Location-Aided Uplink Transmission for User-Centric Cell-Free Massive MIMO Systems: A Fairness Priority Perspective

In this paper, we investigate the uplink transmission for user-centric cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. The largest-large-scale-fading-based access point (AP) selection method is adopted to achieve a user-centric operation. Under this user-centric framework, we propose a novel inter-cluster interference-based (IC-IB) pilot assignment scheme to alleviate pilot contamination. Considering the local characteristics of channel estimates and statistics, we propose a location-aided distributed uplink combining scheme based on a novel proposed metric representing inter-user interference to balance the relationship among the spectral efficiency (SE), user equipment (UE) fairness and complexity, in which the normalized local partial minimum mean-squared error (LP-MMSE) combining is adopted for some APs, while the normalized maximum ratio (MR) combining is adopted for the remaining APs. A new closed-form SE expression using the normalized MR combining is derived and a novel metric to indicate the UE fairness is also proposed. Moreover, the max-min fairness (MMF) power control algorithm is utilized to further ensure uniformly good service to the UEs. Simulation results demonstrate that the channel estimation accuracy of our proposed IC-IB pilot assignment scheme outperforms that of the conventional pilot assignment schemes. Furthermore, although the proposed location-aided uplink combining scheme is not always the best in terms of the per-UE SE, it can provide the more fairness among UEs and can achieve a good trade-off between the average SE and computational complexity.

Application of Design Thinking Methodology to the Various Phases of the Software Development Life Cycle

Design thinking is often thought of as a creative way of problem solving. People are told to believe what they are told and what they read, and with that is the downfall of creativity. Designers need to see the world through the eyes of a 5-year-old. People needs to give themselves permission to be creative. It takes intelligence to answer a question, but it also takes creativity to answer the question. People have to imagine the world as it never existed before. Design thinking can be termed as “consumer-centric”, “end-user centric” or simply “human-centric” thinking. It works from the perspective of the user in general with user satisfaction being the primary goal. The methodology that I adopted is thinking from the user's perspective and working towards user's satisfaction as the goal. Design thinking is a problem-solving technique evolved in different fields like architecture, engineering, and business. The key element to the success of designing a software system lies in user participation. Therefore, it was basically developed to derive a solution by understanding the user's need.

User-Centric Adaptive Password Policies to Combat Password Fatigue

Today, online users will have an average of 25 password-protected accounts online, yet use, on average, 6.5 passwords. The excessive cognitive burden of remembering large amounts of passwords causes Password Fatigue. Therefore users tend to reuse passwords or recycle password patterns whenever prompted to change their passwords regularly. Researchers have created Adaptive Password Policies to prevent users from creating new passwords similar to previously created ones. However, this approach creates user frustration as it neglects users’ cognitive burden. This paper proposes a novel User-Centric Adaptive Password Policy (UCAPP) Framework for password creation and management that assigns users system-generated passwords based on a cognitive-behavioural agent-based model. The framework comprises a Password Policy Assignment Test (PassPAST), a Cognitive Burden Scale (CBS), a User Profiling Algorithm, and a Password Generator (PassGEN). The framework creates tailor-made password policies that maintain password memorability for users of different cognitive thresholds without sacrificing password strength and entropy. The framework successfully created 30-40% stronger passwords for Critical users and random (non-mnemonic) passwords for Typical users based on each individual’s cognitive password thresholds in a preliminary test.

Investigation of Metaverse in cryptocurrency

Metaverse is an immersive 3D virtual environment, a true virtual artificial community in which avatars act as the user's alter ego and interact with each other. If we do not manage the hype for the metaverse, which has recently been receiving a surge in interest, the metaverse will fail to cross the chasm. This article conducts a comprehensive survey on computational arts, in which seven critical topics are relevant to the metaverse, describing novel artworks in blended virtual-physical realities. The topics first cover the building elements for the metaverse, e.g. Virtual scenes and characters, auditory, textual elements. Next, several remarkable types of novel creations in the expanded horizons of metaverse cyberspace have been reflected, such as immersive arts, robotic arts, and other user-centric approaches fuelling contemporary creative outputs.

COVID-19 Intelligence-Driven Operational Response Platform: Experience of a Large Tertiary Multihospital System in the Middle East

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in global disruptions within healthcare systems, leading to quick dynamic fluctuations in hospital operations and supply chain management. During the early months of the pandemic, tertiary multihospital systems were highly viewed as the go-to hospitals for handling these rapid healthcare challenges caused by the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Yet, this pandemic has created an urgent need for coordinated mechanisms to alleviate increasing pressures on these large multihospital systems and ensure services remain high-quality, accessible, and sustainable. Digital health solutions have been identified as promising approaches to address these challenges. This case report describes results for developing multidisciplinary visualizations to support digital health operations in one of the largest tertiary multihospital systems in the Middle East. The report concludes with some lessons and insights learned from the rapid development and delivery of this user-centric COVID-19 multihospital operations intelligent platform.