Hypermedia Information Systems Research Articles

MyAID: a Troubleshooting Application for Supporting Human Operators in Industrial Environment

Abstract Nowadays manufacturing systems are increasing in sophistication and complexity. In this scenario, human operators experience many diffculties to interact effciently with the machine. To tackle this problem, in this paper we present a novel interactive troubleshooting tool to be used in industrial environment. The application, called MyAID , relies on a hypermedia information system and aims at assisting shopoor workers in a factory to perform preventive and corrective machine maintenance. The main advantages of MyAID are the following. First, it overcomes limitations of conventional printed documentation. Second, it can be easily updated and adapted to other machines or uses, other than troubleshooting, since it enjoys a modular structure. Third, it can be connected directly to the control unit of the machine to read active alarms or verify whether the user is following correctly the troubleshooting procedure. Finally, the plan for usability assessment of the proposed application, which is organized in a preliminary heuristic evaluation according to Nielsen's heuristics and field tests with users, is introduced.

Smartwatch-Enhanced Interaction with an Advanced Troubleshooting System for Industrial Machines

Abstract Smartwatches are unobtrusive everyday devices which can be also exploited for effective gesture-based human-machine interaction. In this paper, we propose the use of a smartwatch to interact with an advanced troubleshooting application to be used in industrial environment. The application is a hypermedia information system aiming at assisting workers in performing preventive and corrective machine maintenance. The smartwatch allows a handsfree interaction, thus facilitating the use of the whole system when wearing personal protective equipment such as gloves or having fingers greased with oil or dust, which prevent operating touch screens. The algorithm for gesture recognition we have devised, which is based on template matching, is described in the paper, together with its experimental validation. Finally, we present a preliminary usability assessment of the overall system, meant as integration of the smartwatch with the hypermedia system.

An axiomatic approach to maintaining the consistency of a hypermedia information system based on the SEM-HP model

Maintenance is considered a key issue in hypermedia systems. Common sense indicates that it might be possible to understand the web’s content without any knowledge representation, but not to automatically manage and support it. Assuming that the development and maintenance of hypermedia systems is dynamic and evolutionary, this implies a continuous process of change throughout their life cycles. Here, we review a conceptual hypermedia system model, the Semantic and Evolutionary Model for HyPermedia systems, tomaintain its consistency during its life cycle. Thismodelmakes a semantic representation of the information system, offering an architecture whose components are formally defined by using the underlying semantics. In this article, we focus on formalizing the building of hypermedia information systems. To do so, we propose a novel axiomatic approach based on the graph theory that ensures their consistency. The major objective of this contribution is to describe a computational and mathematical proof that determines the set of axioms that are valid to keep the integrity of the information system. These axioms are able to generate the combinations that are valid by means of logical deduction.

Interpretation of a cross-cultural usability evaluation: A case study based on a hypermedia system for rare species management in Namibia

We present the results of a usability evaluation of a locally developed hypermedia information system aiming at conservation biologists and wildlife managers in Namibia. Developer and end user come from different ethnic backgrounds, as is common to software development in Namibia and many developing countries. To overcome both the cultural and the authoritarian gap between usability evaluator and user, the evaluation was held as a workshop with usability evaluators who shared the target users' ethnic and social backgrounds. Different data collection methods were used and results as well as specific incidences recorded. Results suggest that it is difficult for Namibian computer users to evaluate functionality independently from content. Users displayed evidence of a passive search strategy and an expectation that structure is provided rather than self generated. The comparison of data collection methods suggests that questionnaires are inappropriate in Namibia because they do not elicit a truthful response from participants who tend to provide answers they think are ''expected''. The paper concludes that usability goals and methods have to be determined and defined within the target users' cultural context.

