Human-computer interaction (HCI) is a multidisciplinary field that explores the interaction between humans and computers, emphasizing especially the design and use of computer technology. Within this domain, the notion of sense of agency, usually defined as the users perceiving their actions as influencing the system, is of crucial importance. Another central notion is that of socio-technical systems, referring to the interplay between social and technical elements. In this work, we delve into users’ perceptions of their interactions with smart devices, drawing insights from a dataset collected during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

The dataset, gathered through an expansive survey, was distributed in professional and personal networks, offers a window into the perspectives of 587 respondents, predominantly highly educated professionals with significant technological familiarity. While the sample’s specificity limits the generalizability of findings, it offers valuable insights into how tech-savvy users perceive their interactions with smart devices, illuminating the nuanced dynamics of HCI within socio-technical contexts.

One of the survey’s notable aspects was its focus on users’ choice of a single smart device to consider throughout their responses. This deliberate framing encourages a deeper exploration of users’ relationships with specific technologies, shedding light on the intricacies of their interactions. For respondents who did not own multiple smart devices, the instruction was to choose their primary device, such as a computer or mobile phone, thus ensuring consistency in the examination of user experiences.

Within the dataset, various dimensions of users’ interactions with smart devices emerged, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects. Users’ perceptions of agency, defined as their sense of control and influence over the device, are particularly intriguing. Analysis of the dataset reveals diverse manifestations of agency, ranging from feelings of empowerment and efficiency to frustrations stemming from perceived limitations or complexities in device operation.

Moreover, the socio-technical lens allows us to delve deeper into the contextual factors shaping users’ interactions. The dataset captures not only users’ individual experiences but also the broader socio-cultural and technological landscapes influencing these interactions. Factors such as educational background, professional expertise, age, and gender are among the variables examined, offering insights into how these socio-demographic factors intersect with users’ perceptions of smart device interactions.

The dataset’s utilization in previous research endeavors underscores its significance in advancing our understanding of human-computer interaction, user behavior analysis, and agency. By building upon existing research and leveraging the data available, researchers can uncover deeper insights into the complexities of smart device interactions and contribute to the development of more user-centered technologies.

The COVID-19 context during which the data were collected adds another layer of complexity to the analysis. Due to the increased time spent at home and the increase in remote work, the global pandemic catalyzed increased reliance on technology for work, education, and socialization. Understanding users’ interactions with smart devices within this unique context provides valuable implications for designing technologies that accommodate evolving user needs and preferences.

In conclusion, users’ notions of their interactions with smart devices offer a rich tapestry of insights that intersect with key concepts in HCI, including agency and socio-technical systems. Through the analysis of a dataset collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, we gain valuable insights into users’ perceptions, behaviors, and experiences with smart devices within the context of a rapidly evolving technological landscape. This dataset serves as a springboard for further exploration in the field, driving forward our understanding of human-computer interactions in an increasingly digital world.

Where to find more:

• Agency in Human-Smart Device Relationship: A work in progress description of a research done with this dataset

Initial call for collecting the responses

Link to the dataset (Open Access)

https://doi.org/10.3390/data9040056

https://doi.org/10.34894/traony

Main Personal Related Publication

https://doi.org/10.3390/fi16030090

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In short, three different fellowships are available:

1. Research Fellowship: For individuals without a PhD who are considering pursuing research studies.
2. PhD Scholarship: For those who wish to pursue a PhD in Switzerland for a period of 3+ years.
3. Post-Doc Scholarship: For individuals with a PhD who are looking to spend one year in Switzerland conducting postdoctoral research.

Please note that all fellowships are intended for individuals who have not previously spent time in Switzerland. Consequently, if you are awarded one of these fellowships, you will be ineligible to apply for the others in the future as you technicaly already have a Phd or Postdoc in Switzerland.

