Technology Ecosystem Research Articles

The Intelligent Built-Environment as Cyber-Physical System

This thesis presents an alternative approach to intelligence in the built-environment, departing from the two established yet divergent branches in the discourse: the Technical, centered around Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and represented by Ambient Intelligence (AmI) and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL); and the Architectural, centered around architectural / spatial experiences and considerations, and represented by Interactive Architecture and Adaptive Architecture. The promise of both AmI/AAL and IA/AA is constrained by rigid and increasingly outdated assumptions in their approaches—i.e., AmI’s / AAL’s approach to the built-environment, and IA’s / AA’s approach to ICTs. Moreover, it is impossible to combine them to yield a cohesive system due to disparity in their typical Technology Readiness Levels. That is, the sophistication of a system depends on that of its mutually complementing subsystems; and two or more subsystems may not mutually complement, sustain, and/or support one another if their levels of development do not correspond. Consequently, the presented alternative conceives the intelligent built-environment as a Cyber- Physical System. Under this approach, ICTs and Architectural considerations in conjunction instantiate intelligence fundamentally. The presented approach’s promise is illustrated via its application to a constrained use-case focused on the elderly. Twelve proof-of-concept demonstrators are developed based on key parameters pertaining to Indoor Environmental Quality and Quality of Life. While each demonstrator is presented as a discrete proof-of-concept, all build on the same core System Architecture and technological ecosystem, and are intended to be viewed as a collection of systems and services expressed within a same hypothetical environment.

СТАТИСТИКА ТА СУЧАСНІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ – АНАЛІЗ ЧИСЕЛ У СВІТЛІ МАЙБУТНЬОГО

This study draws attention to the significant impact of the latest technologies on the processing and analysis of statistical data in the context of the future. The article examines a variety of innovative methods and tools that are already being used to process vast amounts of information and identify key trends. Particular attention is paid to the role of artificial intelligence, machine learning and other advanced technologies in improving statistical methods and accurately predicting future events. The research includes an analysis of the current state of the field of statistics, identifying its current trends and challenges. It is noted how technological progress can radically change data collection and processing strategies in the future, making them more efficient and accurate. Along with this, the study emphasizes the importance of taking into account the ethical aspects of the use of modern technologies in statistical research, pointing to the need to develop strict security standards to ensure a high level of confidentiality and protection of personal data. The study also notes that with the increase in the amount of available information and the speed of data processing, there is a need to constantly improve methods of protection against potential cyber threats. Further implementation of modern technologies in the field of statistics can lead to the creation of new approaches to data collection that will take into account the dynamics of society and changes in the technology ecosystem. In particular, deep learning capabilities can help develop more accurate prediction models based on large amounts of input data. It is noted that in order to ensure the successful integration of technologies in the field of statistics, it is also necessary to actively cooperate with specialists from various fields, taking into account their unique perspectives and requirements. In addition, the article provides a reasoned view of how modern technologies can contribute to the development of numerical information analysis in today's world. Overall, this study highlights the prospects and importance of using technology in the field of statistical research, revealing its potential to change approaches to working with numerical data and the development of this field as a whole.

The formation of ecosystems and their impact on economic growth

This paper examines the role of technology ecosystems in shaping national economies and their impact on economic growth rates. It defines ecosystems as companies organizing multilateral markets across industries and investigates their association with economic growth using econometric analysis. Drawing from literature on multilateral markets and platform economics, the study finds a positive correlation between ecosystem presence and economic growth rates, highlighting their role in fostering innovation and increasing labor efficiency. However, challenges remain in measuring the full extent of ecosystem exports’ cross-national effects. The findings emphasize the importance of ecosystem regulation and its potential to drive economic growth and national welfare.

