Using R Software Research Articles

Rworkflows: automating reproducible practices for the R community

Despite calls to improve reproducibility in research, achieving this goal remains elusive even within computational fields. Currently, >50% of R packages are distributed exclusively through GitHub. While the trend towards sharing open-source software has been revolutionary, GitHub does not have any default built-in checks for minimal coding standards or software usability. This makes it difficult to assess the current quality R packages, or to consistently use them over time and across platforms. While GitHub-native solutions are technically possible, they require considerable time and expertise for each developer to write, implement, and maintain. To address this, we develop rworkflows; a suite of tools to make robust continuous integration and deployment (https://github.com/neurogenomics/rworkflows). rworkflows can be implemented by developers of all skill levels using a one-time R function call which has both sensible defaults and extensive options for customisation. Once implemented, any updates to the GitHub repository automatically trigger parallel workflows that install all software dependencies, run code checks, generate a dedicated documentation website, and deploy a publicly accessible containerised environment. By making the rworkflows suite free, automated, and simple to use, we aim to promote widespread adoption of reproducible practices across a continually growing R community.

Measuring End-user Developers’ Episodic Experience of a Low-code Development Platform. A Preliminary Study

Background: As low-code development platforms (LCDPs) are becoming a trend, understanding how end-user developers think and feel as they work with such platforms is important. Particularly, assessing experiences during episodes of use can contribute to overall experience throughout long-term use. Aim: This paper aims to understand end-user developers’ episodic experience when they are building an application on a low-code platform and to provide guidance on how such experiences can be measured. Method: We designed the Episodic Developer Experience Questionnaire for LCDPs based on prior literature and refined it through expert Delphi sessions. The instrument contains 10 individual experience items, capturing various aspects of episodic experience. We further validated it through remote online tests on an LCDP. Results: The results showed significant differences in the relationships between items describing aspects of overall experience and items describing perceptions of tool quality and task difficulty. Programming expertise also affected end-user developers’ episodic experience. Conclusion: The study illustrates the design of questionnaire-based experience assessment in the context of development and identifies the importance of separating personal experience from assessment of tasks and tools since tool quality and task difficulty do not necessarily influence experience straightforwardly.

DIY Assistive Software: End-User Programming for Personalized Assistive Technology

Existing assistive technologies often fail to support the unique and personalized needs of blind and visually impaired (BVI) people. Thus, BVI people have become domain experts in customizing and 'hacking' assistive technology in order to creatively suit their needs. However, current assistive technologies are difficult to hack and alter at the individual level due to the skill and resources required. Due to these challenges, new approaches to supporting Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology creation are needed to make applying the DIY concept to high-tech assistive technologies for BVI people more feasible. Through my dissertation, I aim to better support DIY assistive software design and development, so that BVI people can design, create, and customize assistive software for themselves and their communities. To accomplish this, I plan to address three primary research goals. First, through qualitative interviews, I present an understanding of why and how BVI people engage in assistive technology customization and adaptation, and the challenges and opportunities that arise from this practice. Second, I aim to investigate how end-user programming can be applied as an approach to DIY assistive technology creation, by designing, building, and evaluating a prototype end-user programming tool. Finally, I aim to understand and improve the real-world feasibility of end-user programming in this domain, by designing tools to improve the accessibility of debugging visual technologies. By addressing these primary research questions, my planned dissertation contributes to the HCI and accessibility community's understanding of DIY assistive software, accessible end-user programming, and accessible debugging techniques. By supporting BVI in creating and modifying their assistive software, this research aims to promote the democratization of technology creation and support BVI people in having greater control over AI-based technologies in their lives.

Decoding Success: Assessing the Online Pseudocode Interpreter through Users Insights

Pseudocode is vital in enhancing programming comprehension, making it an essential component of the Programming Logic Formulation (CS1) course. However, many CS1 students from various senior high school strands struggle with this concept, highlighting the need for additional learning resources. This research evaluated a pseudocode interpreter designed for first-year Information and Communications Technology (ICT) students at Iloilo Science and Technology University in Iloilo City, Philippines. Using random sampling, 147 first-year ICT students were selected to evaluate the software's user experience in usability, credibility, appearance, and loyalty using the Standardized User Experience Percentile Rank Questionnaire (SUPR-Q). Likewise, five ICT experts were selected using purposive sampling to evaluate the system's validity as instructional material based on its content and on the material's organization, form, and style using the university's Quality Form for Instructional Materials (IM). The user experience evaluation yielded positive results, with students unanimously agreeing on the software's ease of use, dependability, and user-friendliness. The expert evaluation confirmed the system's validity as instructional material, commending its content, organization, form, and style. These findings suggest that the pseudocode interpreter provides immediate benefits for students, offering a valuable learning tool. Moreover, the software has the potential to be adopted by other faculty members, promoting a more efficient and captivating learning experience. Future research could investigate how interpreters affect student learning and their usefulness in various educational settings.