Let’s see each one of them in dettail:

Research Fellowship

Research Fellowships are 12-month programs aimed at highly qualified postgraduate researchers from all academic disciplines. Applicants must have obtained a master’s degree or equivalent by July 31, 2024, except for ETH Zurich applicants, who must meet this requirement by June 30, 2024. Candidates should be born after December 31, 1988. The application requires a support letter from an academic host professor at a Swiss university, including a brief CV (maximum 2 pages), explaining their willingness to supervise and support the research. This letter differs from the confidential recommendation letter also required. Additionally, applicants must submit a research proposal with a defined time frame. Notably, this fellowship is not available to those who already hold a PhD degree

PhD Scholarship

PhD Scholarships are designed for highly qualified PhD students from all academic disciplines, offering funding for 12 to 36 months, extendable in three 12-month increments based on academic progress. Applicants must have obtained a master’s degree or equivalent by July 31, 2024, except for ETH Zurich applicants, who must meet this requirement by June 30, 2024. Eligible candidates should be born after December 31, 1988. The application requires a support letter from an academic host professor at a Swiss university, including a brief CV (maximum 2 pages), detailing their commitment to supervise and support the PhD throughout its duration. If an assistant professor supports the application, a full professor must co-sign the letter. This support letter is distinct from the confidential recommendation letter also required. For PhD studies at a University of Applied Sciences, an additional support letter from a faculty member of the host research university is mandatory. The doctoral degree must be awarded by a research university. A detailed research proposal with a defined time frame is the centerpiece of the application and requires thorough attention.

Post-Doc Scholarship

Postdoctoral Scholarships are 12-month programs aimed at highly qualified early career scientists from all scientific fields. Eligible candidates must have completed their PhD between December 31, 2020, and July 31, 2024 (June 30, 2024, for ETH Zurich), and primarily for those who have not previously studied in Switzerland. The program does not fund sabbaticals. Applicants need a support letter from an academic host professor at a Swiss university, including a brief CV (maximum 2 pages), explaining their willingness to supervise the research. Former PhD mentors and co-directors for co-tutelle PhDs cannot be supervisors. A detailed research proposal with a timeframe is the centerpiece of the application. This scholarship is exclusively for full-time postdoctoral research in Switzerland, prohibiting fieldwork outside the country, and recipients are expected to reside in Switzerland during the grant period. For double doctorates, the date of the first degree is considered. The scholarship is not valid for mixed research conducted partly in Switzerland and partly in another country.

Where to find more Information

The official link of the scholarship contains all the relevant information and is the “GO TO” resources:

• https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/education/scholarships-and-grants/swiss-government-excellence-scholarships.html

Additionally, each country has specific information and details regarding the application procedure, which can be found at the following link.

• https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/dam/sbfi/en/dokumente/2022/07/all-countries.pdf.download.pdf/2023_ESKAS_all_country_contacts_A_to_Z_for_application_documents.pdf

I recommend relying on the official information provided at the link above. The program itself warns about potential scams, and while there are numerous YouTube videos on the topic, some are generated by ChatGPT and others are, for lack of a better word, “dubious.” Here, I share videos from two YouTubers who, in my opinion, offer a reliable overview of the program. From Jama, part 1:

And part 2:

As well as from Aatiya:

My personal suggestions:

If you are interested in applying for a Phd or Postdoc in Switzerland, here are my personal suggestions:

1. Start Early (Paperwork): The application process is deliberately complex to filter out unmotivated candidates. The responsibility for managing the paperwork falls entirely on you, so begin early to ensure you have ample time to complete everything accurately.
2. Start Early (Connections in Switzerland): A critical aspect of the application is obtaining a support letter from a professor in Switzerland who is willing to endorse your candidacy and confirm that your proposal aligns with their and their institution’s research. Building these connections early is essential.
3. Start Early (Your Research Proposal): Develop a meaningful and well-written research proposal as soon as possible. Without a solid proposal, it will be challenging to secure support from a professor. You are solely responsible for writing this proposal. Once you have a polished version formatted according to the required templates, use it as your business card when reaching out to potential professors in Switzerland. Without this document, your communication is likely to be ignored or flagged as spam.

