Design of Socioenactive Systems Based on Physiological Sensors and Robot Behavior in Educational Environments

Computational systems based on ubiquitous and pervasive technology present several challenges related to the interaction of people with scenarios constituted by sensors and actuators, changing the mindset of what we used to understand as interaction with a computer. This also has influence in the ways of considering the design of systems based on contemporary technology for the educational context. To cope with the challenges of ubiquitous computing, the concept of socioenactive system is being constructed as a system in which human and technological aspects are coupled together in a cycle of perceptually guided actions of people interacting with elements of the physical environment and with other people in the same scenario. In this work we address the design of a socioenactive system as an evolution of two previous systems designed and experimented with 5-year-old children in an educational context. The contribution of this paper is twofold: 1. We present an analysis of two different systems tested in educational scenarios, pointing out the lack of elements that should be present in a complete cycle of socioenactive systems, suggesting requirements for a third system; 2. We present an architecture for the third system and a simulation of its usage. Results of the third system and its simulation inform the next activities of bringing it to real life in a practice proposed for the same audience and context as the previous systems.

Episodic supply chains at times of disruption

Purpose Additive manufacturing has been described as converting supply chains into demand chains. By focusing on metal additive manufacturing as a contemporary technology causing ongoing disruption to the supply chain, the purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss how incumbent firms act during an ongoing, transformational disruption of their supply chain. Design/methodology/approach Interviews and secondary data, along with seminars attracting approximately 600 individuals operating in metal additive manufacturing, form the empirical basis for this paper. Findings The findings of this paper indicate how disruption occurs at multiple positions in the supply chain. Episodic positions as conceptualised in this paper refer to how parties challenged by disruption attempt to reach normality while speeding the transformational disruption. Originality/value This paper contributes to previous research by theorising about episodic positions in light of a supply chain disruption. The empirical data are unique in how they capture supply chain change at the time of disruption and illustrate disruptive, transformational change to supply chains. The paper interlinks research on disruption from the innovation and supply chain literature, with contributions to both.

Illusions of Liveness: Producer as Composer

<p>The practise of creating music for the recorded medium has been a fluid and constantly changing enterprise since its inception. Emergences of new studio technologies over the last fifty years have spurred new cultures, philosophies and approaches to music production and composition, ultimately seeing a merging of the once disparate roles of producer and composer. It is this contemporary, technology-informed new role of producer-composer that brings with it discussion - for much of which there is no general consensus - over issues pertaining to perceived liveness, the producer-composer’s control over the resulting sound, and most contentiously the use of music technology itself: its transparency and its legitimacy as substitutions for real instruments. These are all fluid and complex issues and this paper does not attempt to provide answers for, nor take a definitive stance on them other than in the sharing of opinions formed from my own experiences in applying production as composition to the creative aspect of this project. In this paper I seek to share some of the current discussion regarding production-as-composition, in light of my own compositional experiment, which strives to create a simulation of real-performance via almost entirely artificial means within an idealised, hyper-musical sonic environment. By bringing together real musicians and virtual instruments within a recorded track and edited via music production technology, the experiment aimed to produce an illusion of liveness.</p>

Illusions of Liveness: Producer as Composer

<p>The practise of creating music for the recorded medium has been a fluid and constantly changing enterprise since its inception. Emergences of new studio technologies over the last fifty years have spurred new cultures, philosophies and approaches to music production and composition, ultimately seeing a merging of the once disparate roles of producer and composer. It is this contemporary, technology-informed new role of producer-composer that brings with it discussion - for much of which there is no general consensus - over issues pertaining to perceived liveness, the producer-composer’s control over the resulting sound, and most contentiously the use of music technology itself: its transparency and its legitimacy as substitutions for real instruments. These are all fluid and complex issues and this paper does not attempt to provide answers for, nor take a definitive stance on them other than in the sharing of opinions formed from my own experiences in applying production as composition to the creative aspect of this project. In this paper I seek to share some of the current discussion regarding production-as-composition, in light of my own compositional experiment, which strives to create a simulation of real-performance via almost entirely artificial means within an idealised, hyper-musical sonic environment. By bringing together real musicians and virtual instruments within a recorded track and edited via music production technology, the experiment aimed to produce an illusion of liveness.</p>