Design and usability evaluation of a web-based pitch control training app for transgender women.

Transgender people often experience dysphoria because the way their voice is perceived does not match their gender identity. Such dysphoria negatively affects mental health and quality of life, and is particularly an issue in trans women. Dysphoria can be reduced via gender-affirming voice and communication training provided by human experts, but the accessibility of such training is often limited. As a supplement or alternative to human-guided training, our team has thus developed an early prototype of voice training software for transfeminine users (i.e., trans women and nonbinary users who were assigned male at birth). The software is accessible via a web browser and provides three vocal pitch exercises together with real-time feedback about the user's pitch relative to a desired target pitch curve. This paper presents the main technical features and results of a single-session usability evaluation with 5 transfeminine participants. We further present future plans for expansion to other exercises and voice aspects (particularly resonance) as well as plans for clinical trials.

Fog Computing in Optically Networked Space Constellations

This article provides an overview of computing models to describe the frontier in space-based computing, and describes the definitions and ecosystem historically termed Cloud and Edge. It is proposed that optically internetworked, Proliferated Low-Earth Orbit (PLEO) space-based computing should be considered Fog computing, not Cloud nor Edge. Space-based computing should orient toward software paradigms observed in Fog computing such as internetworked, secure, reactive services. Definitions are provided, with comparisons between Cloud, Fog, Edge, and near-term space-based computing. Implications and the ecosystem around space-based computing are discussed. Specifically, improper application of Edge or Cloud computing models to space systems causes misrepresentations and can have real consequences to investments and technology development. To call such systems Edge is to under-represent their capabilities, and suggests a misleading limitation of resources and unreliability of networks. To call such systems Cloud is to over-represent their capabilities, and incorrectly suggest an ease of deployment and operation of commercially-available distributed computing technologies in space. Acceptance of Fog computing as the model for on-orbit processing will advance usage of reactive service-based software instead of less scalable architectures. Unresolved trends and technical risks to fruition of Fog computing in space are also presented.

Digital transformation model: The study of the governmental agency in a developing country

Embracing digital transformation is imperative for governments seeking to enhance service delivery and improve their operational efficiency in the digital age (Chen et al., 2021; Velmurugan et al., 2022). This study investigates factors influencing the use of digital technology in operations and customer service within Thailand’s Office of the Welfare Promotion Commission for Teachers and Educational Personnel (OTEP). Five key factors — attitude, tech literacy, organizational culture, leadership, and technology facilities — affect hardware, software, and data warehouse usage among OTEP staff. Data was collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), revealing age-related differences. The findings indicate moderate digital technology readiness within OTEP, with a prevalent negative attitude toward data warehouse use among employees. Technology facilities, tech literacy, leadership, and organizational culture significantly impact digital technology utilization. However, for young OTEP employees, attitude, tech literacy, and leadership have no significant effect on data warehouse consumption. This underscores challenges in fostering human resource development, particularly in the digital technology realm, as the majority of government agency personnel in Thailand are of a certain age. Embracing digital technology is crucial for improving organizational performance, especially in large government agencies.

Defining a theoretical model to assess transition from on-premises to Software-as-a-Service

Transitioning enterprise applications (EA) software from on-premises to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a crucial question for IT adoption decisions. Grounded in the literature, this article suggests a research model to support enterprises assessing a transition strategy from on-premises to a SaaS model. The research model proposes eight hypotheses to be tested and analysed with data collected from a questionnaire among firms that have EA software. This paper goes beyond the software functionality and usage to address the strategic challenges of selection in a new landscape of the enterprise software industry, also considering the industry’s software deployment chain, business model, and the moderating factor of firm’s business process sophistication. We aim to provide new and significant guidelines for enterprise’s and software vendor´s decision-making.

Кибератаки: некоторые подходы к системному анализу

The lack of a unified approach to understanding and responding to cyber attacks and incidents between information security software manufacturers, users and government agencies in charge of cybersecurity leads to the impossibility of interaction and joint counteraction. Various approaches to the classification of cyber attacks are considered. An attempt is made to systematize and analyze existing threats in the form of attacks on the network information infrastructure.

