Personal Assistants Research Articles

DSL‐Driven Approaches and Metamodels for Chatbot Development: A Systematic Literature Review

ABSTRACTChatbots have emerged as ubiquitous tools for enhancing user interaction across various platforms, from customer service to personal assistance. They are computer programs that simulate and process human conversation, either written, spoken or both. However, developing efficient chatbots remains a challenge, primarily due to the intricate nature of critical components of chatbots like natural language understanding (NLU) requiring a subscription from intent recognition providers like Dialogflow and Amazon Lex. This makes chatbots closely linked to NLP services and can be locked in. Recently, various research studies have provided solutions to reduce the workload of developers and designers. These approaches have proposed model‐driven development via domain‐specific languages (DSLs), which make the chatbot development process more accessible and more automated. This advancement aims to enhance effectiveness in chatbot development by leveraging DSLs. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of DSLs for developing chatbots, with the first contribution comprising various research topics, tools, approaches, and technologies employed to implement DSLs. Second, this work aims to assess and contrast the primary DSLs currently available for chatbot development, focusing on presenting the key elements used in constructing these DSLs. Third, this study identifies the challenges and limitations of using DSLs in chatbot development.

Fine Motor Impairment and Its Impact on Social Outcomes in Survivors of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.

The impact of fine motor impairment among adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on life after treatment is unknown. This study evaluated prevalence and utilized multivariate logistic regression to identify risk factors for fine motor impairment among survivors of ALL, and associations with educational attainment and social independence. Latent class analysis defined social independence (independent, moderately independent, dependent), using employment, independent living, personal care assistance, routine need assistance, driver's license status, and marital status inputs. Among 875 survivors who were ≥ 25years old (age when most adults achieve independence) and ≥ 5years from diagnosis (mean = 28.97years), 33.6% had fine motor impairment, with scores at or below the 10th percentile of the scores of community controls (n = 460) on fine motor components of the physical performance test and the grooved peg-board test. Survivors exposed to cranial radiation had more fine motor impairment than those without (45.8% vs 20.2%). Male sex (exposed: odds ratio [OR] = 2.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.65-3.92; unexposed: OR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.69-5.38) and lower scores on the Wechsler abbreviated scale of intelligence (exposed: OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.36-0.58; unexposed: OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.31-0.58) were risk factors for neuropathy. A 1-point-higher total neuropathy score was associated with 8% (95% CI = 1%-17%) increased odds of fine motor impairment. Fine motor impairment was associated with less than a college education (less than high school: OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.20-4.14; high school diploma/general equivalency diploma: OR = 2.66, 95% CI = 1.65-4.30; vocational education: OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.38-3.13) and less social independence (moderately independent: OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.15-2.83; dependent: OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.25-5.64). Fine motor impairment in survivors of childhood ALL may interfere with optimal educational attainment and social independence. Early identification of survivors at risk for fine motor impairment, with timely intervention, may improve long-term outcomes.

Term papers: A chance or challenge for university students?

This study aims to investigate how university students perceive term papers as part of their course assignments. The study used the qualitative research method to collect the data. The data were obtained by means of semi-structured interview. A total of 20 students majoring in English Education participated in the study, selected using random sampling technique. The data were then analyzed by using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the students viewed term papers as a chance to develop their knowledge as well as motivation and confidence. On the other hand, some also perceived that term paper assignments were challenging due to several factors, such as lack of learning resources, lack of cooperation, lack of ability to explain difficult topics, and lack of academic writing and critical thinking skills. This study suggests that lecturers foster student collaboration, offer personalized assistance, and provide explicit instructions on scientific writing in order to make term paper assignments easier and beneficial to all students in higher education.

Future of knowledge management in investment banking: Role of personal intelligent assistants

Purpose: The study’s objective focuses on investigating the involvement of Personal Intelligent Assistants (PIAs) in the Knowledge Management Process (KMP) in Investment Banking Companies leading to Industrial Revolution 5.0 leading to effective Organizational Knowledge Management. Design/Methodology: A Self-administered Survey Questionnaire was circulated to 695 employees of Investment Banking Companies operating in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune using the Cluster Sampling method. The Covariance-based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM) and Gradient Boosting Regression technique of Machine Learning were used to validate the hypothesis through JASP V.18 Software. Knowledge Creation, Knowledge Sharing, Knowledge Retrieval, Knowledge Application, and Organizational Knowledge Management are the crucial constructs considered in the study. Findings: The results revealed that Knowledge Application is the most influencing factor in effective organizational Knowledge management among the Investment Banks followed by Knowledge Sharing. It also emphasizes that they have a weak Knowledge retrieval process and minimal efforts taken to create knowledge within these banks. Implications: The PIAs can facilitate effective Data Analysis and research in managing vast data eliminating the repeated tasks in portfolio reconciliation and offering personalized recommendations to manage portfolios. It enables in compliance, risk management, client relationship management, real-time monitoring and leveraged decision-making through predictive analysis.

