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The Seventh International Conference on Ambient Computing, Applications, Services and Technologies

AMBIENT 2017
November 12 - 16, 2017 - Barcelona, Spain


Tutorials

T1. Automatic Data Understanding: The Tool for Intelligent Man-Machine Communication
Prof. Dr. Wladyslaw Homenda, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland

T2. Underwater Wireless Optical Communications
Dr. Mark Leeson, Reader in Communication Systems, University of Warwick, United Kingdom

T3. Automated Web-Based Healthcare Quality Management Systems: Design and Implementation Considerations
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Hassan Khachfe, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
Authors
Prof. Hassan M. Khachfe, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
Denise Kerbaj, PhD Candiate, UPEC - Paris, France / QualiZone, s.a.r.l - Beirut, Lebanon

 

Detailed descriptions

T1. Automatic Data Understanding: The Tool for Intelligent Man-Machine Communication
Prof. Dr. Wladyslaw Homenda, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland

The talk is focused on man-machine communication, which is perceived in terms of data exchange. Understanding data that is being exchanged is the fundamental property of an intelligent communication. The main objective of the talk is to introduce the paradigm of intelligent data understanding. The paradigm stems from syntactic and semantic characterization of data and is soundly based on the paradigm of granular structuring of data and granular computation. We assume that data, the subject of communication, create a structured space of information. Therefore, communication requires identification of local and global structures of data and performing operations on data and structures of data. The talk covers discussion on syntactic description and semantic analysis of data and on granular structuring of syntax and semantics.

In the talk, we do not humor with a wishful thinking by developing a formal and universal theory of man-machine communication or automatic data understanding. We even do not believe that we are ready to come to such a universal solution now. Instead, we cast the paradigm of automatic data understanding as well as notions of syntax, semantics and granularity within the domains of (a) music information and (b) time series processing. Presentation of particular domain immersions is demanded by a substantial dependence of details of the paradigm of automatic data understanding on application in a given domain. Adaptation of the introduced ideas to other domains could be carried out in an analogous fashion.

The first topic is focused on paginated music notation. Paginated music notation is a language describing multidimensional concepts of domain knowledge. Our attention is aimed on revealing music notation concepts from low level data, as for instance data collected by music symbols recognizers from scanned music sheets. Syntactic structuring is based on context-free methods. We propose constructions of context-free grammars driven by concepts of multidimensional knowledge space. Furnishing grammars with attributes allows for information flow between separated knowledge concepts. Semantics captures relations between syntactic structures and items of the structured space of the real world, which is a space of sounds in this domain. In other words, semantics casts the space of syntactic structures onto the structured space of the real world. Irrevocably, understanding is an ability to construct granular structures in both spaces: the space syntactic structures and the real world and then to construct semantics. Finally, we illustrate all these notions with structural operations performed in the space of music information; structural operations easily defined and understand by man and computer.

The second topic of interest is time series modeling based on algorithms operating on the level of concepts. The general motivation behind studies in this direction is to propose methods for temporal knowledge analysis that imitate as close as possible the way of how human beings perceive phenomena fluctuations in time. Admittedly, majority of time series data collected these days is in a numerical format, in which a time series is a sequence of numbers. In the talk we will tackle methods of how to elevate knowledge available only on the low-level numerical interface to the high-level interface, which is concepts and knowledge granules. Subsequently, we will address the formalism of Cognitive Maps, which are a formal method for system modeling. We will address principal properties of such models: generality and specificity of knowledge description.

 

T2. Underwater Wireless Optical Communications
Dr. Mark Leeson, Reader in Communication Systems, University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Two thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by the oceans, which represent one of the ultimate frontiers for discovery, science and technology. Remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have become essential tools in the exploration of the oceans and other aquatic environments. Such underwater vehicles characterise areas by means of large data volumes of sensed data, which are in turn either stored on-board the vehicles, at a significant cost to the battery life, or sent elsewhere underwater via communication links. At present, the latter utilise tethered optical fibres or wireless acoustic communications. Both of these have significant drawbacks since tethered links restrict mobility and acoustic systems inherently lack the bandwidth to support high speed communications. As a result, underwater optical wireless communications (UOWC) have become of increasing interest in recent years.

