Growth Of Communication Technologies Research Articles

Continuing professional development in general dentistry-experiences of an online flipped classroom.

Continuing professional development is a lifelong learning process. One pedagogical approach that can be used is active learning. Flipped classroom is a method that has been shown to improve deeper conceptual understanding. In an online setting, the method saves travel, time, and costs. To our knowledge, flipped classroom is rarely used in continuing professional education. This study in general dentistry explored experiences of an online flipped classroom course in continuing professional development. Fifteen dental hygienists, clinically active in general dental care, were interviewed. They were recruited from an online course on the latest classification system for periodontal diseases. The course had been conducted using an active learning and flipped classroom model. The interviews were semi-structured. Data were extracted using qualitative content analysis. The experiences of the dental hygienists could be summarized in three themes: Stimulation of knowledge gain through self-paced studies, The ease of virtual networking among colleagues, and Fostering of direct practical application through collaboration. New and emerging communication technology seems to open new possibilities for continuing professional development in general dentistry. Study participants felt that, in an online environment, mixing asynchronous and synchronous communication in a flipped classroom model facilitated learning in continuing professional development. Online active learning seems to work well in continuous professional development in general dentistry. After the course, the participating dental hygienists stated that they were able to use their new knowledge clinically and felt confident doing so.

Cheap Tweets?: Crisis Signaling in the Age of Twitter

Abstract World leaders are increasingly turning to social media to engage in crisis signaling. This raises important questions about the effects of emerging communication technologies on international politics. In particular, are threats issued via social media seen as more or less credible than those issued through traditional channels such as government press releases? Using survey experiments fielded both on unique samples of foreign policy experts in the United States, India, and Singapore and on US public samples, we find that threat medium generally generates no significant difference in perceived credibility among national security experts and members of the public. Put differently, tweeted threats are not seen as “cheaper talk” than threats issued through more traditional channels. This project extends work on crisis signaling, elite decision-making, and the domestic politics of international relations by taking into account an increasingly common technology.

Sustainability and smartness interplay within city–renewables nexus: a bibliometric analysis from 1992 to 2022

ABSTRACT Sustainability, smartness and renewable energy represent areas of utmost importance able to contribute to the progress of urban environments. The paper investigates the interplay of these concepts, examining the scientific landscape emerging from a dataset of 2062 documents and their associated metadata downloaded from the Web of Science platform for the period between 1992 and 2022. We use VOSViewer and the R-based bibliometrix software to reveal the scientific landscape emerging from (1) the performance analysis of relevant journals and authors; (2) the intellectual and conceptual structure and (3) the evolution of the field. The research hotspots concentrate around five major clusters concerning energy consumption and carbon emissions, smart city, sustainability of cities, renewable energy and the intersection of system management with optimization in energy. Temporal analysis shows the field advances under the influence of emergent information and communication technologies applied in smart cities as well as innovations in energy harvesting that bear the capacity to improve the sustainability in cities as together they are connected to the management of energy and its efficient use. As the field appears marked by a weak relationship among the social, energy and technology spheres, this bibliometric analysis is expected to lay a foundation for future research where integrated solutions are needed to reduce the gap between the smartness and sustainability interplay in relation to cities and renewable energy.

Proposal of Digital Twin-Enabled New Product Design Framework

Digital twin (DT) has provided numerous opportunities for product development businesses to leverage data acquired from the physical model. Ideally, many companies are improving their use cases by using the collected physical data in a virtual model. Thanks to emerging communication technologies, 5th generation mobile network (5G), the internet of things (IoT), industrial internet of things (IIoT) sensors, etc., which help to collect data from the physical product and send data to cloud computing, called big data. With the gap in the non-availability of standard architecture, many companies are using big data and building their digital models. This paper proposes a novel DT-enabled new product design framework that has built an interaction between the DT and product design environments. This framework enables the data to be captured from various physical entities, stored in a centralized location, and pushed into the digital entity, which processes the data and converts the raw data into information used for decision-making. In the digital entity, multiple technologies are used to process data into information, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models, mathematical models, and simulation models. The processed data that emerges from these models are called synthetic or DT data; this data is later used for control / monitoring and visualization / interaction purposes. In this paper, the data classified as visualization and interaction is integrated with the new product design framework in all four design stages, viz., concept design, detailed design, design verification, and redesign, with various data contributions to the design. A case study was discussed by applying the DT data processed using the AI / ML model in the concept design phase. Using synthetic data, the medium-duty truck frame assembly�s design concept was validated using ten load cases iteratively, and the design was finalized. The results are encouraging that the overall weight of the frame assembly was optimized by 9% without impacting the strength and factor of safety of the frame assembly.