Why aren't we teaching this? Smart local energy systems and the young person's perspective

AbstractWith the UK government's target of Net Zero by 2050, alongside the rising cost of energy in the UK, it is imperative that public opinion aligns with and promotes affordable, greener energy systems. Within this dialogue, young people's voices and lived experience are needed to deepen the impact of energy policy intervention strategies. This article stresses the importance of a formal curriculum that informs future generations on the subjects of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES), and the digitalisation advances of energy systems. This paper explores the development of a toolkit to educate and engage young people in these subjects and reviews young people's attitudes and understanding from three schools in England, UK. We find through an interpretive qualitative analysis of both images drawn by the young people, and insights gathered from focus groups, that (i) for these young people, SLES are a useful innovation regarding energy management and distribution, (ii) young people recognise that the education system as it currently stands is not aware of, or informed by smart energy technologies and (iii) that despite being a generation that is the most integrated with personal assistance technology, these young people have significant concerns over the reliability and safety of AI in SLES. These findings are set alongside calls for widespread education in key stages 4 and 5 (ages 14–18) around the subject of SLES, and their benefits to wider society, thereby enabling a future that empowers young people to make change, encourage engineering and computer science‐based career options and secure a fairer, cleaner, sustainable energy transition in the future.

Fitting comfortably together: Doing and imagining gender and sexuality in personal assistance

Fitting comfortably together: Doing and imagining gender and sexuality in personal assistance

Voice Unbound: The Impact of Localization and Experience on Continuous Personal Voice Assistant Usage and Its Drivers

This research explores the key factors driving the continuous use of Personal Voice Assistants (PVAs), particularly emphasising the roles of localization and experience in shaping these behaviours. Data has been gathered from 1041 PVA users through an online survey. By integrating psychological (Attitude, Enjoyment, and Personal Innovativeness), technological (Perceived Ease of Use and Usefulness), and social (Subjective Social Norms) factors, the study uncovers the complex mechanisms that influence users’ continued usage intentions towards PVAs. It also examines how localization and experience moderate these relationships, offering key insights for developers and marketers to optimise users’ continuous usage and expand market reach by effectively targeting diverse consumer segments. Further, qualitative insights reveal user needs and barriers, offering a deeper understanding of user expectations. The study also highlights several promising avenues for future research to further examine evolving dynamics between users and PVAs.

The ground for necessary defence: analysis of legal positions of the Supreme Court

The article analyzes and summarizes the positions of the Supreme Court on the ground for necessary defence. It is noted that the Supreme Court has identified two elements of the ground for necessary defence (the commission of a socially dangerous trespass and the need to immediately avert or stop it) and has repeatedly referred to the interpretation of various aspects of each of them. The article mentions various definitions of “socially dangerous trespass” provided by the Supreme Court in its rulings. It is noted that the Supreme Court has not addressed the possibility of recognizing a socially dangerous act of an insane person or a person under the age of criminal liability as a socially dangerous trespass as a ground for necessary defence, but in one of its rulings it admitted that such a trespass was committed by a mentally ill victim. The author mentions the conclusion of the Supreme Court that the right to necessary defence cannot arise against lawful acts of another person, even if such acts cause damage to legally protected interests. It is mentioned that, in general, the Supreme Court does not recognize provoked violence as a trespass within the meaning of Article 36 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, but the exception is when the degree of provoked violence is clearly higher than what a person could have predicted. It is noted that the Supreme Court identifies the objective reality of a socially dangerous trespass as its mandatory characteristic for necessary defence. The author quotes the Supreme Court’s explanation of when it is necessary to immediately avert or stop a socially dangerous trespass. The conclusions of the Supreme Court regarding the time limits of the right to necessary defence are analyzed. In particular, the Supreme Court identifies the initial and final moments of lawful defence. The ruling is mentioned, in which the Supreme Court reminds of the legal prohibition to take into account the possibility of a person to avoid a socially dangerous trespass or to request assistance of other persons or authorities when deciding on the existence or absence of a state of necessary defence.