The tutorial will begin with an overview of the state of the art in underwater communications. Acoustic wave propagation will be introduced, followed by discussion of the path loss, multipath effects, noise and Doppler effects occurring underwater. Next, the electromagnetic spectrum will be considered to discuss suitable regions for utilisation in underwater communications. There will be brief consideration of radio waves before the optical spectrum becomes the main focus. The suitable window of operation will be presented with consideration of the influence of the water type on UOWC signal propagation.

The attenuation experienced by optical waves underwater is then presented, beginning with the simplest approach of Beer’s law is the simplest approach but this fails to include many significant propagation factors. Therefore, after illustrative Beer’s law examples, attention turns to the inclusion of effects such as scattering which can be dominant in situations such as harbours. The characteristics of the aquatic medium will be briefly presented with a description of the major dissolved elements present in seawater and their effects upon propagation. This will lead to discussion of the major water types and their influence on UOWC system design. Some detail with respect to causes absorption, scattering and turbulence will be provided at this point coupled with the appropriate formulas that capture the relevant effects and enable performance predictions to be made.

In common with many optical transmission techniques, the simplest and most common modulation method is on-off keying (OOK) employing intensity modulation with direct detection (IM/DD). This serves as an introduction to a broader range of IM/DD methods, and then coherent communication techniques. At this juncture, some of the experimental systems that have been carried out around the world will be reviewed to indicate the current status of the topic. Finally, the introduction of spatial diversity will be considered given its great success in radio frequency multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems. Recent results will be presented that predict the performance of spatial diversity systems in weak and strong turbulence.

 

T3. Automated Web-Based Healthcare Quality Management Systems: Design and Implementation Considerations
Speaker
Prof. Dr. Hassan Khachfe, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
Authors
Prof. Hassan M. Khachfe, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
Denise Kerbaj, PhD Candiate, UPEC - Paris, France / QualiZone, s.a.r.l - Beirut, Lebanon

With the rapid change in the information and communication technology industry, healthcare institutions find it a necessity to incorporate automation in their everyday processes to keep their information centralized and their flow of connections controlled. The automation comes to transform daily transactions and processes into a digital solution that makes the work easier and less time consuming.

The automated QMSs (Quality Management Systems) in healthcare facilities are enterprise web-based systems that automate the internal workflow procedures of a healthcare institution, as well as the interaction with the patients and all stakeholders. It allows every department to create a more structured organization, increases the transaction handling capacity, and improves the internal control system. The system automates the paper work from patient admission till discharge along with all backend tasks in all the hospital departments. Such a web-based, automated QMS should be designed to assist organizations in implementing and maintaining a comprehensive approach by delivering tools structured around the international standards for quality management (such as the ISO 9000 standards). It should be a centralized management system that provides a portal to critical quality information and facilitates quality performance improvement through requirement tracking, notifications and real-time management reporting.

The tutorial will introduce solutions centered around PHP, web-based applications that have local databases on the hospital servers. Every employee will have a dedicated online user account. The user account is unique and related to his/her profile, which contains modules related to his/her roles and privileges. The system is a set of web-based forms that allow the user to enter data, view data, upload documents (pdf or JPEG format), view/edit/ print information, submit, and follow up.
A notification system is embedded in the QMS to facilitate the workflow and remind the users of their daily tasks. The system is a set of modules categorized upon the hospital internal department organization. It encloses medical and administrative tasks based on a user/privileges structure
The technology will revolve around the following technical concepts:

  • Web server.
  • PHP scripting language.
  • Database.
  • Secure online web based application.
  • Scalable forms.
  • Browser compatibility.
  • Barcode Scanning capability.
  • API integration
  • etc.
 
 

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