A Comprehensive Survey on Interoperability for IIoT: Taxonomy, Standards, and Future Directions

In the era of Industry 4.0, the Internet-of-Things (IoT) performs the driving position analogous to the initial industrial metamorphosis. IoT affords the potential to couple machine-to-machine intercommunication and real-time information-gathering within the industry domain. Hence, the enactment of IoT in the industry magnifies effective optimization, authority, and data-driven judgment. However, this field undergoes several interoperable issues, including large numbers of heterogeneous IoT gadgets, tools, software, sensing, and processing components, joining through the Internet, despite the deficiency of communication protocols and standards. Recently, various interoperable protocols, platforms, standards, and technologies are enhanced and altered according to the specifications of the applicability in industrial applications. However, there are no recent survey papers that primarily examine various interoperability issues that Industrial IoT (IIoT) faces. In this review, we investigate the conventional and recent developments of relevant state-of-the-art IIoT technologies, frameworks, and solutions for facilitating interoperability between different IIoT components. We also discuss several interoperable IIoT standards, protocols, and models for digitizing the industrial revolution. Finally, we conclude this survey with an inherent discussion of open challenges and directions for future research.

Abdominal ultrasound in amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) (Natterer, 1883)

Morphophysiological species researches are fundamental, and diagnostic imaging is an excellent technique, already used in wild animals, with great application, not invasive and provide real-time information of each body. Amazonian manatees are on the list of endangered animals classified in the vulnerable category and knowledge of the normal pattern of ultrasound anatomy of organs and tissues is important for the maintenance and well-being of captive specimens contributing to reintroduction actions. The objective of the study was to standardize the examination technique and describe the ultrasound findings of the liver, gallbladder, stomach, urinary bladder and the subcutaneous tissue of the abdominal region in Trichechus inunguis, in order to contribute with the anatomical and sonographic knowledge and assist in the diagnosis and prognosis diseases. The study used 18 animals to describe the normal sonographic anatomy in the abdominal cavity of the Amazonian manatee. During abdominal scan, it was possible to visualize the features of the liver, gallbladder, stomach, urinary bladder obtained satisfactory results in this study. Therefore, other structures were not primarily identified by the reduced time, lots of fat and gases in intestines of animals.

Evaluation of Symmetrical Exercises in Scoliosis by Using Thermal Scanning

(1) Background: Scoliosis affects about 3% of the population and the number of children diagnosed with this condition is increasing. Numerous studies have been conducted in recent years to observe the effectiveness of rehabilitation specific exercises for this condition. In the present study we aim to observe if symmetrical exercises activate the back muscles in the same way in the case of children with mild scoliosis and those without postural deviations; (2) Methods: We used the thermal imaging camera, which allows a non-invasive, painless investigation that provides real-time information about muscle activity. The study qualitatively assessed muscle activation during exercises. In this study, 30 children were divided into two groups: 15 children diagnosed with mild scoliosis and 15 children without postural deviations; (3) Results: Acquisition of images after each exercise revealed an imbalance in the functioning of the back muscles in children with scoliosis, with areas of higher temperature after exercise on the convexity side of the scoliotic curve. In the second experiment in which children with scoliosis performed the required exercises under the supervision of a physiotherapist, they showed a symmetrical activation of the back muscles on the right and left side of the back; (4) Conclusions: In children without postural deviations, symmetrical exercises activate the muscles equally on the right and left sides of the back. In the case of children with scoliosis, the symmetrical exercises indicated in the rehabilitation programs should be performed only under the supervision of a physiotherapist to properly activate the back muscles.

Senior Citizen Information System

This developmental-descriptive research sought to design and developed a computer-based system, to be known as the Senior Citizens Information System, to provide real-time information dissemination among senior citizen members in the Municipality of Batad, Iloilo pertaining to their membership status and monetary assistance monitoring. The Rapid Application Development model was employed as the SDLC in the development of the system product. More so, the three-tier architecture was used as the architectural model. There were 120 senior citizens as user-respondents and five IT experts for evaluation. The system product was evaluated using a researchers-made survey instrument to determine if level of usability and performance. Results of the investigation shows that the system product was perceived as very good with its level of usability as well as its performance.

Theses and Dissertations Abstract E-Archiving System with SMS Support

The NIPSC Library is currently using manual-based in keeping the theses and dissertation in order to save more time and easy way of finding related literature, an alternative solution to solve the current problem was developed. The “Theses and Dissertations Abstract E-Archiving System with SMS Support”, a system provides borrowers with real-time information in finding related literature. The architectural design used in this system is N-tier architecture. Since it is connected to the Local Area Network inside the library, the researchers can easily access the resources in wired and wireless network to help the Librarians and the researchers inside and outside the library to access the electronic archiving, the collections of abstract theses and dissertations in wired and wireless network to view, download in jpeg format for the protection of copyright and IPR law which can be printed in real-time. The developed Theses and Dissertations Abstract E-Archiving System with SMS Support was based on the result and findings of surveys, electronic archiving of theses and dissertations were accessible just in time, the developed system can perform its required functions efficiently while sharing a common environment and resources without detrimental the impact on any other product.