The effect of the expansion of the Personal Assistance Service Program on the uptake of the National Health Screening in people with severe disability.

Korea operates the Personal Assistance Service (PAS) program, a social service program that assists with the daily activities and coping needs of individuals with disabilities. In January 2013, the eligibility to enroll in the PAS program was expanded to include all individuals with severe disabilities. As supporting individuals with disabilities is important in reducing disparities related to the uptake of health screening, this study investigated whether eligibility expansion of the PAS program was associated with increased participation in the National Health Screening Program (NHSP) among adults with severe disabilities. Nationwide data from Korea that included 24 701 individuals were used. The treatment group included individuals with severe disabilities, while the control group included those with mild disabilities. The difference-in-difference approach was used to estimate differences in participation in the NHSP between the two groups before and after the intervention period. A negative binomial distribution model was applied in the analysis with adjustment for all independent variables. The expansion of the PAS program was directly related to an increase in NHSP uptake by people with severe disabilities (increase by 0.044 times compared to the control group following the implementation of the policy). Expanding the eligibility for the PAS program was associated with an increase in NHSP participation among individuals with severe disabilities. These findings suggest the importance of supporting individuals with disabilities by increasing participation in health screenings to reduce potential related health disparities.

Barriers to mobile personal health assistant in patients living with diabetes.

Continued use of a digital health assistant that helps patients living with diabetes to self-manage and deal with complex problems in order to enhance their health status is a healthcare priority. The objective was to explore the barriers related to the use of a mobile personal health assistant for patients with type 2 diabetes. Eighty-one participants were offered a personal health assistant through a smartphone application. They completed a questionnaire after initial training (T0) and after 1month's experience (T1). Most had a positive behavioral intention before using it, but the opposite was found after 1month. There were positive correlations between behavioral intention and the eight related factors. The strongest correlations were with satisfaction and perceived usefulness at T0 and T1, respectively. The factors' mean values decreased after 1month. The best predictors of behavioral intention were satisfaction and performance expectancy at T0 and T1, respectively, which predicted the status of 88.4% and 82.7% of the sample. Our findings will help health experts to build better tools that satisfy patients and meet their expectations.

“Too few, too far away, for what is paid”: Consumer voices about the personal assistance worker crisis

BackgroundThe growing gap between demand and supply of personal assistance service (PAS) workers presents a significant burden to those who use services. The intensity and duration of hardship is growing, and consumer voices need to be heard and incorporated into the national dialogue. ObjectiveThis paper explores how PAS worker shortages manifest themselves in the daily lives of people with disabilities using or needing PAS services in the United States. MethodsWe used thematic coding of qualitative data from the 2022 National Survey on Health and Disability. Respondents (n = 330) provided open-ended responses to the prompt “Briefly explain the types of problems or issues you have had finding PAS or support workers.” ResultsThree themes emerged regarding consumer perspectives and experiences with worker shortages (1) low pay, few benefits, and undervalued work, (2) demanding working conditions and logistics, and (3) low quality workers. In combination, these themes informed a fourth theme (4) impacts for PAS consumers characterized by substandard care and additional stress and workload for those who direct their own care. ConclusionsAs a society, we have taken steps to increase opportunities for community living and created policies to uphold choice and independence for people with disabilities. In the absence of an adequate workforce to support these policies, however, we convey an empty promise. Without tangible steps to resolve these problems at the policy level, such as improved worker pay and protections, hope for resolution to these issues remains elusive.

Sea-Level Rise and Human Mobility: The Legal Implications for Ireland’s Foreign and Domestic Policies

In October 2023, the Irish government’s Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on National Coastal Change Management Strategy concluded it was inevitable that, as a result of rising sea levels, a managed retreat may in time be required along some parts of the Irish coastline. This stark warning highlights Ireland’s vulnerability as an island nation to global climate change and sea-level rise. While adaptive measures can be made to protect coastal communities, there is a need to undertake comprehensive planning to prepare for the foreseeable impacts of climate change. Ireland is not alone in facing such risks—over a third of states in the world are directly affected by sea-level rise. Such scenarios raise complicated legal questions, which prompted the UN International Law Commission (ILC) to commence analysis in 2018 of the legal implications of sea-level rise. This article starts by examining recent developments concerning the legal implications of climate change in general, before specifically analysing the ongoing work of the ILC on sea-level rise and human mobility. Drawing on international legal and policy frameworks, the article then considers Ireland’s obligations arising from sea-level rise and population displacement. In particular, it addresses a) Ireland’s foreign policy, including international development assistance and legal migration routes for persons fleeing the impacts of sea-level rise; and b) domestic policies relating to climate change adaptation and planning for internal climate displacement.