The Inertia of Dominant Designs in Technological Innovation: An Ecosystem View of Standardization

The dominant design life cycle shows that standardization leads to stability and increased technology development. However, the breakneck speed of innovation means standards now require more frequent renewal. Therefore, this article conceptualizes standard inertia to include the factors impeding the emergence of a new standard. New standards must overcome the standard inertia generated by accumulated investments in knowledge, capabilities, and other resources, including identity and legitimacy. Multinational and small and medium-sized enterprises face complementary obstacles, and standard inertia is, thus, an ecosystem-level mechanism. Dominant designs may embed subsets of underlying dominant designs, meaning the emergence of a new design may overthrow an entire technology ecosystem. Therefore, inertial factors protecting the prior design also emanate from all ecosystem levels. Ecosystem platforms may consequently enable new forms of interaction required to break established patterns.

Biotechnological sovereignty is not a mere nationalist concept, it is a necessity for Colombia and Latin America.

During the pandemic, Latin American countries suffered the collapse of their health systems. This was caused by the high demand for care of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, which was added to the care of patients with other diseases. The significant increase in demand for health services caused medical and laboratory supplies to decline rapidly. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated a health crisis in several developing countries, mainly caused by insufficient systematic policies for integrating scientific knowledge. The current Colombian government must formulate a Biotechnological or Biosecurity Sovereignty Law that guarantees scientific autonomy, ensuring that Colombia is self-sufficient in Science, Technology, and Innovation. Colombian government should also focus on establishing and developing pharmaceutical chemical production by acquiring active chemical ingredients from other countries. This strategy could reduce the production costs and final prices of medicines, as well as generate high-level employment and wealth for the country. In this way, the Colombian government could prevent shortage of essential medicines and excessive price increases by commercial intermediation. In conclusion, the manuscript focuses on the lack of biotechnological sovereignty in Colombia. We propose a model of a Latin American Science and Technology ecosystem to achieve biotechnological sovereignty via state funding of research, strengthening universities, and fostering participation among private companies and Ministries of Science, Education, Trade, and Health. Scientific autonomy based on innovative processes that strengthen biotechnological independence can contribute to the economy by generating gross added value, creating high-quality employment, and facilitating the appropriation and social dissemination of knowledge, and cost reduction.

Asset Performance Management: current status and future development

This investigation aims at discussing the current status of Asset Performance Management in its functionalities to enable decision support and to lead towards Asset Management excellence. The current status is drawn building from academic and industrial sources, and relying on a conceptual model aimed at providing an interpretative scheme of the Asset Performance Management functionalities in the information technology ecosystem for Asset Management. The key opportunities and future development paths are then identified. Overall, the findings of this study are meant to contribute to a clarification of the Asset Performance Management concept, together with a verification of the alignment on the meaning of the concept within the scientific and the industrial arenas.

Assessing Competitive Advantages and Challenges of the Ukrainian Tech Ecosystem during Wartime

The aim of the article is to identify the competitive advantages and key obstacles hindering the development of the technology sector in Ukraine during the period of martial law, as well as to develop potential scenarios for further development of the innovation ecosystem of Ukraine and appropriate strategies for implementation in each of the scenarios. An additional area of analysis is to test the hypothesis about the key role of investment in stimulating innovation. The study used general statistical and economic approaches, in particular, visual, scenario and correlation analysis. Within the framework of the study, it was demonstrated that the competitive advantages of the innovation ecosystem of Ukraine are a strong research and educational base, a high level of professionalism and technical skills of IT specialists, creativity and a number of innovative technological products. Among the main problems hindering its development are the level of stability of the institutional and regulatory environment, limited access to financial resources and lack of investment. It also confirmed the hypothesis that there is a statistically significant relationship between the level of investment in research and development (R&D) and the number of patents registered. The results of the study can be used to develop appropriate approaches to strategic analysis, in particular in terms of developing scenarios for the development of Ukrainian startups in the face of unprecedented risks, such as the period of martial law. Prospects for further research on this topic are a detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of the impact of the implementation of programs for financing and stimulating investment in Ukrainian startups on the indicators of innovative development of the technological ecosystem of Ukraine. A separate research task is to develop a road-map for effective institutional changes necessary to ensure a favorable regulatory and business environment for Ukrainian startups based on international experience.