In other words, your commitment and the importance of contacting your potential supervisor as early as possible, armed with all the relevant information, cannot be overstated. This official video from the program provides additional valuable suggestions:

In addition, please note that each professor will not/cam not endorse more then one (or two) candidates per year. Therefore many of the request may simply be not answered.

Can I help you further for your Phd or Postdoc in Switzerland?

It really depends. For this specific grant you (the applicant) are really responsible for doing the heavy lifting as well as for dealing with the dettails. As for the rest, (i) if you believe that you have what it takes for this fellowship, (ii) you fulfill all the requirements, (iii) you have a nice idea to pursue and (iv) it is related to one of the following areas:

1. Internet of Things (IoT): Refers to the network of interconnected devices and objects that can communicate and share data. IoT enables smart homes, industrial automation, and more.
2. Extended Reality (XR): Encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). XR technologies blend digital content with the real world, enhancing user experiences.
3. Human Behavioral Informatics: The study of human behavior using data analytics and computational methods. It involves understanding patterns, preferences, and decision-making based on digital interactions.
4. Computer Vision: A field of artificial intelligence that focuses on enabling machines to interpret visual information from images or videos. Applications include facial recognition, object detection, and medical imaging.
5. Language Processing: Also known as natural language processing (NLP), it involves teaching computers to understand and generate human language. NLP powers chatbots, language translation, and sentiment analysis.
6. Security and Privacy: Addresses safeguarding data, systems, and networks from unauthorized access or breaches. It includes encryption, authentication, and privacy-preserving techniques.
7. Big Data Processing: Deals with managing and analyzing large volumes of data. Technologies like Hadoop and Spark enable efficient processing of massive datasets.
8. Distributed Systems: Involves designing and managing systems that run on multiple interconnected computers. Examples include cloud computing, peer-to-peer networks, and distributed databases.
9. Serverless Computing: A cloud computing model where developers focus on writing code without managing servers. Serverless platforms automatically scale resources based on demand.
10. Digital Decision Making: The process of using data-driven insights and algorithms to make informed choices in various domains, such as business, healthcare, and finance.

You can consider dropping me a line! Are you still finishing your thesis instead? These guides may help!

Good Luck!

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It was a really fun and formative experience where we had the possibility to interact with many colleagues across Europe. We can clearly declare the workshop successful as we had to cap the contribution to only 11 despite the very large contribution that we received (total 22, acceptance rage 50%). If that is not enough for declaring it a success, it also was the largest (most participated) event of the conference.

A big thanks also goes to our sponsors and keynote speaker that stimulated the conversation as well as provided a valuable industrial experience.

Here you can find a set of useful links in case you would like to profit of the outcomes:

• Call for paper for the first workshop on AI Beyond Efficiency
• Modafferi, S., Nuñez, M. J., Lelli, F., & Dalle Carbonare, D. (2022). Artificial Intelligence beyond Efficiency. CEUR Workshop Proceedings, 3214

Full report can be downloaded here: PDF Version of the report on the workshop

The paper that where discussed are available at the following links:

