Social Robot Co-Design Canvases: A Participatory Design Framework

Design teams of social robots are often multidisciplinary, due to the broad knowledge from different scientific domains needed to develop such complex technology. However, tools to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration are scarce. We introduce a framework for the participatory design of social robots and corresponding canvas tool for participatory design. The canvases can be applied in different parts of the design process to facilitate collaboration between experts of different fields, as well as to incorporate prospective users of the robot into the design process. We investigate the usability of the proposed canvases with two social robot design case studies: a robot that played games online with teenage users and a librarian robot that guided users at a public library. We observe through participants’ feedback that the canvases have the advantages of (1) providing structure, clarity, and a clear process to the design; (2) encouraging designers and users to share their viewpoints to progress toward a shared one; and (3) providing an educational and enjoyable design experience for the teams.

TECHNOLOGY FOR RESTORATION AND REPAIR OF AIRCRAFT ENGINE PARTS

Problems of increasing the service life of compressor blades of aircraft gas turbine engines using detonation spraying technology are considered. The simulation of the parameters of the velocity and temperature of the particles of the sprayed material in the barrel of the detonation unit and in the flooded space to the substrate was carried out, followed by the choice of the optimal technological parameters of the spraying process. The control system of the detonation unit has been modernized. An experiment was carried out on the deposition of the Al2O3 coatings on the samples of a substrate made of titanium alloy VT3-1. Based on the results of the experiment, technological recommendations were developed concerning both the parameters of the spraying process and the parameters of the preparation of the substrate surface before spraying. The equipment for brazing the blades of the guide vanes is described and a device for spraying coatings on the end surfaces of the compressor blades is proposed. Thus, a complex technology has been developed for restoring the end surfaces of titanium alloy compressor blades by deposition of Al2O3 coatings.

The complex processing of titanomagnetite concentrates of the Gremyakha-vyrmes deposit with extraction of vanadium and titanium

Titanomagnetites are a complex raw material with a high content of valuable components: iron (35–65 %), vanadium (0.5–1.5 %) and titanium (2–14 %). Today, titanium–magnetite concentrates are processed in two ways: blast furnace (Russia, China) and using electric smelting (South Africa). The blast–furnace method is applicable only for low–titanium titanomagnetites. In the case of using titanomagnetite concentrates with a titanium dioxide content of more than 4 %, the method of electric smelting with preliminary reduction is applicable. Both technologies aim to recover the two components iron and vanadium, while titanium is not recovered. In this regard, the development of a complex technology for processing titanomagnetite concentrate to obtain iron in granular form, vanadium pentoxide and titanium is urgent.

Affective Scaffolding to Mediate the Use of Emergent Technology

Technology is reshaping the micro-ecologies of developing, becoming a part of it. It impacts and enables reconfiguration of social interaction in everyday situations. The study aims to bring a macro and micro discussion about close interconnection with complex technology and how these interactions have reciprocal implications between materiality and subjectivity. The broad research question is: How do we deal and interact with daily increasingly complex technology? A theoretical perspective is outlined about the subject and object relationship, focusing on new technology in the baby day living. One key point stressed in this paper is the affective scaffolding that could be a key point for social mediation with technology. To support the reflection, some illustrative examples are proposed from a naturalistic observation. In particular, the study focus on one 1-years old baby interacting with a smartphone and a robot toy. A final discussion is proposed to discuss the material and subjective dialectic interactions.

AI Democratization in Optometry: Developing a Prototype with Azure Cognitive Services Platform

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology advances, it is used in almost every aspect of our lives. However, AI is still complicated to implement without help from computer engineers. In the health care field, knowledge of medical and computer knowledge is necessary to create AI-based medical systems. Close cooperation between medical experts and computer experts is essential. For this reason, even if there has been a continuous effort to apply AI into the medical field, it has yet to be universalized. In particular, in the field of optometry and ophthalmology, more complex technology is required than in other medical fields because it is necessary to analyze an eye image to diagnose a disease. Therefore, this study explores the possibility for medical professionals with little computer knowledge in the field of ophthalmology to develop an AI-based diagnostic system without the help of computer engineers. In addition, it explores not only the possibilities but also the diagnostic accuracy of the developed system. Our results show that the diagnostic system discriminates against five common eye diseases to some extent. This study explores whether AI democratization is possible even in the field of ophthalmology that requires advanced skills and knowledge.