Ukrainian Startup Ecosystem as a Driver of Economic and Strategic Resilience

The aim of the article is to comprehensively analyze the key adaptive transformations in the technological ecosystem of Ukraine during the wartime period as a driver of its economic and strategic development, in particular in the period of post-war reconstruction, as well as to generalize the most relevant approaches and features of evaluation of startups. Particular attention is paid to strategic startups in the field of defense, cybersecurity, deep learning algorithms, space and other advanced production technologies, in particular in the context of specific aspects that should be taken into account when assessing their value. The study uses general scientific methods and specific economic and statistical approaches, in particular methods of analysis and synthesis to classify approaches to evaluating startups, as well as descriptive statistics and graphical analysis to identify structural changes in the technological ecosystem of Ukraine. The carried out study showed that in recent years there has been a significant increase in the number and variety of startups specializing in strategic sectors of the economy. Their development is due to both the strategic needs of the State for means to increase defense capability and national security, and global technological trends, in particular in the field of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. In addition, it is determined that for assessing the value of startups in strategic sectors of the economy, the most flexible and relevant are the method of real options, the method of testing hypotheses, and the approaches based on scenario analysis. The results of the presented study can be taken into account when improving traditional and new methods of evaluating startups and new companies, in particular in terms of taking into account their strategic value using premiums or other valuation techniques. Prospects for future research in this direction are to improve the existing methods for evaluating startups from strategic industries, taking into account the specifics of the sector and the high level of geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty.

The role of Industry 4.0 technologies in driving the financial importance of sustainability risk management

Research background: The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges the world is facing in the 21st century. The global response to this problem must comprise transitions in land and ecosystems, energy, urban, infrastructure, and industrial systems and a transformation in enterprise and risk management. With the global pressure to fight climate change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the innovative potential of Industry 4.0 technologies (blockchain, Big Data analytics, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, 3D additive manufacturing and technology platforms) has been subject to enormous interest among researchers and practitioners. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated technology investment and digital transformation in many business areas, potentially including sustainability risk management. Purpose of the article: The purpose of this paper is to explore the scope of Industry 4.0 technology implementation in sustainability risk management and its financial impact. Methods: Based on the survey research, the authors verified if enterprises implementing Industry 4.0 technologies during the last five years are benefiting from their investment depending on the number of technologies. Due to the ordinal measurement scale of the analyzed variables, the verification of hypotheses was carried out using the Mann-Whitney U test. Findings & value added: In the opinion of the managers surveyed, the number of Industry 4.0 technologies implemented in the sustainability risk management process does not affect the enterprise’s aggregate Financial Performance Indicator, individual financial indicators (ROA, ROE, OPM, NPM and FLR) and the enterprise’s ability to manage financial risk. This study contributes to the literature on the technological transformation of the sustainability risk management process and its financial importance. The design and implementation of sustainable development strategies imply a long-term perspective, including the achievement of risk management effects in this area. The implementation of one technology, let alone two or more, is a difficult and time-consuming management challenge before synergy effects are achieved in an integrated technological eco-system.

Edge AI and IoT: Direct integration for on-the-device data processing

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the Internet of Things (IoT) devices has led to the emergence of Edge AI, a transformative solution that enables data processing directly on the IoT devices or "at the edge" of the network. This paper explores the benefits of Edge AI, emphasizing reduced latency, bandwidth conservation, enhanced privacy, and faster decision-making. Despite its advantages, challenges like resource constraints on IoT devices persist. By examining the practical implications of Edge AI in sectors like healthcare and urban development, this study underscores the paradigm shift towards more efficient, secure, and responsive technological ecosystems.