Connecting differential psychological motivations for WeChat use with civic engagement: the significant role of bonding and bridging social capital

PurposeThe primary objectives of this article are to systematically explore whether and how certain WeChat use motives could lead to bridging social capital, bonding social capital and civic engagement among young people.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected from a large-scale online survey of 1208 young people in mainland China. Zero-order correlation analyses and structural equation modeling were carried out to examine the corresponding hypotheses.FindingsObtained findings show that WeChat use for informational and social motivations are positively associated with bonding and bridging social capital. Moreover, bonding social capital could mediate the relationship between WeChat usage for informational and relational motivations and civic engagement.Research limitations/implicationsTheoretically, this article underlines the unique social and technological affordances of WeChat by exploring mobile social media use and how it would contribute to the quality of democracy by fostering young people's engagement in civic life. Practically, bridging and bonding social capital play significant roles in enhancing young people's civic engagement, which could be the meaningful resource for mobile social media designers, managers and government officials.Originality/valueThese obtained outcomes underlined the vital role of these newly emerging communication technologies in fostering democratic involvement and production of social capital in contemporary socially networked society.

Research Paper on Analysis Load Balancing Algorithm using Cloud Computing

Cloud load balancing is nothing but distributing the work load among many servers & computing property. It can manage work load demand as well as application demand. This process is done with the help of distributing resources among numerous computers. Cloud load balancing consist of circulation of workload traffic & on time demand of internet. Various techniques were represented in literature to improve performance, quality of services, cargo distribution etc. The issue of cargo balancing is same as cloud computing which is data over loading & under loading. We have to apply proper cargo balancer for cloud terrain. The study represents view of problem faced by current cargo balancing ways. The researchers make more effective algorithm. Cloud computing refers to a services & application that can accessible throughout the world from data center.all services are accessible through online. There are several issues in cloud computing such as scheduling, load balancing, quality of services & storage resources. Here we study load balancing. When many clients send request to server, server has already n number of task. In that case server is over loaded for this condition we have to apply load balancing algorithm. Cloud computing is a internet based network technology that share rapid growth in communication technology, by providing services to customer of various requirement with the help of online computing resources. It has both hardware & software application along with software development platform. Cloud computing becomes a popular word in the area of high performance distributed computing. It provide on demand access to share pool of resources over internet. Cloud computing is still much research is required for broad array of topic. One of the important research issue which need to be focus for effective performance isload balancing. Cloud computing aim is to gives computation & resources over the internet via dynamic provision of services. There are many challenges and issues associated with the implementation of cloud computing. This research paper deliberates one of cloud computing main problem that is load balancing. The main aim of load balancing is equally distribute the load on cloud server such that no host is under load & over load. Several load balancing algorithm have been implemented in literature to satisfied customer request for appropriate cloud node.

An RF-Based Emergency Communication and Information Technology for Improving Security in FPTB

An RF-Based Emergency Communication and Information Technology for Improving Security in FPTB

A SWOT analysis of smart governance applications amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Smart governance technologies are emergent information and communication technologies (ICT), which amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been widely used to govern COVID’s impacts. However, very few studies have provided insight into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of smart governance technologies under COVID-19. This prevents the widespread usage of smart governance technologies across cities and countries and impedes their usefulness during emergencies. This study combines knowledge of emergency management theory and planning support systems (PSS) to frame the functional usefulness of smart governance technologies in handling practical tasks amid the COVID-19 state of emergency into a task-technology fit model. By employing qualitative content analysis to collect views and insights from the international news-based cases (n= 69), we identify SWOT of smart governance technologies under COVID-19. Results indicate that usefulness of smart governance technologies is reflected in task-handling in the ex-post emergency phases of response (e.g., provide e-health service, tracing and tracking) and recovery (e.g., improve e-government services, enhance collaboration for renewal), whereas few applications focus on tasks in the ex-ante emergency phases of mitigation (e.g., hazard analysis, vulnerability assessment) and preparedness (e.g., planning, training and exercises). Main findings lead to a conclusion that hidden capacities of smart governance technologies can be fully achieved if policy makers and practitioners can focus on the full range of tasks and demands before, amid, or after emergencies and identify collaborative opportunities for technological development.