Te Reo Tātaki o te Ringa: Māori Narratives and Contemporary Technology

<p>This research explores how Māori tradition and narratives along with modern fabrication techniques can be used to make contemporary Māori design. The aim of this thesis is to document my work history and findings; and to add to the continuation of contemporary Māori design discourse. Part of the documentation process was interviewing leading Māori artists and craftspeople. This helped me to develop and reflect upon my tikanga (correct procedure), which in turn allowed me to create a body of physical works that fulfilled the compositional component of this thesis. There are two dominating components to my work: the engagement of narratives which I have a personal interest in and my use of new technologies to generate these works. The narratives used predominantly relate to my Māori cultural heritage and background. These stories have captured my imagination and I have enjoyed expressing them in a way that departs from the customary tribal style and creates a personal contemporary design approach that is distinctly my own.</p>

Te Reo Tātaki o te Ringa: Māori Narratives and Contemporary Technology

<p>This research explores how Māori tradition and narratives along with modern fabrication techniques can be used to make contemporary Māori design. The aim of this thesis is to document my work history and findings; and to add to the continuation of contemporary Māori design discourse. Part of the documentation process was interviewing leading Māori artists and craftspeople. This helped me to develop and reflect upon my tikanga (correct procedure), which in turn allowed me to create a body of physical works that fulfilled the compositional component of this thesis. There are two dominating components to my work: the engagement of narratives which I have a personal interest in and my use of new technologies to generate these works. The narratives used predominantly relate to my Māori cultural heritage and background. These stories have captured my imagination and I have enjoyed expressing them in a way that departs from the customary tribal style and creates a personal contemporary design approach that is distinctly my own.</p>

Contemporary Precalculus through Applications

The first edition of Contemporary Precalculus through Applications was published in 1993, well before the widespread use of computers in the classroom. Collaborating with students and teachers across the state, faculty from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) have steadily developed, reviewed, and tested the textbook in the years since. It is the sole textbook used in NCSSM precalculus courses. This third edition contains extensively updated data, graphics, and material attuned to contemporary technology while keeping what made the book so revolutionary when it was first published—a focus on real-world problem solving and student discovery. This edition will prepare students to learn mathematics in the following major areas: · Data analysis and linear regression · Functions: linear, polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, parametric, and trigonometric · Modifying functions through transformations and compositions · Recursive systems and sequences · Modeling real-world phenomenon and applications An open access edition of this book is available at cpta.ncssm.edu, along with supplementary materials and other information.

GREEN SUPPLIER SELECTION BASED ON THE INFORMATION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE EVALUATION USING THE INTEGRATED BEST-WORST METHOD

Information Systems (IS) have become crucial for all the organizations to survive in contemporary technology-oriented environment. Consequently, the number of companies and organizations which have invested widely in their IS infrastructures to present better services and to produce higher value products is increasing. On the other hand, nowadays, because of the increase of governmental rules and serious requirements of more people in the case of environmental protection, it seems necessary for all the enterprises to follow these regulations if they want to survive in the global markets. However, what is at issue here is not just the companies’ agreement with the environmental laws; in addition, they should apply some strategies to decrease the negative environmental impacts of their products in some countries. Thus, the aforementioned arguments are the reasons for the compulsory use of the green supplier selection (GSS) in all firms. Considering the mentioned contents, the purpose of this study is representation of the relation between ISs and GSS as two vital components of firms in a novel way which has not been done before. Actually, it shows the ISs' performance or effectiveness to select the green suppliers taking into account the different levels of importance of GSS measures (including eight criteria and 31 sub-criteria), using a multi-criteria decision-making method called Best Worst Method (BWM) to identify the weights (importance) of GSS measures and compute the GSS performance of 10 ISs in a company using the data gathered in a survey from ISs' experts.

An Odd Coupling: Nietzsche and W.E.B. Du Bois on 21st Century Philosophy of Education

This essay contrasts Nietzsche’s remarks on elite education with W.E.B. Du Bois’ demand for democratized education. The essay takes their remarks as springboards for a twenty-first century philosophy of education rather than an historical account of their philosophies. Both thinkers cultivated Kant and Hegel’s dream that the spirit of freedom guided by reason would unite all the world’s peoples. Both held that education was key to realizing the dream. Their judgments about qualifying for education separated them. Nietzsche insisted that only the elite should receive the fullest measure of education. Du Bois believed that in the future virtually every human being would receive a university-level education. The essay’s principal point is to show how contemporary technology can make Du Bois’ dream a reality. An African philosopher’s working model demonstrates a path to universal university education.