EVALUASI RANCANGAN INFRASTRUKTUR KESEHATAN NASIONAL DALAM CETAK BIRU TRANSFORMASI DIGITAL KESEHATAN 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia during 2020 has introduced numerous challenges and hurdles for the field of public health. It has also prompted the Indonesian government to explore the application of digital information technology in managing the COVID-19 crisis. As an extension of the broader incorporation of information technology within public health services, the Ministry of Health has undertaken a significant initiative with its Blueprint for Health Digital Transformation Strategy 2024. This initiative places a particular emphasis on the establishment of health data integration, the development of health service application systems, and the enhancement of the Health Technology Ecosystem. This article presents an evaluation of the national health infrastructure design as outlined in the Health Digital Transformation Strategy Blueprint 2024. The evaluation is conducted by comparing this blueprint with the recommendations detailed in the Public Health Infrastructure framework, as proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services in the United States. The results of this evaluation indicate that the organizational and ICT aspects have been reasonably well executed within the national Health infrastructure design. However, it also highlights the absence of a strategic plan or dedicated program aimed at enhancing the informatics competencies of public health professionals.

Diverse Sound Practices: An exploration of experimental electronic music in regional Australia

Examining the role of arts and culture in regional Australia often focuses on economic aspects within the creative industries. However, this perspective tends to disregard the value of unconventional practices and fails to recognise the influence of regional ecological settings and the well-being advantages experienced by amateur and hobbyist musicians who explore ubiquitous methods of music creation. This article presents the results of a survey conducted among practitioners in regional Australia, exploring their utilisation of creative technology ecosystems. This project marks the first independent, evidence-based study of experimental electronic music practices in regional Australia and how local and digital resource ecosystems support those activities. Spanning the years 2021 and 2022, the study involved interviewing 11 participants from many Australian states. In this article, we share the study’s findings, outlining the diverse range of experimental electronic music practices taking place across regional Australia and how practitioners navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by their local context.

Implementing and scaling authentic assessment through a pedagogical technology partnership

Authentic assessment has been identified as an effective strategy to transform assessment, with a focus on measuring students’ success in skill-relevant and real-life situations (Wiggins, 1998). However, effectively implementing activities that can help foster authentic assessment, such as peer feedback, group work, or team-based learning, especially in online and hybrid courses and large cohorts, is a consistent challenge. (Shank, 2009) To combat this challenge, the higher education institution Deakin University partnered with the pedagogical technology company FeedbackFruits, with the initial focus on developing a solution aimed at optimising group work. Due to the positive impact of the partnership, the two organisations continued their collaboration and worked together on implementing faculty-wide authentic assessment strategies with pedagogical technology, across a wide range of course sizes and modalities. The first collaborative project was meant to build on FeedbackFruits’s two solutions, Peer Review, for streamlining peer feedback, and Group Member Evaluation, enabling group member evaluation. Deakin University signalled the need for a pedagogical feature that would ensure fairness in group work. The two organisations developed the Group Contribution Grading feature that based the students’ grades on the contribution of each individual to the group deliverable and allowed the instructor to later manually adjust the grade. With increased visibility for teachers and between students on their performance and contribution to group work, students had more opportunities for autonomy and self-regulation. The results of the initial collaboration encouraged Deakin University to continue collaborating with FeedbackFruits on a wider scope. Since FeedbackFruits’s pedagogical technology included multiple tools that supported a wide range of learning approaches, the new project introduced the possibility to link different elements of different assignment types to customise the setup flow of assignments. As a result, educators could create complete, diversified activities more quickly and easily, as well as access the combined analytics in one place. Following the success of the past projects, the two organisations, together with several other higher education institutions, developed an AI-powered tool, Automated Feedback, that provided instant formative feedback to students on “lower-level” academic writing concerns, such as citation, academic style, grammar, and structure, freeing up time for the instructors to provide personalised feedback on “higher-order” concerns such as comprehension and critical argumentation of concepts. The most recent collaborative project involved leveraging the team-based learning (TBL) framework to provide additional learning experiences in established authentic assessment, with plans to scale up across STEM faculty. Following the principles for defining and measuring authentic assessment (Schultz et al., 2021), the institution used the team-based learning Tool 4 to conduct intra-group evaluation after authentic group projects. The collaboration between Deakin University and FeedbackFruits resulted in a robust ecosystem of co-developed authentic assessment technology that has prioritised the lived experience of educators and continuous improvement. Combining the expertise of higher education practitioners and pedagogical technology developers enabled a highly engaging, innovative learning experience for all students.