Identified needs to enhance life for people with spinal cord injury: a part of the Swedish Needs Assessment Project

Purpose To identify factors that contribute to the enhanced life of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Sweden. Materials and methods This cross-sectional study combined workshops (n = 38) and survey data (n = 243) from people living with SCI and their relatives, health professionals, and personal care assistants working with people living with SCI. The data were first categorized using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, followed by a conventional content analysis. Results The factors that contribute to an enhanced life for people living with SCI are similar to those of the general population, including relationships, leisure activities, and occupation within the mesosystem. However, the unique components of the exosystem and macrosystem are specifically associated with people living with SCI. The exosystem, particularly in healthcare, plays a major role for medical reasons but also tends to obtrude and minimize the mesosystem. The macrosystem is essential, as it sets the rules that govern the actors in the other layers, creating prerequisites for meeting the needs of the mesosystem and exosystem. Conclusions The needs that contribute to an enhanced life are multifaceted and individualized. Therefore, these systems must be flexible throughout the lifespan of individuals with SCI.

Multiple pricing for personal assistance services

Third-party payers often reimburse health care providers based on prospectively set prices. Although a key motivation of prospective payment is to contain costs, this paper shows that this aspect crucially depends on the design of the pricing scheme due to the well-known incentives of patient selection (or “dumping”). This paper provides a general theoretical framework where heterogeneous users are served by either private for-profit or public providers, each paid an hourly compensation by a third-party payer. The private, but not the public providers may select patients. It is demonstrated that this realistic feature of the model implies that total costs depends on the number of prices. The features of the model is illustrated using the Swedish system of personal assistance services as a motivating example. Numerical results show that marginal adjustments to the current uniform pricing scheme would lead to substantial savings.

Integration of AI Technology and ZPD: Pinpointing the Zone of Student Development to Promote Educational Innovation and Efficiency Improvement

In the era of rapid technological advancement, AI has profoundly penetrated various sectors of society, including education. This paper explores the positive impact of AI on students' Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), aiming to assist teachers in making more accurate judgments regarding multiple students' ZPDs and thereby enhancing educational teaching. The findings reveal that AI technology, through its application in ZPD, can provide personalized learning resources and assistance to students, as well as offer teachers appropriate teaching content and strategies tailored to students' needs. However, in the actual teaching process, the application of ZPD to teaching still faces difficulties related to students' individualization, sensitive emotions, and trust crises. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions. Teachers need to be actively trained in AI to overcome potential resistance from older educators. At the same time, teachers should focus on identifying further technological advances in ZPD and related areas to maximize the benefits of AI in education.

Breaking Barriers: The Struggles and Prospects of Women Leadership in the Gusii Region

Women in the Gusii region of Kenya have struggled to access leadership positions, particularly in politics, where no woman has been elected as a Member of Parliament for over 50 years. This article examines the historical reasons for the exclusion of women from leadership, including cultural practices, the impact of colonialism, and entrenched patriarchal systems. It also explores the challenges women face today, such as cultural norms, financial constraints, and stereotypes that limit their opportunities for success. The study employed both primary and secondary research methodologies. Primary data was gathered through oral interviews with key informants, including women leaders, political aspirants, and personal assistants to female politicians. Secondary data was sourced from books, academic journals, and other relevant literature. The data was analyzed qualitatively, using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes. The results highlight recent progress in gender equality movements and Kenyan laws that support women in leadership. It also discusses the experiences of a few women who have broken barriers and achieved leadership roles. Finally, the article suggests strategies for increasing women's participation in leadership, focusing on education, policy reforms, and shifting cultural attitudes

Disability rights and disability justice in prison: the limits of state-protected rights and the possibilities of mutual support

Disabled persons are grossly overrepresented among incarcerated persons in U.S. prisons and likely to continue to grow as a group. Prisons are increasingly responsible for protecting the rights of incarcerated persons with disabilities, which includes the provision of accommodations and care. On the basis of thirteen qualitative interviews with persons with disabilities, personal care assistants, and others in a California state prison, the research subjects not only revealed the limits of disability rights in prison, but ways in which corrections officers used accommodations and personal assistance as means of harassing disabled inmates. Despite the failure of rights, persons with disabilities and their allies found ways to access care through mutual relationships and informal networks. This finding supports a disability justice perspective that argues that argues state-sponsored rights have failed specifically marginalized persons with disabilities, but also argues that disability emancipation can be found through peer-based mutual care.