Iterative Design of Sonification Techniques to Support People with Visual Impairments in Obstacle Avoidance

Obstacle avoidance is a major challenge during independent mobility for blind or visually impaired (BVI) people. Typically, BVI people can only perceive obstacles at a short distance (about 1 m, in case they are using the white cane), and some obstacles are hard to detect (e.g . , those elevated from the ground), or should not be hit by the white cane (e.g . , a standing person). A solution to these problems can be found in recent computer-vision techniques that can run on mobile and wearable devices to detect obstacles at a distance. However, in addition to detecting obstacles, it is also necessary to convey information about them in real time. This contribution presents WatchOut , a sonification technique for conveying real-time information about the main properties of an obstacle to a BVI person, who can then use this additional feedback to safely navigate in the environment. WatchOut was designed with a user-centered approach, involving four iterations of online listening tests with BVI participants in order to define, improve and evaluate the sonification technique, eventually obtaining an almost perfect recognition accuracy. WatchOut was also implemented and tested as a module of a mobile app that detects obstacles using state-of-the-art computer vision technology. Results show that the system is considered usable and can guide the users to avoid more than 85% of the obstacles.

Converting the existing disease surveillance from a paper-based to an electronic-based system using District Health Information System (DHIS-2) for real-time information: The Lebanese experience

Introduction:The Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon is in the process of converting the surveillance reporting from a cumbersome paper-based system to a web-based electronic platform (DHIS-2) to have real-time information for early detection of alerts and outbreaks and for initiating a prompt response.Objectives:This paper aimed to document the Lebanese experience in implementing DHIS-2 for the disease surveillance system. It also targets to assess the improvement of reporting rates and timeliness of the reported data and to disclose the encountered challenges and opportunities. MethodologyThis is a retrospective description of processes involved in the implementation of the DHIS-2 tool in Lebanon. Initially, it was piloted for the school-based surveillance in 2014; then its use was extended in May 2017 to cover other specific surveillance systems. This included all surveillance programs collecting aggregate data from hospitals, medical centers, dispensaries, or laboratories at the first stage. As part of the national roll-out process, the online application was developed. The customized aggregated-based datasets, organization units, user accounts, specific and generic dashboards were generated. More than 80 training sessions were conducted throughout the country targeting 1290 end-users including health officers at the national and provincial levels, focal persons who were working in all public and private hospitals, laboratories, and medical centers as well. Completeness and timeliness of reported data were compared before and after the implementation of DHIS-2. The unveiled challenges and the main lessons learnt during the roll-out process were discussed.ResultsFor laboratory-based surveillance, completeness of reporting increased from 70.8% in May to 89.6% in October. Timeliness has improved from 25% to 74%. For medical centers, an improvement of 8.1% for completeness and 9.4% in timeliness was recorded before and after training sessions. For zero reporting, completeness remains the same (88%) and timeliness has improved from 74% to 87%. The main challenges faced during the implementation of DHIS-2 were mainly infrastructural and system-related in addition to poor internet connectivity and limited workforce and frequent changes to DHIS-2 versions.ConclusionImplementation of DHIS-2 improved timeliness and completeness for aggregated data reporting. Continued on-site support, monitoring, and system enhancement are needed to improve the performance of DHIS-2.

Optimal Analysis of Human Resources Allocation in Colleges and Universities Based on Internet of Things Technology

This article takes the development and superiority of the human resource system under the IoT technology as the background and adopts the popular IoT architecture and the current latest technical theories to develop and improve the human resource management system. First, we introduce the establishment of the J2EE development environment and then introduce the realization of the three layers of the overall IoT architecture of the system, namely, the realization of the presentation layer, the realization of the layer, and the realization of the data and then the realization of the main modules of the system; finally, we explain the function test of some modules of the system. After that, we mainly analyze the requirements of the system, first the overall requirements analysis and then the function and nonfunctional requirements analysis of the system. On the basis of perfecting the service-oriented modeling of manufacturing resources, the integration and optimization of resources are carried out according to the requirements of manufacturing tasks, and the discovery mechanism and matching methods of manufacturing resource services are studied to reduce the solution space of resource allocation. Aiming at the problem of optimal utilization of manufacturing resources, this paper establishes a scientific and reasonable evaluation index system to reduce resource service costs and improve resource utilization. At the same time, after analyzing the problem of real-time distribution of resources in the manufacturing Internet of Things environment, the real-time information of resource distribution is designed. The interactive mechanism and a two-tier optimization method based on real-time information-driven resource distribution tasks are proposed. The simulation experiment results show that the optimization method proposed in this paper, compared with the traditional resource distribution method, not only reduces the carrying distance of human resource distribution but also reduces the empty load rate, thereby reducing the waste of human resources.