The LMS in the age of Generative AI

Whilst Covid-19 raised a range of questions about the utility of the Learning Management System (LMS) and other technologies for teaching and learning, the advent of Generative AI (GenAI) poses new and fundamental questions about the teaching and learning technology ecosystem of our universities. We argue that these questions extend beyond the impact of GenAI on student learning, the assessment of students and academic integrity. Rather, the impact of GenAI on higher education represents a threshold concept that, once grasped, will entail a paradigm shift in the sector’s self-understanding.

Risky business: How standardization as coordination tool in ecosystems impacts firm‐level uncertainty

AbstractResearch SummaryCoordination challenges generate uncertainties in ecosystems. Past research suggests that standardization mitigates these challenges, reducing ecosystem‐level uncertainty. But how does it affect firm‐level uncertainty over value‐appropriation? We examine heterogeneity in the latter effect. Using 1996–2010 data on standard‐setting in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystems and a firm‐level uncertainty measure based on stock option implied volatility, we demonstrate that while standardization reduces uncertainty for firms that own part of the standardized components, it heightens uncertainty for firms that do not, especially when they face strong rivals in complementary technologies or have fewer complementary technologies or production assets themselves. Findings stress that coordination tools enhancing ecosystem‐level value‐creation can end up hurting firm‐level value‐appropriation and worsen uncertainty for some firms in the ecosystem that the tools are meant to help.Managerial SummaryIn an ecosystem, a firm faces two types of uncertainty—ecosystem‐level uncertainty over how to coordinate with others on developing interoperable parts, and firm‐level uncertainty over whether it can occupy a viable position to capture value. Standardization, a commonly touted solution, reduces the former but not necessarily the latter. Using 1996–2010 data on standard setting in ICT ecosystems and stock option implied volatility, we show that for non‐standard‐owner firms, standardization in fact worsens the latter, especially when they face strong rivals or lack complementary technologies or production assets in areas complementary to the standard. Thus, tools like standardization meant to solve ecosystem‐level coordination problems can end up raising more doubts on firms' ability to capture value and discouraging firms from participating instead of promoting ecosystem growth.

Exploring the applications and security threats of Internet of Thing in the cloud computing paradigm: A comprehensive study on the cloud of things

AbstractThe term “Internet of Things” (IoT) represents a vast interconnected network comprising ordinary objects enhanced with electronics like sensors, actuators, and wireless connectivity. These augmentations enable seamless communication and data sharing among devices. IoT constitutes an ecosystem of programs, systems, and technologies that operate across diverse communication services. In our rapidly evolving world, cutting‐edge technologies are swiftly gaining prominence. IoT, in particular, strives to proliferate innovative applications, programs, and communication amalgamating the virtual and physical realms. The bedrock of this communication is the machine‐to‐machine communication paradigm. IoT encompasses a spectrum of technologies encompassing smart vehicles, efficient vehicle parking management systems, and roadway‐embedded sensors, culminating in the vision of a “smart city.” Such integration has the potential to alleviate traffic congestion and curb energy consumption. The impact of IoT extends to power generation and business operations, promising transformative outcomes. Furthermore, the synergy between IoT and cloud computing plays a pivotal role in the wireless communication domain. This paper offers a comprehensive insight into IoT's functionalities and underscores the associated security threats. The study aims to equip academia with an enhanced understanding of diverse IoT applications, particularly their integration with cloud computing, referred to as the “Cloud of Things.”