SWOT-analysis: Remote monitoring of blood pressure

Global political and socioeconomic changes have caused a huge strain on the healthcare system. To transition into a new level of medical care, modern technological solutions are needed. Accelerated development of innovations in medicine and the formation of a personalized approach will improve the quality and accessibility of medical services. One of the directions of healthcare development is the use of digital technologies and remote monitoring in assessing the health indicators of citizens. Currently, the federal project of remote monitoring of patients with arterial hypertension, named, “Personal Medical Assistants,” is being implemented in the Russian Federation. Similar to any new technology, remote monitoring has advantages and disadvantages. In this article, a strategic analysis (SWOT-analysis) was performed, considering medical, economic, social, and political aspects that may affect the results of the federal project. For effective implementation of remote monitoring technology in clinical practice, the strengths and weaknesses in the healthcare system and the state as a whole must be emphasized. SWOT-analysis can be used in formulating strategies for the widespread use of new digital technologies in clinical practice.

Unobtrusive measurement of cognitive load and physiological signals in uncontrolled environments

While individuals fail to assess their mental health subjectively in their day-to-day activities, the recent development of consumer-grade wearable devices has enormous potential to monitor daily workload objectively by acquiring physiological signals. Therefore, this work collected consumer-grade physiological signals from twenty-four participants, following a four-hour cognitive load elicitation paradigm with self-chosen tasks in uncontrolled environments and a four-hour mental workload elicitation paradigm in a controlled environment. The recorded dataset of approximately 315 hours consists of electroencephalography, acceleration, electrodermal activity, and photoplethysmogram data balanced across low and high load levels. Participants performed office-like tasks in the controlled environment (mental arithmetic, Stroop, N-Back, and Sudoku) with two defined difficulty levels and in the uncontrolled environments (mainly researching, programming, and writing emails). Each task label was provided by participants using two 5-point Likert scales of mental workload and stress and the pairwise NASA-TLX questionnaire. This data is suitable for developing real-time mental health assessment methods, conducting research on signal processing techniques for challenging environments, and developing personal cognitive load assistants.

Athafnafólk í opinberri stefnumótun á óvissutímum: Hvernig hugmyndin um notendastýrða persónulega aðstoð varð að veruleika á Íslandi

Þessi rannsókn leitast við að útskýra tímamótaákvörðun í þjónustu við fatlað fólk á Íslandi. Opinber stefnumótun hefur löngum einkennst af hægfara breytingum, sem gerast í smáum skrefum. Stundum bregður þó svo við að meiriháttar breytingar verða og stefnumál, sem verið hefur baráttumál hagsmunahópa um margra ára skeið, ná fram að ganga. Dagskrárkenningar leitast við að útskýra meiriháttar stefnubreytingar með því m.a. að beina athyglinni að því hvernig og hvers vegna tiltekin málefni koma til kasta stjórnvalda á hverju tíma. Bandaríski stjórnmálafræðingurinn, John W. Kingdon, setti fyrst fram kenningu sína um straumana þrjá og glugga tækifæranna fyrir rúmum 30 árum. Nýlegar rannsóknir evrópskra stjórnmálafræðinga halda því nú fram að nálgun Kingdons geti varpað ljósi á það hvernig það pólitíska kerfi sem stefnumótunin fer fram í virkar og hvernig hegðun og aðferðir þátttakenda í ferlinu hafa áhrif. Í þessari eigindlegu rannsókn er skoðað hvernig hugmyndin um notendastýrða persónulega aðstoð (NPA) varð að veruleika á Íslandi. Rannsóknin byggir á fyrirliggjandi gögnum og viðtölum við lykilfólk um þá framvindu mála sem leiddi til ákvörðunar um að innleiða NPA hér á landi. Rannsóknin lýsir því hvernig og undir hvaða kringumstæðum NPA komst á dagskrá stjórnvalda. Niðurstöðurnar sýna hvernig breytingar á verkaskiptingu milli ríkis og sveitarfélaga gáfu tækifæri fyrir nýja hugmyndafræði sem nýttist bæði notendum, viðskiptahagsmunum og pólitískum hagsmunum. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að þar hafi ekki aðeins verið réttur maður á réttum stað á réttum tíma, heldur varpa þær fræðilegu ljósi á það hvað einkennir athafnafólk í opinberri stefnumótun og hvernig og hvers vegna það skiptir máli á óvissutímum í stjórnmálum.