• Introducing Building Blocks for Industry 4.0, an Analytics Application for the Federated EFPF Platform
  Jose Maria Gonzalez Castro Robert Sanfeliu Prat, Francesc Bonada, Fernando Gigante Valencia
• AI Ethics for Industry 5.0 – From Principles to Practice
  Alexandru Constantin Ciobanu, Gabriela Meșniță
• A Practical Experience of AI Solution Used to Improve Varnishing Process Efficiency in Furniture Manufacturing
  Juan Del Agua, Gabriel Modia
• Industry5.0 and Sociotechnical Theory: Theoretical Underpinnings
  Nicholas Fair
• Relevance of Visualization and Interaction Technologies for Industry 5.0
  Ander Garcia, Marco Quartulli, Igor G. Olaizola, Iñigo Barandiaran
• Teaming.AI: Enabling Human-AI Teaming Intelligence in Manufacturing
  Thomas Hoch, Bernhard Heinzl, Gerald Czech, Maqbool Khan, Philipp Waibel, Stefan Bachhofner, Elmar Kiesling, Bernhard Moser
• On Exploring the Possibilities and the Limits of AI for an Interoperable and Empowering Industry 4.0
  Francesco Lelli
• Artificial Intelligence from Industry 5.0 perspective: Is the Technology Ready to Meet the Challenge?
  Igor García Olaizola Marco Quartulli, Ander Garcia, Iñigo Barandiaran
• Towards Zero-Defect Manufacturing: Machine Selection through Unsupervised Learning in the Printing Industry
  Sotirios T. Spantideas, Anastasios E. Giannopoulos, Nikolaos C. Kapsalis, Angelos Angelopoulos, Stamatis Voliotis, Panagiotis Trakadas
• Towards Industry 5.0 – A Trustworthy AI Framework for Digital Manufacturing with Humans in Control
  Usman Wajid, Alexandros Nizamis, Victor Anaya
• On Developing Human Centric Digital Twins in Industry 4.0 and Beyond
  Akpofure A. Enughwure, Francesco Lelli

As organizer I hope that the connections that the participants build will remain strong, will grow, and will materialize in a tangible advance of the field.

First Workshop on AI Beyond Efficiency: proceedings of the event. #ArtificialIntelligence #workshops #interoperability #Industry40 #BigData #MachineLearning
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In the past few years, the idea of extending the Grid to cover also the remote access, control, management of instrument devices has been explored in a few initiatives. Existing tools lack in generality and require advanced specialized computer science knowledge, thus making them difficult to be broadly adopted in the scientific community. In this paper we present a new open source initiative that is designed to overcome these problems. The Tiny Instrument Element project defines a high level architecture for plugging instruments into the Grid and provides the corresponding skeleton implementation. This lightweight approach, as opposed to existing middleware-based solutions, reduces the effort required to Gridify existing instruments. The paper evaluates the proposed abstraction with a case study from a pervasive computing scenario.

Some relevant Key words: IoT, Internet of things, smart devices, cloud computing, web service, ubiquitous computing, plugin.

In this paper we present the Tiny Instrument Element project showing our proposed novel approach to the integration between instruments and the Grid. Instead of building a new middleware we propose to use a semifinite artifact (i.e., a skeleton software) that can be tailored to meet the requirements of a specific instrument characteristics. This approach not only provides an uniform access to the Gridified instruments but also leaves the flexibility to customize and tune the Tiny Instrument Element for optimal monitoring and control of the instruments. From the case study we have seen that none of the code included in the Tiny Instrument Element release was redundant and that the time required in order to gain a good understanding of the API and the corresponding skeleton was quite small. This supports the idea of template-based software development. The Project has started full open source activities in September 2008. If we exclude our personal activity and the one performed by the case study participants, until the end of 2008, the project website attracted 304 unique visitors (7 Returning many times). The source code was downloaded 40 times and the authors were contacted with positive feedback by 2 users of the community. Whereas the project has been running for a relatively short time, these numbers are promising and show the benefit of a transparent development process to achieve wider dissemination of our research ideas

Full article available at the following link:

The Tiny Instrument Element:
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-01671-4_27

Read the paper at this link

Your help in sharing the idea is very welcome!

Cite this paper as:

F. Lelli and C. Pautasso The Tiny Instrument Element Project In proc of 4th International Conference on Grid and Pervasive Computing (GPC) , Geneva, Switzerland, May 2009

Related Article:

• The Many Faces of the Integration of Instruments and the Grid

The #tiny Instrument Element for integrating #IoT and #Cloud . An early precursor of #EdgeComputing
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• Full list of Articles
• Full list of Journal Publications
• Full list of Conference Publications

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Web 2.0 communities emerge regularly with the growing need for domain-specific programming over Web APIs. Even though Web mashups provide access to Web APIs, they ignore domain-specific programming needs. On the other hand, developing domain-specific languages (DSLs) is costly and not feasible for such ad hoc communities. We propose User Language Domain (ULD): an intermediate Web based architecture using a domain-specific embedded languages approach that reduces the cost of DSL development to plugging the Web APIs into a host end user programming language. We have implemented the proposed architecture in the context of smart devices, where we plug the functionality of different Lego Mindstorms devices into a Web-based visual programming language. We expect that several domains, such as smart homes or wearable computers can use the ULD architecture to reduce development effort.