Microsoft Acquisition of Nuance: Purpose, Stylized Facts and Outlook

Microsoft is the one of the giant companies in computer technology, which appears in almost every aspect of our life. However, with the advent of a new era of computer technology, Microsoft is facing the challenge of digital transformation, so it is constantly improving its new technologies and expanding its business territory by acquiring other technology companies. On April 12, 2021, Microsoft completed a significant acquisition which is acquiring Nuance. In this essay, it is going to research the purpose, stylized facts, and outlook of this acquisition. Through analyzing the potential objectives, meaning and business ecosystem of computer technology, this article finds Microsoft acquired Nuance not only to improve its own conversational artificial intelligence technology, but also to develop markets related to healthcare and improve its core competitiveness. Besides, this paper also uses the SWOT analysis to research Microsofts current situation and better understand its market competitiveness. Finally, this research gives some suggestions to Microsoft depending on its strengths. For example, improving competitive advantages by expanding its service areas through reasonable acquisitions, repairing network security systems, and improving user experience, and paying more attention to product manufacturing and innovation.

Smart technology: Ecosystem, impacts, challenges and the path forward

Smart technologies have become increasingly integral to modern society, bringing many benefits and opportunities. However, they also raise important questions about their impacts on individuals, organisations, and society and how everyone can move forward smoothly in integrating and adopting technology. Therefore, this study analysed and reviewed the literature to address the questions. The study provides an overview of the potential benefits and challenges of smart technologies and applications, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, robotics, and the Internet of Things. The review also explores the key entities involved in a smart technology ecosystem, including governments, businesses, and international communities, and each entity’s unique role in developing and implementing smart technologies. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of ensuring a smooth transition to smart technologies, including the need for effective policies, regulations, and ethical considerations. The key takeaways from this review are the need to balance the benefits and opportunities of smart technologies with the challenges and risks they pose. Individuals, society, businesses, and governments must play their respective roles in ensuring that smart technologies are developed, implemented, and used in ways that are responsible, ethical, and sustainable.

Smart technology: Ecosystem, impacts, challenges and the path forward

Smart technologies have become increasingly integral to modern society, bringing many benefits and opportunities. However, they also raise important questions about their impacts on individuals, organisations, and society and how everyone can move forward smoothly in integrating and adopting technology. Therefore, this study analysed and reviewed the literature to address the questions. The study provides an overview of the potential benefits and challenges of smart technologies and applications, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, robotics, and the Internet of Things. The review also explores the key entities involved in a smart technology ecosystem, including governments, businesses, and international communities, and each entity’s unique role in developing and implementing smart technologies. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of ensuring a smooth transition to smart technologies, including the need for effective policies, regulations, and ethical considerations. The key takeaways from this review are the need to balance the benefits and opportunities of smart technologies with the challenges and risks they pose. Individuals, society, businesses and governments must play their respective roles in ensuring that smart technologies are developed, implemented, and used in ways that are responsible, ethical, and sustainable.

Prosthetics and orthotics for persons with movement disabilities in India in the postpandemic milieu.

The SARS-CoV-2 disease had a severe impact on global socioeconomic growth, and its harmful effects continue with virus mutation. Over the past 3 years, the pandemic has caused isolation, mental trauma, stress, financial losses, and various health complications in individuals. Recent reports have stressed the sufferings of the physically abled population. However, we should not neglect the challenges faced by the disabled population, which were more severe in many ways due to their dependency on others at various levels. The strategies implemented to contain the virus have further aggravated their sufferings and made it even worse because health care priorities were skewed toward public-centered care. As a result, it is difficult to determine the extent of care the disabled population received during the pandemic. Moreover, a single-centered study reports that amputations in India increased by 54.1% compared with those during the prepandemic era. This indicates the need for special attention to the physically disabled community, especially persons with movement disabilities. These individuals are partially dependent and have the potential to make significant contributions to the gross domestic product if included in the human resources pool. The Indian government had launched various initiatives to improve their living status. But delays in policy implementation, reduction in budget allocation, and the ongoing pandemic have derailed the efforts. For these reasons, this article emphasizes several challenges in movement disability care. In addition, it makes recommendations for improving the quality of life of persons with movement disabilities. These include collaboration, creating start-up businesses, applying state-of-the-art logistics, establishing a technological ecosystem, raising public awareness, accessing high-quality care, and using contemporary medical devices.