Large-scale ICT Research Articles

Blockchain Innovations, Applications, and Future Prospects

This Special Issue delves into the diverse applications of blockchain technology, spanning topics including democratic elections, business models, secure data storage, and large-scale ICT security [...]

Coumarin 337 in aqueous solution: interplay between excitation and hydration

Excitation of the C337, highly fluorescent dye in an aqueous solution was studied by the TD-DFT. Through the B3PW91/6-311++G(d, p)/IEFPCM theory level, we obtained the C337 vibronic absorption spectrum which exactly reproduces the experimental maximum. Significant differences are shown between the results of calculating the transition energies using the models of vertical and vibronic transitions. Upon excitation, the main shift of the electron density occurs from C10 to C4 neighboring atom. Thus, large-scale ICT not occur. The effect of excitation on the vibrational spectra of C337 was analyzed. A single C337 molecule and its five different hydration complexes with strongly bound water molecules have been analyzed. Various hydrate complexes of the dye have been studied, and the effect of hydration on its excitation vibrational properties has been elucidated. It was taken into account that a water molecule can attach to the nitrogen atom N1 ("A" type) and the C=O carbonyl ("B" type), and cyano C≡N ("C" type) groups of the dye.

National electronic health record systems as `wicked projects': The Australian experience

Governments around the world are investing in large scale information and communication technology projects that are intended to modernize and streamline healthcare through the provision of nationally accessible electronic health records. In this way, they hope to `tame' the complex `wicked' problems facing healthcare, such as rising costs and fragmented delivery. However, these projects often encounter difficulties. Using a case study of Australia's 20-year journey towards a national electronic health record system, we show how these projects can ironically take on the characteristics of the `wicked problems' they are intended to solve, and how a failure to recognize and cope with these `wicked' characteristics can lead to waste, conflict and frustration among potential users. We suggest some alternative approaches to the management of large-scale ICT projects in healthcare and other public service sectors that deal with complex, sensitive data.

The Evolution of the Internet in Ethiopia and Rwanda: Towards a “Developmental” Model?

The Internet in Africa has become an increasingly contested space, where competing ideas of development and society battle for hegemony. By comparing the evolution of the Internet in Ethiopia and Rwanda, we question whether policies and projects emerging from two of Africa’s fastest growing, but also most tightly controlled countries, can be understood as part of a relatively cohesive model of the ‘developmental’ Internet, which challenges mainstream conceptions. Our answer is a qualified yes. Ethiopia and Rwanda have shared an overarching strategy which places the state as the prime mover in the development of Internet policy and large-scale ICT projects. Rwanda, however, appears to have developed a more open model which can accommodate a greater variety of actors and opinions, and incorporate them within a relatively coherent vision that emanates from the centre. Ethiopia, in contrast, has developed a more closed model, where all powers rest firmly in the hands of a government that has refused (so far) to entertain and engage with alternative ideas of the Internet. In the case of Rwanda, we argue, this approach reflects broader strategies adopted by the government in the economic domain but appears to counter the prevailing political approach of the government, allowing for a greater degree of freedom on the Internet as compared to traditional media. While in the case of Ethiopia, the opposite is true; Ethiopia’s Internet policies appear to run counter to prevailing economic policies but fit tightly with the government’s approach to politics and governance.

Progress and Change in Post Conflict Developing Regions: Observations of A Longitudinal Grounded Theory Case Study of a Successful Large Scale ICT Adoption in Kosovo

Post-conflict regions are extreme situations which load additional variables onto systems engineering projects. Whilst the immediate conflict may be over in a post conflict situation, the effects of the changes in government, infrastructure and society will continue to have an impact on ICT adoptions. This paper builds on previous research on the success factors in a large scale ICT adoption in a developing, post conflict region. Using Lund’s Curve of Conflict the changes observed during a longitudinal case study in a successful post-conflict health informatics project are explored. Health informatics technologies are an important response to the difficult conditions in post conflict regions. The primary contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to build on previous work on a case study of a successful Telemedicine Systems implementation in a post conflict region. Secondly, to note the successful navigation of changes in a telemedicine initiative in a post conflict Balkan region. These contributions open up new avenues for research into international stability and advanced technology adoption in post-conflict regions.

Security Issues and Challenges for the IoT-based Smart Grid

Internet of Things (IoT) is the next step evolution of our today Internet, where any physical object/thing having/equipped with computation and communication capabilities could be seamlessly integrated, at different levels, to the Internet. The Smart Grid (SG), which is considered as one of the most critical Infrastructures, is defined as the classical power grid augmented with a large-scale ICT and renewable energy integration, can be seen as one of the largest IoT network. The SG will involve billions of smart objects/things: smart meters, smart appliances, sensors, actuators-cars, etc. in addition to several communication infrastructures whether public (most often) or private. However, security is seen as one of the major factors hampering the rapid and large scale adoption and deployment of both the IoT vision and the Smart Grid.In this paper we investigate the security issues and challenges on the IoT-based SG, and define the major security services that we should consider when dealing with SG security

Un modelo para cursos Mega en línea. Desarrollo, implementaci ón y evaluaci ón de un curso efectivo de aprendizaje en línea a gran escala

La necesidad de una educación superior a nivel global y local se incrementa cada vez más debido a factores sociales, políticos y económicos. Las universidades se enfrentan al desafío de educar grupos crecientes de estudiantes con los mismos o inclusive menos recursos. El uso eficiente de la Tecnología de Información y Comunicación (ict, por sus siglas en Inglés) y de diseños pedagógicos adaptados, son medios para cumplir este reto. Este documento presenta una ict a gran escala basada en cursos a distancia en administración de proyectos dictados por el Departamento de Informática y Ciencias de Sistemas, en la Universidad de Estocolmo, Suecia. El curso ha sido dictado siete veces durante el período 2006-2008, con un total de 2.427 estudiantes. La meta de este documento es explorar los siguientes problemas específicos relacionados con cursos mega, en línea: (1) Alta tasa de deserción, (2) Nueva situación de trabajo pedagógico y psicosocial para los profesores, (3) Comunicación y cursos apropiados para este tipo de formato. Además, el documento da un número de sugerencias basadas en nuestras experiencias y conocimientos obtenidos sobre el curso mega en línea. Esto se hace a través del uso de datos recopilados por medio de la plataforma educativa en diferentes bases de datos, entrevistas con profesores involucrados y encuestas realizadas por estudiantes. Algunas de las conclusiones que se presentan en este documento son: los cambios más significativos que influyeron en la tasa de retensión de los cursos fueron el rediseño de la asignación, secuencia clara de eventos a través de las tareas, cursos de autoaprendizaje puestos en práctica que le permiten a los estudiantes aprender las herramientas necesarias para completar las tareas. La pérdida más grande de estudiantes sucedio entre la inscripción en el curso y su comienzo real y cuando el curso pasó del estudio teórico a la aplicación práctica. Errores de diseño menores llevaron a una gran cantidad de trabajo adicional. La necesidad de desarrollar una interfaz de administración efectiva es crucial y esto no debe olvidarse. La situación de trabajo psicosocial para los profesores que manejan los cursos de escala mega en línea se altera significativamente comparada con la enseñanza en aulas.