Child health

This chapter focuses on the health status of children, particularly those less than 5 years of age. The global mortality burden among this group still remains unacceptably high and progress in reducing it remains unequal across countries and regions. Most children suffer and die from a small number of conditions—the main causes of morbidity are highly correlated with the major causes of death. Likewise, nutritional status, child growth, and development are intertwined. Strikingly, even in the poorest settings, a significant proportion of these outcomes could be prevented with a few interventions that are well known, feasible, deliverable without complex technology, and affordable. Strengthening the health system and integrating interventions into packages of care that can be delivered during pregnancy, childbirth, the neonatal period, and childhood at all levels—from home to hospital—will be key to increasing the coverage of health interventions and in further reducing child mortality.

Chinese Firms’ Move to the Forefront in Digital Technologies

In the past two decades, China has achieved impressive progress and built competence in digital technology–enabled products, processes, business models, and hyperscale e-infrastructure. Driven by the globally largest internet user scale and fast catching up of information technologies, China’s strategy has been transformed from survival to growth and is transforming to market leadership. Now China has built its competence not only in telecommunication, consumer electronics, and PCs but also in some complex technology products like supercomputer systems. China has also witnessed the rise of hyperscale internet giants and the establishment of super e-commerce and mobile payment systems. However, there are still some great challenges that need to be overcome in some “bottleneck” technologies like the semiconductor and software sectors. China is thus seeking ways to move beyond the “global factory” model and cultivate its own technology-intensive industries and innovation capabilities. In the future, it is critical to maintain an open strategy among fierce global competition.

Improving the Efficiency of Oil and Gas Wells Complicated by the Formation of Asphalt–Resin–Paraffin Deposits

A number of difficulties may be encountered in the final stages of oil field exploitation, including the formation of asphalt–resin–paraffin deposits (ARPDs). It is expedient to use complex technologies to remove the already formed deposits and prevent the formation of ARPDs. This paper focuses on the complex technology of oil field exploitation. This technology combines both the removal of organic deposits and the prevention of the formation of these deposits in the well bottomhole formation zone (BHFZ) system. The calculations for determining the process parameters of selling the ARPD inhibitor solution into the BHFZ are presented in this article. This complex technology includes the process of ARPD removal by flushing the well and the subsequent injection of the developed ARPD solvent into the BHFZ. In addition, the technology is complemented by a method of preventing the formation of these deposits. This method consists of squeezing the ARPD inhibitor and then pumping it by the selling fluid from five to ten times of the volume. This article contains a detailed calculation of the methodology and provides the diagrams for the solvent and inhibitor injection.

A Study on the Laws Governing Facial Recognition Technology and Data Privacy in Malaysia

The advancement of technology in the past decade has led humans to achieve many great things. Among that is facial recognition technology that uses a combination of two techniques which is face detection and recognition that is capable of converting facial images of a person into readable data and connecting it with other data sets which enable it to identify, track or compare it. This study delves into the usage of facial recognition technology in Malaysia where its regulation is almost non-existent. As its usage increases, the invasive features of this technology to collect and connect its data posed a threat to the data privacy of Malaysian citizens. Due to this issue, other countries' laws and policies regarding this technology are examined and compared with Malaysia. This enables the loopholes of the current law and policies to be identified and restructured, which create a clear path on the proper regulations and changes that need to be made. Thus, this study aims to analyse the limitation of law governing data privacy and its concept in Malaysia along with changes that need to be made. This study’s finding shows the shortcoming of Malaysia’s law in governing data privacy especially when it involves complex technology that has great data collection capability like facial recognition.

Modernization of the complex technology of construction of the roadbed

Background: The analysis of the complex technology of the construction of the roadbed, developed in RUT (MIIT), with the aim of its modernization on the basis of monitoring changes in the characteristics of the soil with the use of fiber-optic cable during construction. Aim: Development of intensive technological modes for improving the reliability of the road surface. Methods: Methods of control and technological regulation of soil compaction in order to reduce humidity at the stage of frost moisture accumulation at the base of the embankment being built. Results: As a result of the analysis, the modernization of the integrated technology is appropriate. Conclusion: The proposed methods of technological regulation are effective in the construction of the roadbed on waterlogged soils.