Special Cluster in Emerging Communication Technologies in Conjunction with Main Topics of ICETC 2022

Special Cluster in Emerging Communication Technologies in Conjunction with Main Topics of ICETC 2022

Emerging Communications Technologies for Smart Cities and Smart Villages

Emerging Communications Technologies for Smart Cities and Smart Villages

MP-VRCR: A Multi-Dimension and Priority-Based Vehicle-Road Collaborative Routing Protocol

With the requirements of time-sensitive and highly reliable applications, it is difficult to implement emerging communication technologies in internet of vehicles. Literature works are dedicated to improving the reliability and efficiency of data delivery, to address problems such as high and unstable End-to-End (E2E) latency, high network overhead. This paper explores the routing protocol with assistance of core network to provide high-reliability and low-latency data delivery services. We propose a Multi-dimension and Priority-based Vehicle-Road Collaborative Routing (MP-VRCR) protocol to improve the efficiency and reliability of data delivery. Specifically, MP-VRCR utilizes multi-dimension indicators to evaluate the data delivery capability of candidate devices, considering trajectory similarity of data, predicted buffer time, buffer occupation and distance cost. Furthermore, MP-VRCR evaluates device priority based on geographical information, selects optimal next-hop device, and evaluates data priority to order data forwarding. Then, MP-VRCR updates the congestion status of network relay devices according to buffer occupation. Vehicles carry data bypass congested network relay devices to reduce the E2E latency. Extensive simulation results show that MP-VRCR significantly outperforms other baseline algorithms regarding delivery ratio, overhead, average delivery latency.

How to use Zoom to collect data in mathematics educational research: A case study in assessing students’ online mathematics learning

During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers faced challenges conducting data collection. However, emerging communication technologies, such as web-conferencing platforms, provided an alternative mode of data collection. Among these platforms, Zoom stands out for its functional affordances and unique features that support data collection methods, including screen-capturing, digital photography, drawing, polling, and artifact-based interviews, which attempt to reveal a child's viewpoint and ability. In this article, we explore the feasibility of using Zoom to conduct educational research by investigating the mathematical learning experience among 26 primary 1 and 2 students in Hong Kong on two topics—understanding time and addition and subtraction. Five mathematics teachers were recruited to participate in 2-month online workshops with assessments among three groups of students to understand the suitability for data collection. Based on teachers’ observations and students’ responses, our findings suggest that Zoom is a viable and effective tool for qualitative data collection. It offers a cost-effective method for researchers and educators to examine students’ mathematical performance in an online environment. We also investigate students’ perceptions of online assessment strategies, perceived usefulness of various Zoom functions, and explore the benefits and challenges teachers and students perceived throughout mathematical education using Zoom. However, several technical difficulties were encountered, such as the digital literacy gap and privacy concerns. Therefore, improving students’ digital literacy for remote learning and triangulation is important for online mathematical data collection and assessments.

Liquid Crystals for Advanced Smart Devices with Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Applications: Recent Progress for Next-Generation Communications.

Liquid crystals (LCs) technology have a well-established history of applications in visible light, particularly in the display industry. However, with the rapid growth in communication technology, LCs have become a topic of current interest for high-frequency microwave (MW) and millimeter-wave (mmWave) applications due to promising characteristics such as tunability, continuous tuning, low losses, and price compatibility. To improve the performance of future communication technology using LCs, it is not sufficient only with the perspective of radio-frequency (RF) technology. Therefore, it is imperative to understand not only the novel structural designs and optimization of MW engineering but also the perspective of materials engineering when implementing advanced RF devices with maximum performance for next-generation satellite and terrestrial communication. Herein, based on advanced nematic LCs, polymer-modified LCs, dual-frequency LCs, and photo-reactive LCs, this article summarizes and examines the modulation principles and key research directions for the design strategies of LCs for advanced smart RF devices with improved driving performance and novel functionality. Furthermore, the challenges in development of state-of-the-art smart RF devices that use LCs are discussed.