Some relevant Key words: domain specific languages, Web 2.0 communities, end user programming, plugin architecture, smart devices, ubiquitous computing.

Our case study of smart devices helps to show the promise of separating functionality from the end user programming language in end user programming. Currently, web based artifacts are released together with a set of open APIs that can be used by their customers for building extensions. Our solution allows an efficient way of embedding these APIs into a customizable wed based end user programming environment. Based on this case study we note that:

• The idea of adopting a plugin architecture introduces a tradeoff between (i) having a standardized and uniform access to different APIs and (ii) having a completely free set of methods. In the first case the realization of the Application Domains Library is simpler and portable. However, the introduction of domain dedicated features is more complex.
• In the realized prototype we have considered the possibility of separating the functionality from the visualization. However, we could also embed in the APIs a set of metadata for the visualization of the instructions and this will result in a more uniform adoption across possible domain languages.
• The end user programming language developed in this case study runs completely on the client side of the Web browser. By using JavaScript as the assembly language of the Web, the underlying compiler of the programming language compiles the visual language into the complete JavaScript application. Since JavaScript is an event-based programming language, the compiler is forced to map the visual programming language to an event-based language.
• In our case study, the provided visual language consists of methods that can be treated as events and be triggered upon calling them; hence it is straightforward to map this language to an event-based language. However, in case of need for other programming paradigms, such as functional programming or data-flow programming, the mapping to an event-based language is more complex.
• Server-side execution of end user developed applications creates a trade-off between flexibility and interactivity. Although server-side compilation and execution increases the flexibility on possible technologies and methods to be used for compilation and execution, it hampers interactivity during application execution, which is important in domains such as scientific simulations and games. A hybrid solution between client and server-side execution has to be chosen according to the domain.

In this paper we propose ULD, a Web-based architecture to separate the domain functionality from the programming language to support programming in the highly dynamic ecosystem of Web 2.0 communities. We devise a plugin architecture for an end user programming language to be used as a host language into which the functionality of multiple domains can be plugged. We apply our architecture in the context of smart devices. As a result, end users are provided with a visual programming environment to program different Lego Mindstorms devices. The visual programming interface is automatically generated from the device functionality and embedded into the programming environment. The adoption of the Web for end user programming opens new frontiers for collaborative developments. The developed case study will serve as a testbed where we will evaluate different collaborative end user programming tools and methods in order to assess the potential of end user programming in online social environments and understanding their challenges.

Full article available at the following link:

Supporting Domain-Specific Programming in Web 2.0: a Case Study of Smart Devices: https://doi.org/10.1109/ASWEC.2010.36

Read the paper at this link

Your help in sharing the idea is very welcome!

Cite this paper as:

N. Ahmadi, F. Lelli and M. Jazayeri Supporting Domain-Specific Programming in Web 2.0: a Case Study of Smart Devices, In proc of 21st Australian Software Engineering Conference (ASWEC), Auckland, New Zealand, April 2010

Related Article:

• The Many Faces of the Integration of Instruments and the Grid

Supporting #domain Specific #programming in #Web 2.0: a #casestudy of #Smart Devices ( #IoT ).
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• Full list of Articles
• Full list of Journal Publications
• Full list of Conference Publications

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Faced with an ever-increasing information flood in a complex and interconnected world, individual knowledge workers are in dire need for support in structuring their personal information space and maintaining fruitful communication and exchange within social networks across organizational boundaries. NEPOMUK develops technical support and stipulates and mobilizes community efforts to realize the Social Semantic Desktop.