Building Custom Spreadsheet Functions with Python: End-User Software Engineering Approach

Building Custom Spreadsheet Functions with Python: End-User Software Engineering Approach

Research and application of thermal energy recovery and automatic monitoring system for motor equipment

In order to achieve an automatic monitoring system for the operation status of motor equipment, the author proposes a research and application based on the thermal energy recovery and automatic monitoring system of motor equipment. The author first analyzes the operating characteristics of the motor and collects four basic parameters of the motor, namely voltage, current, speed, and temperature, in order to determine whether the motor is in normal working condition. Secondly, the system combines electrical parameter detection and acquisition, wireless network technology, industrial field bus technology, and computer user software to achieve remote real-time monitoring, control, and management of the motor?s remote travel status. This enables the entire system to achieve intelligent, networked, and systematic management, solving the technical problem of real-time control and system management that cannot be achieved in motor systems distributed in multiple locations. Finally, the monitoring results indicate that after installation and debugging, the data is displayed on the upper computer. This effect is the data collection of the motor during low speed operation, which is reflected in real-time on the control panel. The actual parameters of the motor were compared with the test parameters of this system, and the test basically achieved the desired effect, with accurate detection data.

How to Assess the Usability of Virtual Reality (VR) systems for Implementation in Product Development Processes

In modern product development, software tools have become indispensable. CAD-supported design or calculations using FEM software are commonplace. Since around 2016, HMD based virtual reality (VR), has been pushing its way into development departments.Especially with new software tools like VR, it is important to take a close look at usability. Only with usable software tools is it possible to work efficiently and reduce usage barriers (such as lack of acceptance by employees). VR in particular poses a challenge, as there are no standardized input devices for controlling the software. In addition, VR software dialogs are explicitly excluded in existing usability guidelines. This paper is intended to be the starting point for the development of a framework for the usability design of VR software systems.First, the existing literature is systematically classified using keywords. The most significant publications are thoroughly analyzed to clearly identify gaps in the research landscape. Second, existing guidelines such as ISO 9142 are examined and analyzed. Gaps and problems in the usage of these guidelines in the field of VR are identified. Subsequently, possible solutions and recommendations for the development of a VR-specific guideline are presented.

Comparative analysis of statistical software usage in agricultural research: A review

Comparative analysis of statistical software usage in agricultural research: A review

The moderation of trust on the relationship between TOE factors and generalized audit software usage and financial performance

The importance of Generalized Audit Software (GAS) is particularly important for nations' development. Picking 'Over Conduct Theorized Results and Consequences' Poly GAS as a test subject, results have been inconsistent in previous studies on predictor variables and consequences of using GAS. This study aims to investigate the predictors and consequences of using GAS. From the perspective of Resource-oriented technology (Approach (TOE) fitness - View (RBV Environment), It is intended that technology's relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity, as well as organizational readiness top management support IS committee) Villa have an important influence on GAS, which in turn is expected to affect financial performance. Trust will serve as a moderating variable between technological and organizational factors, and GAS. Profession MB. This counts all audit firms in Jordan. The research questionnaire was distributed by purposive sampling for subsequent investigation. As many as 210 valid questionnaires out of all completed questionnaires were gathered from this study by using Smart PLS as the data analysis software. Technological relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity as well as organizational readiness (top management and organizational readiness) have a significant effect on GAS which in turn affects financial performance. Accepted Southern Trustor did not affect the impact of technology and organization factors in GAS. So, the results can provide some ideas to policymakers in Jordan about how to foster the use of GAS to improve financial performance and bring down the new technology adoption costs.

Research on Humanized Design and Implementation of Computer Software User Interface Based on Visual Data Mining

Research on Humanized Design and Implementation of Computer Software User Interface Based on Visual Data Mining

SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION OF AUTOMATED USER INTERFACE TRANSLATION TOOL

Numerous daily activities are long since accomplished using mobile applications and international resources available through the Internet. The majority of such resources support only a limited amount of world languages for the interface. This raises the issue of the need for end users to know the languages required to operate and use these programs. Not every developer in the world has access to professional translation services, or the ability to create such translations on their own. Evaluating these factors shows an existing need of a convenient and accessible program specialized in creating and ensuring quality translation of software user interfaces specifically. Analysis was conducted to determine advantages and disadvantages of possible implementation methods and existing algorithms, i.e. GNU gettext. Based on this analysis requirements for the resulting program are formed, those being a comfortable user interface and a set of functions specific to working with user interfaces and source code files. The list of primary functionality includes interaction with internet services for machine translation and the ability to view the source code of a program or website in context of text elements of the user interface. A program tool for the Microsoft Windows environment that implements all requirements to base functionality is conceptualized and developed. The project version of the program was implemented using C# programming language and Microsoft Visual Studio development environment. The program is specialized for the translation of user interfaces, and enables automation of this process via usage of the Google Translate service. To maximize ease of use the program stores the resulting translation in a simple text format, designed to be loaded and read from during runtime of the target program or website. Also included is a detailed demonstration on the workflow using the interface of the translation program as an example, and potential directions of further developments are determined. Keywords: machine translation; software development; user interface; Google Translate