A comprehensive review of machine learning and IoT solutions for demand side energy management, conservation, and resilient operation

The energy consumption of major equipment in residential and industrial facilities can be minimized through a variety of cost-effective energy-saving measures. Most saving strategies are economically viable where several algorithms can be employed to reduce energy consumption to reduce costs to a considerable extent. Machine learning (ML) is one of these techniques. A review of recent research efforts concerning the application of ML strategies to energy conservation and management problems is presented in this study. In addition, ML approaches and strategies for energy-saving problems, management, technologies, and control methods have been discussed. A comprehensive review of all available publications is also used to make observations about past considerations. As a result, it has been concluded that ML is capable of solving a wide range of decision and management problems within a short period of time with minimal energy consumption. In addition, ML perspectives have been viewed from the perspective of emerging communication technologies, instruments, and cyber-physical systems (CPSs), along with the advancement of ultra-durable and energy-efficient Internet-of-Things (IoT) based communication sensors technology. Moreover, a comprehensive review of recent developments in ML algorithms is also included, including safe reinforcement learning (RL), Deep RL, path integral control for RL, and others not previously. Lastly, critical ML considerations such as emergency and remedial measures, integrity protection, fusion with existing robust controls, and combining preventive and emergent measures have been discussed. The implementation of recently applied ML, RL, and IoT strategies for energy management, conservation, and resilient operation is clarified in this paper. The proposed review highlights the advantages and drawbacks of the recent energy conservation strategies. Finally, the perspective solutions have been clarified to cope with the world direction for zero energy buildings.

(Re)imagining Ndau indigenous religion of Zimbabwe in the digital age

ABSTRACT The twenty-first century has been characterized by various digital communication technologies that are a major agent of globalization. Today Africans find themselves in new geo-cultural contexts within their countries and in the diaspora through migration triggered by many factors. These geographical dislocations disrupt the traditional clan settlement patterns and in turn challenge indigenous media of communication in indigenous African societies. Digitalization becomes a lifestyle in this globalizing world. African Indigenous Religions (AIRs) practitioners are embracing digital communication facilities. However, there are fears within some sections of African indigenous communities whether African Indigenous Religions could utilize the emergent communication technologies and remain unscathed. These sections hold the view that digital communication technologies are incompatible with the African indigenous worldview. There has been scanty literature on AIRs in general and Ndau religio-culture in particular to respond to these fears. Mindful of the variations that characterize AIRs, this article uses Ndau religio-culture of Zimbabwe to contend that AIRs are dynamic and have long been digital. In this regard, digitalization is neither new nor opposed to African indigenous religions. Rather, it is the amplification of the old as it fuses with the new. This empirical article employs the theological ethnography design to access the meaning embedded in the indigenous Ndau’s interaction with the digital communication services. Afro-centricity provides the lens to glean phenomena from the standpoint of the Ndau as key players in their life-worlds. The research findings were that the Ndau have a penchant for innovation and creativity in ways of thinking and doing things in order to survive in new circumstances. The article concludes that the Ndau religio-culture is an enduring heritage that has responded to the digital communication revolution by finding ways of reimagining and revitalizing its communication repertoire to be compliant with the dictates of the digital era.

A novel multiple access communication protocol for LoRa networks without LoraWAN

Current <span>studies predict there will be approximately 75 billion internet of things (IoT) devices connected to the internet by 2025. Such enormous IoT networks will require efficient communications systems to support those networks running well. We consider one of the emerging communications technologies that is widely used for wireless wide-area network, i.e., long range (LoRa). By default, LoRa wide area networking (LoRaWAN) has been equipped with a medium access control (MAC) protocol, however, several studies showed that LoRaWAN might not be the most excellent choice for certain applications of low-power wide area network, for example, peer-to-peer and mesh networks. In this work, we propose an application layer LoRa multi-communication (LMC) protocol to resolve multiple access problems in LoRa networks without employing LoRaWAN. The algorithm was embedded and tested on energy-constraint devices as building blocks of most IoT systems. Our examination in a controlled environment showed that the proposed algorithm achieved 94% averaged packet reception ratio (PRR) and 33.3 hours longer averaged battery lifetime compared to the default operation (without LMC algorithm) of LoRa networks. The proposed algorithm also introduced longer averaged time on air (ToA) compared to the default LoRa network mainly due to its best-effort service scenario applied to the proposed algorithm.</span>

