Automating Research Data Management Using Machine-Actionable Data Management Plans

Many research funders mandate researchers to create and maintain data management plans (DMPs) for research projects that describe how research data is managed to ensure its reusability. A DMP, being a static textual document, is difficult to act upon and can quickly become obsolete and impractical to maintain. A new generation of machine-actionable DMPs (maDMPs) was therefore proposed by the Research Data Alliance to enable automated integration of information and updates. maDMPs open up a variety of use cases enabling interoperability of research systems and automation of data management tasks. In this article, we describe a system for machine-actionable data management planning in an institutional context. We identify common use cases within research that can be automated to benefit from machine-actionability of DMPs. We propose a reference architecture of an maDMP support system that can be embedded into an institutional research data management infrastructure. The system semi-automates creation and maintenance of DMPs, and thus eases the burden for the stakeholders responsible for various DMP elements. We evaluate the proposed system in a case study conducted at the largest technical university in Austria and quantify to what extent the DMP templates provided by the European Commission and a national funding body can be pre-filled. The proof-of-concept implementation shows that maDMP workflows can be semi-automated, thus workload on involved parties can be reduced and quality of information increased. The results are especially relevant to decision makers and infrastructure operators who want to design information systems in a systematic way that can utilize the full potential of maDMPs.

Towards a Cyber-Physical Range for the Integrated Navigation System (INS)

The e-navigation concept was introduced by the IMO to enhance berth-to-berth navigation towards enhancing environmental protection, and safety and security at sea by leveraging technological advancements. Even though a number of e-navigation testbeds including some recognized by the IALA exist, they pertain to parts only of the Integrated Navigation System (INS) concept. Moreover, existing e-navigation and bridge testbeds do not have a cybersecurity testing functionality, therefore they cannot be used for assessing the cybersecurity posture of the INS. With cybersecurity concerns on the rise in the maritime domain, it is important to provide such capability. In this paper we review existing bridge testbeds, IMO regulations, and international standards, to first define a reference architecture for the INS and then to develop design specifications for an INS Cyber-Physical Range, i.e., an INS testbed with cybersecurity testing functionality.

Internet of Things Technologies for Smart Grid

Smart grid is a new revolution in the energy sector in which the aging utility grid will be replaced with a grid that supports two-way communication between customers and the utility company. There are two popular smart-grid reference architectures. NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology) has drafted a reference architecture in which seven domains and actors have been identified. The second reference architecture is elaborated by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), which is an extension of the NIST model where a new domain named distributed energy resources has been added. This chapter aims at identifying the use of IoT and IoT-enabled technologies in the design of a secure smart grid using the ETSI reference model. Based on the discussion and analysis in the chapter, the authors offer two collaborative and development frameworks. One framework draws parallels' between IoT and smart grids and the second one between smart grids and edge computing. These frameworks can be used to broaden collaboration between the stakeholders and identify research gaps.

Big-Data-Based Architectures and Techniques

This chapter covers the essentials of big data analytics ecosystems primarily from the business and technology context. It delivers insight into key concepts and terminology that define the essence of big data and the promise it holds to deliver sophisticated business insights. The various characteristics that distinguish big data datasets are articulated. It also describes the conceptual and logical reference architecture to manage a huge volume of data generated by various data sources of an enterprise. It also covers drivers, opportunities, and benefits of big data analytics implementation applicable to the real world.