Study of Teacher's Digital Technology Ability in Online Classroom Management

Teacher TIK competence is the ability of teachers to develop learning by utilizing TIK, such as planning, implementing, and innovating learning. Establishing TIK competence as one of the teacher competencies is a logical consequence of the significant positive influence of TIK on educational activities, especially since the pandemic era. This study aims to determine the awareness and competence of teachers to use digital technology in managing classes in this new average era. This research is fundamental and needs to be done to improve the readiness and mastery of high school teachers in the city of Kendari to use technology and classroom management competencies in the learning process. The method used in this research is a descriptive survey using a quantitative approach. The subjects of this study were 36 samples of teachers at SMA Muhammadiyah Kendari. The results showed that the technology skills of Senior High School teachers were good because the total average score and level of achievement of respondents (LAR) from four indicators of TIK ability (computer/laptop operation, use of computer software, internet, and website usage) had reached 4, 11/82.11%. Although it is in a suitable category, it is still necessary to improve specific skills so that they have a maximum impact on good classroom management and problems solving.

Design and Validation of an Optimal Mechanical Enclosure for LowCost Real-Time Gluten Detection Using NIR Sensor in a Portable Device

Food allergy, specifically gluten intolerance, is a significant global health issue affecting approximately 7% of the population, with the only effective treatment being lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. Despite the need, no rapid, low-cost, non-invasive testing device is available for patients with this disease. This research, conducted within the TECAM project funded by the Basque Government and in collaboration with Leartiker and CEIT, aims to design and implement a technological solution for celiac individuals to query gluten contamination of food samples in real time using a low- cost device based on a near infrared (NIR) sensor (DLP NIRscan Nano), with a focus on the mechanical design and validation of the sensor’s integration for optimal NIR spectroscopy. Evaluations of environmental impacts on sample acquisition highlighted the significance of various disturbances like sensor height, light exposure, device temperature, and sample preparation, with tests using the SparkFun AS7263 sensor showing the importance of minimizing sensor height and external turbulence. This necessitated a closed, opaque enclosure, designed with CAD tools and 3D printed, with its efficacy validated using the "Software Usability Scale" (SUS) and "USE Questionnaire". Twenty prototypes were created during this iterative process, and the final design successfully integrates the DLP NIR scan Nano sensor, aligning with the design 4 all philosophy and ensuring optimal sensor functionality. Conclusively, this study offers a low-cost, portable design for a NIR sensor integration to detect gluten, emphasizing the need to minimize environmental disturbances and incorporating user feedback to produce a practical tool for celiacs to non-invasively assess gluten contamination quickly

Analysis of the Functionality of a Mobile Network of Sensors in a Construction Project Supervision System Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This manuscript presents the results of a project related to the construction and testing of selected devices included in a space inspection and worker supervision system. The most important components of this system are a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles, a docking station for the automatic charging of many drones, monitoring sensors, and user software that integrates all components responsible for mission planning (UAV raids) and measurement data processing. All components were built according to an original solution. The main part of this manuscript is a description of tests used to verify the functionality of a sensor network for monitoring infrastructural elements and moving objects, including people working on a construction project. As part of this research, procedures for testing sensor networks under laboratory and field conditions were developed. The tests performed demonstrated the ability of the MESH network to self-organize depending on the location of the elements in the network. The system that was built ensured the transmission of data from telemetric devices during UAV flights, regardless of the coverage of terrain by other networks, such as Wi-Fi and GSM networks. Data were sent to the end user via a LAN network based on the IP protocol. The maximum range between devices forming the network and the range limitations caused by various terrain obstacles were also determined.

Advancing balancing machine technology: A cost-effective solution for laboratory and small-medium enterprises

Small-medium enterprises (SMEs) that provide maintenance services to power plant companies, notably on rotor components, encounter a significant challenge in balancing. The main concern is the high cost associated with outsourcing balancing services. The absence of portable balancing machines requires transporting components back to the workshop, resulting in substantial downtime lasting weeks before reinstallation. This paper presents a DIY-compatible balancing machine design and its assembly process, which can be applied to various balancing processes. The design primarily emphasizes mechanical aspects, excluding measurement and instrumentation components, which can be obtained or developed based on the user's software proficiency. The actual expenditure for developing this balancing machine is approximately RM11,698.00. In the development process, benchmarking, concept scoring, functionality evaluations, dynamic analysis, and ideation for workable balancing machine concepts were all involved. The modal analysis demonstrates that the first natural frequency at 279.5 Hz (equivalent to 16,770 rpm) is significantly higher than the motor's excitation frequency, which reaches a maximum speed of around 2800 rpm (46.67 Hz). This result indicates that the dynamic behaviour of the balancing machine does not significantly affect the dynamic results of the rotor balancing process.