This paradigm comprises a set of technical and methodological solutions for:

• supporting the knowledge life cycle via personal knowledge articulation support, embedding in personal work processes, and sharing, exchange and alignment across social networks
• cross-media and cross-application linking and browsing of information items based on standard semantic web data structures, together with un-intrusive metadata support
• knowledge communication within social networks and distributed search and storage to build, maintain, and employ inter-workspace relations in large scale distributed scenarios.

Links:

• Nepomuk in Wikipedia
• EU website of Nepomuk

Some relevant publications includes:

• This is work in progress, just look at the full list of publication here

If this is not what you are looking for, at this link you can see the full list of projects

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Abstract: Current grid technologies offer unlimited computational power and storage capacity for scientific research and business activities in heterogeneous areas all over the world. Thanks to the grid, different virtual organisations can operate together in order to achieve common goals. However, concrete use cases demand a closer interaction between various types of instruments accessible from the grid on the one hand and the classical grid infrastructure, typically composed of Computing and Storage Elements, on the other. We cope with this open problem by proposing and realising the first release of the Instrument Element (IE), a new grid component that provides the computational/data grid with an abstraction of real instruments, and grid users with a more interactive interface to control them. In this paper we discuss in detail the implemented software architecture for this new component and we present concrete use cases where the IE has been successfully integrated.

Keywords: grid; instrument; Instrument Element; IE.

Authors: F. Lelli*, E. Frizziero, M. Gulmini, G. Maron, S. Orlando, A. Petrucci and S. Squizzato

We cope with this open problem by proposing and realizing the first release of the IE, a new grid component that provides the computational/data grid with an abstraction of real instruments, and grid users with a more interactive interface to control them. The main benefits of the proposed solution are: A highly modular and flexible solution: (a) The middleware deployment is organised into pluggable independent components. (b) The IE architecture is not tied to specific technologies or third-party software. (c) Multiple and independent I/O interfaces: Commands and Controls directed at Instruments, Fast Data Publishing, Data Movement to/from the grid.

• A highly modular and flexible solution: (a) The middleware deployment is organised into pluggable independent components. (b) The IE architecture is not tied to specific technologies or third-party software. (c) Multiple and independent I/O interfaces: Commands and Controls directed at Instruments, Fast Data Publishing, Data Movement to/from the grid.
• High scalability: (a) IE is portable to different platforms. (b) The target environment ranges from large farms to embedded devices.
• IE middleware aims to be used in production environments: Mature middleware has been used, whenever possible, to assure robustness and stability.
• Fine customisation of the IE: The IE is easily adaptable to diverse scenarios and needs.
• High level of abstraction in the IE interfaces: (a) Service Oriented Architecture (b) Adherence to standards: WS-I-compliant web services.
• EGEE (gLite) compatibility: Many grid facilities and tools can be reused, for instance GridFTP or SRM interface for data movement.

Get the Article at this link

A #SOA ( #service Oriented Architecture) approach for #integrate #InternetOfThings devices into a #CloudComputing infrastructure. #servicedesign
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Cite this paper as:
Lelli, F., Frizziero, E., Gulmini, M., Maron, G., Orlando, S., Petrucci, A., & Squizzato, S. (2007). The many faces of the integration of instruments and the grid. International Journal of Web and Grid Services, 3(3), 239. 

https://doi.org/10.1504/IJWGS.2007.014953

• Full list of Articles
• Full list of Journal Publications

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The project aims to extend the state of the art of computing grid technologies, by introducing the handling of real-time constraints and interactive response into the existing Grid middleware. Our goal is to build a widely distributed system that is able to remotely control and monitor complex instrumentation that ranges from a set of sensors used by geophysical stations monitoring the state of the earth to a network of small power generators to supply a national power grid. These new applications introduce, to the GRID, requirements that are strongly related to the availability of networks where network classes specifically tuned to address such real-time and highly interactive requests are implemented. One of the main objectives of the project is to verify, with real applications running on existing Grid testbeds over both national and international network infrastructures (e.g. GEANT) the feasibility of a Grid-based remote control of systems requiring real-time response. Data acquired from such instruments typically needs to be stored, analysed on-line to compare the data with a given model or to perform some predictions (e.g. meteorological applications). GRIDCC will integrate the proposed “grid of instruments”, or suitable emulators, into existing Grid infrastructures that will provide the computational and storage power needed for the applications. The reference architecture that is proposed here, along with the related software framework, introduces a new concept, that of a “Virtual Instrument Grid Service” (VlGS), which is a service enabling access, through the Grid, to any instrument by providing an appropriate interface on the instrument side. The architecture combines special-purpose services like virtual control rooms, diagnostic and problem-solving services, data-mining services and tele-presence, which are used to support various instruments with existing grid resources like computational farms and databases.