How People Process Different Types of Health Misinformation: Roles of Content Falsity and Evidence Type

ABSTRACT Emerging communication technologies have seen the proliferation of misleading claims, untruthful narratives, and conspiracies. To understand how people perceive and act on different types of misinformation, this study examines how health misinformation varying in falsity (fabrication versus misuse) and evidence type (statistical versus narrative) affects sharing and verification intentions. Using COVID-19 vaccines as cases, the results from an online experiment showed that misused misinformation was perceived as less false than fabricated misinformation and resulted in higher sharing intentions for the issue of vaccine efficacy. Misinformation with narrative evidence, as compared to that with statistical evidence, was perceived as less false and led to lower verification intentions. These findings can be explained by psychological processes such as counterarguing and narrative engagement. Our results can help practitioners develop dedicated misinformation literacy programs.

Smart Greenhouse and Agriculture 4.0

In Colombia, agricultural exports have become notoriously prevalent in recent years, causing the creation of new methods capable of increasing production in order to meet the global demands. A very efficient option is the use of greenhouses, given their low building cost, ease of construction, ability to protect crops from natural phenomena and plagues, and the possibility to keep the internal temperature steady during day and night, thus allowing crops to grow fast and healthy. Nowadays, advancements in electronics have allowed boosting the positive effects of these environments, which is why this document introduces a procedure for the implementation of an automated pyramid-type greenhouse, utilizing techniques related to Precision Agriculture (PA) and based on concepts related to the Internet of Things (IoT) for remote monitoring through emerging communication technologies such as the NFRL2401 cards and the Arduino Nano and Mega boards. Inside the greenhouse, variables such as temperature and ambient humidity are measured and controlled via the PCE-P30U Universal Input Signal Converter Data Logger, while ground humidity is monitored by ZD510 capacitive sensors. Outside, variables such as temperature, ambient humidity, negative and positive pressure, and wind speed are measured. Data obtained is taken wirelessly to the server using Windows Server 2019 Datacenter, with Broker MQTT EMQ-X services and MYSQL databases, providing a suitable and efficient environment for agricultural research processes. With the procedure developed in this document, a baseline is proposed for the implementation of a smart greenhouse that can be replicated and used as a test system for smart sowing processes, adapting to the different climate and production conditions of the country.

High-Touch Media

Disabled activists in the United States brought unique expertise to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and ’90s, including understanding social stigma and health as social justice issues and approaching information as a complex access problem. Disproportionately affected Deaf communities mounted a response that carefully blended face-to-face caring practices with mediated information by and for deaf people grappling with HIV. San Francisco’s Deaf AIDS Information Center (DAIC) advocated for wider access to Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) in the AIDS service sector while also marking this text and modem-based machine’s inadequacies as a substitute for the high-touch, one-to-one interpretive work needed by many ASL users. Crossovers among media, AIDS, and disability justice histories are underdocumented and risk seeming minor. Through our analysis of the DAIC, we argue that this intersection is key to advancing knowledge of how HIV left an imprint on emerging communication technologies and how sexuality and disability factor in technological cultures.

Research on the construction scheme of the emergency communication link in electric power system without public network signals

Recently, natural disasters have occurred frequently which usually cause great damage to communication links. Emergency communication technology is the key technology to connecting the emergency site and the command center under the condition of communication system collapse, and it plays an extremely important role in the process of emergency rescue. Based on the disaster scene of the electric power system, this paper fully considers the extreme conditions of power outages, network disconnection, and traffic interruption at the emergency site, and proposes an emergency communication link construction scheme. After the pilot test, the scheme proposed in this paper can quickly restore the network signal coverage of the emergency site, and establish the communication link between the command center and the emergency site which can provide a reliable communication guarantee for power emergency rescue operations.