is essential, either within the same room or dispersed throughout the world. The interaction in an online environment through the molecule shared view and information and ideas exchange via text and/or voice enable researchers to discuss molecule aspects under study, increasing the chances of reaching the new compound’s identification. In subsequent sections an architecture that uses concepts of Distributed Multiuser Virtual Reality, Computer-Supported Collaborative Work, and world-wide network communication techniques for creating a high performance system that allows real-time interaction among various geographically dispersed research groups studying molecular visualization and using hardware systems ranging from desktop to immersive systems as CAVEs is presented. Its construction was made possible by defining a structure based on local servers to each group, which communicate with each other on a remote network, and creating a protocol for communication among these servers that seeks agility to minimize the negative effects of packet loss and delay delivery, Internet characteristic problems.

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth H. Rees ◽  
Robin Gauld

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss the effects of the introduction of lean into healthcare workplaces, phenomena that have not been widely investigated. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on discussions and findings from the literature. It seeks to bring the few geographically dispersed experiences and case studies together to draw some conclusions regarding lean’s negative effects. Findings Two recurring themes emerge. The first is there is little evidence of Lean’s impact on work and the people who perform it. The literature therefore suggests that we understand very little about how work conditions are changed and how Lean’s negative effects arise and may be managed in healthcare workplaces. A second observation is that Lean’s effects are ambiguous. For some Lean seems to intensify work, while for others it leads to improved job satisfaction and productivity. Given this variety, the paper suggests a research emphasis on Lean’s socio-cultural side and to derive more data on how work and its processes change, particularly in the context of healthcare team-working. Originality/value The paper concludes that without improved understanding of social contexts of Lean interventions its value for healthcare improvement may be limited. Future research should also include a focus on how the work is changed and whether high-performance work system practices may be used to offset Lean’s negative effects.


Author(s):  
Valeria Seidita ◽  
Francesco Lanza ◽  
Arianna Pipitone ◽  
Antonio Chella

Abstract Motivation The epidemic at the beginning of this year, due to a new virus in the coronavirus family, is causing many deaths and is bringing the world economy to its knees. Moreover, situations of this kind are historically cyclical. The symptoms and treatment of infected patients are, for better or worse even for new viruses, always the same: more or less severe flu symptoms, isolation and full hygiene. By now man has learned how to manage epidemic situations, but deaths and negative effects continue to occur. What about technology? What effect has the actual technological progress we have achieved? In this review, we wonder about the role of robotics in the fight against COVID. It presents the analysis of scientific articles, industrial initiatives and project calls for applications from March to now highlighting how much robotics was ready to face this situation, what is expected from robots and what remains to do. Results The analysis was made by focusing on what research groups offer as a means of support for therapies and prevention actions. We then reported some remarks on what we think is the state of maturity of robotics in dealing with situations like COVID-19.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-333
Author(s):  
Alena Pfoser ◽  
Sara de Jong

Artist–academic collaborations are fuelled by increasing institutional pressures to show the impact of academic research. This article departs from the celebratory accounts of collaborative work and pragmatic toolkits for successful partnerships, which are dominant in existing scholarship, arguing for the need to critically interrogate the structural conditions under which collaborations take place. Based on a reflexive case study of a project developed in the context of Tate Exchange, one of the UK’s highest-profile platforms for knowledge exchange, we reveal three sets of (unequal) pressures, which mark artist–academic collaborations in the contemporary neoliberal academy: asymmetric funding and remuneration structures; uneven pressures of audit cultures; acceleration and temporal asymmetries. Innovations at the level of individual projects or partners can only mitigate the negative effects to a limited extent. Instead this article offers a systemic critique of the political economy of artist–academic collaborations and shifts the research agenda to developing a collective response.


Author(s):  
Ian K. Wong ◽  
D. Sandy Staples

In the past several decades, we have seen tremendous advancements in the development of communication technology. Since the invention of the Internet in 1969, there has been rapid development of Internet-based communication tools and technologies. This technology has revolutionized business practices by offering another important and effective channel for communication (Foo & Lim, 1997) and has allowed people to work on projects irrespective of their physical location. One resulting business practice that has been adopted in recent years is virtual teamwork. Virtual teams are groups of individuals who work together in different locations (i.e., are geographically dispersed), work at interdependent tasks, share responsibilities for outcomes, and rely on technology for much of their communication (Cohen & Gibson, 2003). The use of virtual teams has become widespread in organizations, and its use is expected to grow (Martins, Gilson, & Maynard, 2004; Powell, Piccoli, & Ives, 2004).


2008 ◽  
pp. 1426-1433
Author(s):  
Karen Sobel Lojeski ◽  
Richard R. Reilly

Virtual distance is a multidimensional perceptual construct resulting from key elements that promote a sense of distance in e-collaborative work environments. Why will virtual distance help to uncover some of the potential downside risks of collaboration using virtual and outsourced resources? Research has shown that the perceived distance between two or more individuals has negative effects on communication and persuasion and promotes a tendency to deceive more than those who do not perceive themselves to be as distant (Bradner & Mark, 2002). Virtual team members and work groups are, by definition, distant from one another, not only in the physical sense but in other ways as well. Socio-emotional factors, for example, can play a role in perceived distance and these factors may contribute to decreased success (Barczak & McDonough, 2003).


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