A knowledge-based approach to wildlife management

We present a method for developing a knowledge base to give wildlife managers timely access to pertinent information. This knowledge-based approach to species management in Namibia focuses on anthologies and management strategies for high-value mammal species. To manage wildlife resources sustainably access to an appropriate knowledge base is essential. The strategic species management approach promotes planning on local, national, and international levels. A hypermedia Information System for Rare Species Management (IRAS) and a decision support system (Wildlife Introduction Advisor) are described. Unlike print media, which become dated, hypermedia is easily updated. The non-sequential nature of hypermedia allows information extraction according to the readers needs. Due to this flexibility hypermedia supports adaptive management and information sharing. Usability evaluation of the IRAS system disproved our assumption that established wildlife conservation categories such as habitat, distribution, and numbers are appropriate and sufficient to structure species information. This result led to a restructuring of the infor- mation according to management objectives. Evaluation of the Wildlife Introduction Advisor indicates that the model performs reliably and is robust towards input error. Human experts seem to be susceptible to bias. The economic benefits associated with wildlife trans- locations demand accountability through a well-defined, transparent distribution process. In Namibia this demand is achieved through the use of a knowledge-based decision support tool.

Multimedia visualization and interactive systems

PurposeThis paper aims to present the schematic for building a multimedia information visualization system and digital archive which takes advantage of a wider spectrum of media elements (images, sound, datasets) and interactivity with regards to research level historical body of knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology for this interactive multimedia visualized system was based on create a digital environment to explore larger bodies of research that expand on simple text‐based Information Retrieval Database systems. Through photos, videos, interactive maps, digital audio interviews, primary documents and narrative structures the system presents new methodologies for building digital libraries. The “educational” objective of this project was to present a stylistically elegant yet intellectually robust interactive multimedia information system for academic libraries.FindingsBuilding new online digital libraries must involve robust interactivity to take advantage of the computer's intrinsic specificity and the wider set of choices open to the human perceptual apparatus. Instead of text‐based navigation systems, a more creative set of visual “tools” should be explored for digital libraries including interactivity and cognitive cartographies. Key here are the terms “visual metaphor” and innovatively structuring visually intuitive “narratives” into non‐linear dynamic but humanly usable information systems.Research limitations/implicationsIn expanding the range of “allowable” “historical archival media” (audio, video, images, datasets, databases) in digital libraries and keeping research level academic integrity, future questions regard what this means for historiography, information construction, and questions surrounding epistemology and “archives” of the future.Practical implicationsTechnically, the successes in building this digital library information system solve the question of how to present a large robust amount of information indifferent rich media formats in an interesting and engaging manner. The project points to methodologies to present a research spectrum depth structure of textual material that can seamlessly be incorporated through wider spectrum of media elements: images, video, audio, music, datasets and interactivity.Originality/valueThis paper provides a methodology for marrying a textual body of academic research with a wider spectrum of media elements (sound, images, datasets, music) and incorporating them into a digital library through an innovative methodology. It will be valuable to anyone needing guidelines and specific algorithmic recipes and suggestions for building new millennia digital libraries which take advantage of a wider spectrum of media elements.

Information systems support for CNC machinists: Evaluating the impact of information technology at the shop floor

AbstractAs information technology (IT) capabilities increase, manufacturing businesses are realigning their information systems infrastructure to remain competitive. This has resulted in substantial increases in IT use in technical areas of the business. Nevertheless, conventional paper‐based information systems are still common at the shop floor. Hence, manufacturers need to understand whether there is benefit in extending IT functionality to the shop floor. By evaluating the impact of hypermedia information systems on the independent decision‐making and communication capabilities of computer numerical control (CNC) machinists, this research aims to identify the shop floor benefits of replacing existing paper‐based systems with this relatively new technology in this context. The research findings have wide‐ranging implications for further research into the strategic implementation of shop floor IT and for future work structures in the metal cutting industry. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 17: 299–314, 2007.