The virtual education space: Concept, architecture, application

The e-learning environment known as VES (the Virtual Education Space) was created at the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” in Bulgaria step by step for years as each subsequent version was built on the previous one. Initially a learning system called DeLC (the Distributed e-Learning Center) has been implemented to support blended and independent learning at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at the university. DeLC was a successful project, but we identified some problems, connected with interactions between the virtual and the physical world where in fact the learning process takes place. In the following period, we started the development of ViPS (the Virtual Physical Space) based on concepts of CPSS (Cyber-Physical-Social System) and IoT (Internet of Things). VES is the ViPS adaptation to education. VES is the successor to DeLC, it provides e-learning content and e-learning education services for planning, organizing, and conducting the learning process at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics of the University of Plovdiv.VES supports various forms of e-learning such as blended learning, self-paced learning, lifelong learning, inclusive and game-based learning (GBL). The following aspects of VES are essential: 1) users are the focus of attention; 2) physical “things” are virtualized; 3) there is integration between the virtual and the physical worlds. Since ViPS is developed as a CPSS ecosystem, users are the focus of attention. This determines the need to develop personal assistants to participate in the processes of the ViPS space on behalf of and in the interest of users. Three intelligent agents are modeled in VES: an internal educational agent, an external educational agent, and a career consultant. MATE (the Multi-Agent Testing Environment) is a component supported in the ViPS space for training and testing of students in a game-based manner. MATE is a set of autonomous agents, each one of which has responsibilities in the common architecture that arise from training and testing needs.As a CPSS space, VES introduces new approaches and scenarios to solve complex problems in the field of e-learning. VES provides a reference architecture, which can be adapted for various forms of education supported by information and communication technologies.

Application of ontologies and digital libraries in school education

The article discusses the application of digital libraries, including a network of ontologies and structured databases, in the education of students in secondary schools. The multi-agent platform of VES (the Virtual Educational Space) is presented, based on the reference architecture of ViPS (the Virtual Physical Space), which is being developed in the DeLC (the Distributed e-Learning Center) laboratory of the University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski”. The information and data in VES are supported by a hybrid structure of ontologies and databases, as the designed services are supported by intelligent agents and personal assistants. Through the interaction between these intelligent components, some functionalities are modeled such as conducting virtual excursions in the teaching of various school subjects, automatic generation of tests and surveys, development of project tasks, game-based training, etc.

Beyond Bitcoin: Recent Trends and Perspectives in Distributed Ledger Technology

In the last four years, the evolution and adoption of blockchain and, more generally, distributed ledger systems have shown the affirmation of many concepts and models with significant differences in system governance and suitable applications. This work aims to analyze distributed ledger technology (DLT) critically. Starting from the topical idea of decentralization, we introduce concepts and building blocks currently adopted in the available systems centering on their functional aspects and impact on possible applications. We present some conceptual framing tools helpful in the application context: a DLT reference architecture, off-chain and on-chain governance models, and classification of consensus protocols. Finally, we introduce the concept of process authenticity, reviewing tools and strategies for integrating DLT with the physical world and proposing a constructive scheme for the authentication of a physical resource through alphanumeric data.

Enabling and Emerging Sensing Technologies for Crowd Management in Public Transportation Systems: A Review

Management of crowd information in public transportation (PT) systems is crucial to foster sustainable mobility, by increasing the user’s comfort and satisfaction during normal operation, as well as to cope with emergency situations, such as pandemic crises, as recently experienced with COVID-19 limitations. This paper presents a taxonomy and review of sensing technologies based on Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time crowd analysis, which can be adopted in various segments of the PT system (buses/trams/trains, railway/subway stations, and bus stops). To discuss such technologies in a clear systematic perspective, we introduce a reference architecture for crowd management, which employs modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in order to: (i) monitor and predict crowding events; (ii) adapt in real-time PT system operations, by modifying service frequency, timetables, routes, and so on; (iii) inform in real-time the users of the crowding status of the PT system, by means of electronic displays installed inside vehicles or at bus stops/stations, and/or by mobile transport applications. It is envisioned that the innovative crowd management functionalities enabled by ICT/IoT sensing technologies can be incrementally implemented as an add-on to traditional intelligent transportation system (ITS) platforms, which are already in use by major PT companies operating in urban areas. Moreover, it is argued that, in this new framework, additional services can be delivered, such as, e.g., on-line ticketing, vehicle access control and reservation in severely crowded situations, and evolved crowd-aware route planning.