Links:

• EU website of GridCC

If this is not what you are looking for, at this link you can see the full list of projects

The post Grid Enabled Remote Instrumentation with Distributed Control and Computation (GridCC) appeared first on Francesco Lelli.

Abstract: Industry 4.0 demands a dynamic optimization of production lines. They are formed by sets of heterogeneous devices that cooperate towards a shared goal. The Internet of Things can serve as a technology enabler for implementing such a vision. Nevertheless, the domain is struggling in finding a shared understanding of the concepts for describing a device. This aspect plays a fundamental role in enabling an “intelligent interoperability” among sensor and actuators that will constitute a dynamic Industry 4.0 production line. In this paper, we summarize the efforts of academics and practitioners toward describing devices in order to enable dynamic reconfiguration by machines or humans. We also propose a set of concepts for describing devices, and we analyze how present initiatives are covering these aspects

Recommendations for advancing the state-of-the-art of the (intelligent) interoperability of IoT towards solving use cases from Industry 4.0 include:

• IoT can serve as enabler technology for Industry 4.0 especially if proper “intelligent interoperability” is achieved.
• Consider a deeper collaboration among practitioners and academics for developing a shared set of concepts.
• Consider structured knowledge around devices that does not only focus on sensors and includes actuators, as well.
• Schema.org may be a promising technology that could overcome the intrinsic complexity of the semantic web; however, in the case of IoT, it is still in its initial phases.

Full article available at the following link:

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/fi11020036

Your help in sharing the idea is very welcome!

#Interoperability of the Time of #Industry40 and the #InternetOfThings . Consider 'intelligent interoperability' as the next step forward
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Cite this paper as:

Lelli F. Interoperability of the Time of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. Future Internet. 2019; 11(2):36.

• Full list of Articles
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Mentor: Francesco Lelli 

In the coming 10 years not only computers will be connected to the Internet but also small and heterogeneous devices will be part of the web too. These devices will support people in carrying their everyday life activities. This trends is known as Internet of Things.

Toward this idea in this project the candidate will design and implement a generic controller for an embedded device i.e he/she will produce Web APIs for Instruments and Devices. Moreover this control system should expose its APIs in the web in order to allow remote access to the resource. The device that will be targeted in this project is the Lego Mindstorm robot [1] and at the end of the project a working prototype is expected.

In the past year libraries and framework have been proposed for the control of the Lego chip. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the status of the art of these developments proposing new architecture and design guidelines. In addition the candidate will contribute to existing open source project in order to improve the present tools. 

The candidate will use: 

• A Lego Mindstorm [1]
• The Lejos [2] library in order to access and control of the robot using java APIs.
• The Instrument Element [3] tools for exposing Web Service APIs.
• Any tool that she knows for the realization of a user interface.

The candidate can choose any configuration of the robot that she prefer such as car, arm, walking robot etc. She also will choose the User Interface according to the selected configuration. 

In this video an example of prototype is presented: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8VvTENzPGI 
This is just an example; the candidate is encouraged to propose a different prototype. 

Knowledge and Skills:

Web Programming, Java Programming and basic knowledge of Distribute Applications and Embedded Devices. 

References:

[1] Lego Mindstorm NXT: https://shop.lego.com/en-US/category/mindstorms
[2] Lejos Project: http://lejos.sourceforge.net/ 
[3] Instrument Element Project: http://instrumentelem.sourceforge.net/ 

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