Task Complexity, Epistemological Beliefs and Metacognitive Calibration: An Exploratory Study

This article presents an explorative study, which is part of a comprehensive project to examine the impact of epistemological beliefs on metacognitive calibration during learning processes within a complex hypermedia information system. More specifically, this study investigates: 1) if learners differentiate between tasks of different complexity, and set goals and plan their learning behavior accordingly; and 2) whether such adaptive learning behavior is influenced by their epistemological beliefs. Students ( n = 72) inspected a set of six learning tasks and answered multiple questions derived from the COPES-model of self-regulated learning (Winne & Hadwin, 1998)—e.g., they judged the importance of specific learning strategies for a particular learning task. Furthermore, they filled in inventories measuring their epistemological beliefs. Results confirmed significant relationships between task complexity and epistemological beliefs on the one hand and students' judgments on the other.

MECCA: Hypermedia Capturing of Collaborative Scientific Discourses about Movies

Introduction Foucault defines 'discourse' as the medium by which ideas are exchanged (Wikipedia, 2004). Scholarly communication in the Humanities and the Cultural Studies heavily depend on the discursive nature of knowledge creation. changes over the centuries altered not only the communicational culture of scholars regarding their archives and text production strategies but also the communication situation in society, thus causing scientific, artistic, and societal paradigm shifts. The DFG-funded interdisciplinary Collaborative Research Center Media and Cultural Communication was founded in 1999 to study the nature and impact of media use and change on the discourses in cultural and scientific communication. Supported by historical analysis of media use, our project within this Center intends to create new workplaces for scientists in the 21st century. These interdisciplinary workplaces will influence the way scientists organize knowledge and cooperation within networked hypermedia information systems. Research and results will also have impact on the organization of social, economic and politic knowledge organization and cooperation patterns like the organization of public debates. Supporting communication and knowledge creation in digitally networked cultural science communities represents a specific challenge for the development and organizational structure of hypermedia information systems. Several years of cooperation with scientists from different disciplines in the humanities and the cultural studies have revealed at least three main requirements: 1. Semantic Freedom: The discursive nature of knowledge creation in the humanities, based on an intense exposure to hypermedia artifacts and underlying theories, requires support of different digital media to be combined with (almost) arbitrary metadata which characterize the situational background of an artifact. These digital artifacts are reifications of actual discourses and have special semantics for each user and each community of practice (Wenger, 1998). The situational backgrounds belonging to an artifact can be quite different depending on the scholar, her role in the community and her educational background. Concepts for dynamic hypermedia context management with a high degree of semantic freedom are thus needed for scholarly communications in the humanities. 2. Openness of repositories: This is an indispensable prerequisite for scaling such systems beyond the purposes of one community of practice. Scientific discourses in an informed society could not be isolated in the ivory tower anymore. Interdisciplinary and networked work settings lead to more exchange within the scientific community as well with society, industry and the political system. Modern information system should allow scholars of any kind to check out and modify archives, and bring them back into the discussion, again fostering discourses by simultaneously assuring intellectual property. We are aware that this is not only a requirement of a class of systems but is accompanied by the transformation of the humanities themselves. 3. Fluidity of archives: A naive multimedia understanding--e.g. that hypermedia can transport knowledge--is insufficient, since complex interrelations between media exist as well as complex cultural interfaces to these media (Manovich, 2001). Multimedia repositories are a big advantage but the contextualized and meaningful management of hypermedia artifacts needs more advanced hypermedia management strategies (fluid archives) than the usual basic support for storage and retrieval on the basis of low-level feature descriptors implementing old-fashioned de-contextualization strategies propagated in state-of-the-art information systems for scholarly communications. In the remainder of this paper, we discuss related literature first. We introduce a theoretical reflection on knowledge creation processes in the humanities related to the use of different media. …

A workload-generic and web-centric benchmark model design for multi- and hyper-media databases

Hypermedia Database Management Systems (HDBMS) are the core technique of web-based Hypermedia Information Systems (WHIS). WHIS centres on the Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) over the internet platform. HDBMS capability and performance determines the success and failure of WHIS. HDBMS of web pages and navigation functions must be tested and measured in order to assess and evaluate its capacity and undertaking. Benchmark is a vital tool to measure and evaluate HDBMS performance. However, current database benchmarks such as TPC benchmarks, SAP R/3 SD, PeopleSoft e-bill, Oracle AS-BM, Wisconsin, and AS3AP benchmarks are mainly relational benchmarks not best used and suitable to test HDBMS. They are targeted at a specific industry, certain applications, and pre-determined query set. HyperModel benchmark, an object-oriented workload, is the closest test to evaluate HDBMS. However, it also suffers a structural deficiency of domain dependency and application unrepresentativeness as those current and standard benchmarks. The structural deficiency means that benchmark results vary as the application changes and the domains deviate from the standards. We perceive the issue from the workload design and from the user requirements. We believe a more domain-independent and application-representative approach is needed. A more generic and open workload model design is required to represent and reflect different user requirements on HDBMS applications. In this study, we present a common carrier concept of workload requirements formulation. We perceive the workload model design as a process of requirements representation, transformation, and generation. The common carrier has to be developed from the generic models in ODMG, OHSWG, and TPC standards. A four-component model is created in this research to capture and compile the requirements. The components are the object model, application model, navigation model, and control model. Each component is implemented with a corresponding set of editors and generators. A system prototype is constructed to prove the feasibility and generalisation. Users can minimise their inputs and coding efforts by entering their requirements into the prototype. The implementation will generate different user-centric workloads based on the inputs. Workloads can determine performance profile. Hence, we secure a set of more realistic and reproducible test results from the model and the implementation.

A Placement Strategy Of Multimedia Objects Based On Temporal Relationships

In an interactive multimedia information system, how to place multimedia objects on a disk to shorten the overall seek time for continuous retrieval is a critical issue. In the paper, based on the temporal relationships among media objects, we propose a placement strategy of multimedia objects to shorten the overall seek time for a multimedia presentation. First we derive the equations used to generate a storage pattern of media objects, and then propose an algorithm to place the objects according to the generated pattern. Next we use a de-clustering technique to support multimedia objects with high bandwidth requirements on multi-disks. Finally, a simulation model based on a practical disk is given, and several experiments are conducted to show the superiority of our algorithm.

A placement strategy of multimedia objects in multimedia information systems

The storage management of an interactive multimedia information system (MMIS) is different from that of the conventional file system. In an MMIS, there could be relationships between the homepages stored on a disk. During browsing homepages, how to reduce the disk seek time and then to provide a fast browsing become a critic performance issue. In the paper, we propose two data placement algorithms for continuous and non-continuous spaces to place objects on a disk in order to reduce their access time. In the simulation, we conduct several experiments to validate the superiority of our algorithms over other algorithms. Besides we also show that the results derived by our algorithms are near optimal by comparing with the optimal solution.

Teachers' Characteristics and Information Application Strategies of the World Wide Web

This study investigated the use of the World Wide Web (WWW) for instruction by two groups of teachers: teachers who are naïve or knowledgeable about the Web. Both groups of teachers' characteristics and associated information-seeking strategies for using a hypermedia information system such as the WWW were identified. The teachers' instructional application strategies for applying Web-based information were studied. This study found that WWW-knowledgeable teachers were able to utilize advanced application strategies and higher-level learning activities for teaching, and their application strategies were reflexive.

A Workflow-Based Methodology for Developing Hypermedia Information Systems

Recently, many enterprises have attempted to construct hypermedia systems for electronic commerce innovation by the use of Internet technologies. In this hypermedia-enabled environment, hypermedia development can be considered in terms of workflow. In this article we propose a workflow-aware hypermedia development methodology, workflow-based hypermedia development methodology, to guide developers in creating hypermedia information systems. The methodology employs a workflow model based on corporate documents and is thus more likely to utilize users' business requirements in a natural fashion. The methodology consists of four phases: workflow analysis, document analysis, hypermedia design, and implementation. The emphasis of each phase is on aligning business requirements with hypermedia development technologies. To demonstrate the practical usefulness of the methodology, a real-life case is illustrated.

Hypermedia Document Management

Recently, many organizations have attempted to build hypermedia systems to expand their working areas into Internet-based virtual workplaces. Thus, it is important to manage corporate hypermedia documents effectively. Metadata plays a critical role for managing these documents. This paper identifies metadata roles and components to build a metadata schema. Furthermore, a meta-information system, HyDoMiS (Hyperdocument Meta-information System) is proposed by the use of this metadata schema. HyDoMiS performs three functions: metadata management, search, and reporting. The metadata management function is concerned with workflow, documents, and databases. The system is more likely to help implement and maintain hypermedia information systems effectively.

Hypermedia information systems in industry

The requirements for industrial strength hypermedia are well known. If hypermedia applications are to be used successfully in the industrial environment, then considerable effort is required to integrate them into the organisation's current business practices. This implies that any proposed model must be simple to maintain and implement, as well as bringing real benefits to the organisation as a whole. This article discusses the development of such a system, and its implementation and evaluation to support manufacturing operations at Pirelli Cables, Eastleigh.

The hypermedia data model based on the infinity image

This paper presents the hypermedia data model based on the infinity RS image information system we have developed. The hypermedia data model consists of different semantic units called nodes, and the associations between nodes are called links. This paper proposes three kinds of nodes (interior node, physical node and complex node) and two kinds of links (plane network structure link, hyper-cube network structure links). The hypermedia information system, based on the model and the basic data layer (the infiniy RS image), represents a digital globe. An approach to the “Getting Lost in the Hyper-space” problem is presented. The approach using the hypermedia data model is an efficient way of handling a large number of RS images in various geographical information systems.

Industrial strength hypermedia: Design, implementation and application

Many organizations are seeking to improve their competitiveness through the use of information technology. The industrial strength hypermedia approach to information management and delivery allows a single multimedia resource base to be used for a range of applications, and permits a user to have controlled access to the required information, in an easily accessible and structured manner. The development of an industrial hypermedia application requires the adoption of procedures for system design, authoring, and delivery. This paper presents a design model that allows the structured development of industrial strength hypermedia. The authoring approach adopted at Southampton is discussed in this paper, and includes the use of Modular-Hypermedia Applications and clustering to reduce authoring effort. This approach to information management is illustrated by the development of a large-scale hypermedia information system for Pirelli Cables Ltd, Southampton, UK. In order to assess user acceptance, trials have been undertaken, the results of which are presented.

A scenario-based object-oriented hypermedia design methodology

This paper defines an object-oriented methodology for developing hypermedia information systems. The methodology consists of six phases: domain analysis; object modeling; view design; navigation design; implementation design; and construction. Users' requirements are analyzed with a responsibility-driven technology using scenarios. Object-oriented views are generated as the result of object modeling, and then used for the subsequent navigation and implementation design. The implementation design phase deals with database schema, page structure and flow, and user interface. This methodology integrates enterprise databases with distributed hypermedia systems via Internet, Intranet, or Electronic Commerce.

Increasing link marker effectiveness for WWW and other hypermedia interfaces: An examination of end‐user preferences

Hypermedia information systems, especially World Wide Web (WWW) browsers, enhance accessibility of information through networked data management services and direct manipulation user interface features. A major characteristic of these systems is the presentation of entities that signify pathways to additional information. These objects, called link markers, distinguish and designate objects (both textual and graphical) as link endpoints within the information network. It is proposed that the design, layout, and use of link markers within an interface can enhance or impede user performance. This article presents an analysis of link marker designs based on two studies. Recommendations are that, in general, link markers that employ color and bound objects are the most effective in communicating the existence and extent of links and are most preferred by users. However, user expertise and node content are found to play a significant role. In addition, users rate link markers that follow the design prescriptions put forward here as more effective. Finally, recommendations for hypermedia designers are discussed.