Traditional Desktop Computers Research Articles

Benchmarking Neural Network Compression Techniques for Ocular-Based User Authentication on Smartphones

With the unprecedented mobile technology revolution, mobile devices have transcended from being the primary means of communication to an all-in-one platform. Consequently, an increasing number of individuals are accessing online services for e-commerce and banking via smartphones instead of traditional desktop computers. However, smartphones can be easily misplaced, lost, or stolen more often than other computing devices, thereby demanding effective user authentication mechanisms for device unlocking and secured transactions. Ocular biometrics has obtained significant attention from academia and industry because of its accuracy, security, and ease of use in mobile devices. Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of deep learning models for ocular-based user authentication on smartphones. However, these high-performing models require enormous space and computational complexity due to the millions of parameters and computations involved. These requirements make their deployment on resource-constrained smartphones challenging. To this end, a handful of studies have been proposed for compact-size ocular-based deep-learning models to facilitate on-device deployment. In this paper, we conduct a thorough analysis of the existing neural network compression techniques applied as a standalone and in combination for ocular-based user authentication. Extensive experimental validation is performed on the two latest large-scale ocular biometric datasets collected using smartphones, namely, UFPR and VISOB 2.0 datasets. This study benchmarks the results of advanced compression techniques for further research and development in lightweight models for ocular-based user authentication on smartphones.

Tablets im Unterricht deutscher Schulen - Eine empirische Studie zur Akzeptanz und Nutzung von Tablets in vier Schulen

In German schools tablets become an increasingly significant role, in which they either replace the traditional desktop computer or notebooks or be introduced as new digital media in the classroom. An empirical study at four schools in the city of Wiesbaden in Germany investigated the use of tablets in schools, expectations and acceptance of the new teaching with tablets by teachers and students as well as changes in the quality of teaching. The results show that the value of tablets dependent less of the devices than from their didactically justified use here is the educational.

Efficient non-ergodic ground-motion prediction for large datasets

An efficient numerical method for non-ergodic ground-motion inference and prediction is proposed that alleviates the large computational and memory requirements associated with the traditional approach based on Gaussian Processes described in Landwehr et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am, https://doi.org/10.1785/0120160118, 2016). The method uses the latest developments in Gaussian Processes and Machine Learning from Wilson and Nickisch (in: International Conference on Machine Learning, pp 1775–1784, 2015) (SKI) and Gardner et al. (in: International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Statistics, pp. 1407–1416, 2018) (SKIP) and uses sparse approximations combined with efficient matrix decompositions to accurately approximate the large covariance matrices involved in the calculations. This efficient method can be used for both inference of hyperparameters of the non-ergodic ground-motion models and for forward predictions of non-ergodic median ground-motion. The application to predictions are presented. For large datasets of 100,000 to 1,000,000 ground motion values, the proposed method increases the computation speed by factors of 100 to 1000, reducing run times from days to minutes. In addition, the memory requirements are reduced from hundreds of GB to a few GB only, which makes the development of non-ergodic ground-motion models practical using traditional desktop computers.

The Use of Smartphone English Language Learning Apps in the Process of Learning English: Slovak EFL Students’ Perspectives

In recent years, an accelerating trend in an undergoing shift from the use of traditional desktop computers towards the utilisation of smartphones for language learning purposes has been detected. In line with these trends, this study aims to investigate Slovak EFL learners’ attitudes and perceptions of English language learning apps (ELLA) regarding practicing and learning English. Furthermore, the differences in the perception of ELLA between the male and female research participants are also analysed. The target population totalled 158 Slovak university EFL learners, 48 males and 110 females, who were required to display their level of agreement to statements by responding to a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The instrument consisted of 30 statements altogether, involving items on apps’ usage and apps’ perception. The calculated means indicate that the participants’ attitudes and perceptions of ELLA range between being neutral and positive, and that EFL learners tend to practice language systems and skills to varying degrees. Moreover, 30 independent-sample t-tests, which were run in order to determine the differences between the male and female attitudes and perceptions, reveal that 50% of statements on apps’ usage and apps’ perception differ significantly, demonstrating considerable differences between the two sexes. The achieved results seem to contribute to the existing research on the use of smartphones and ELLA in the context of EFL learning by casting more light on mobile language learning, an area that merits further scientific exploration.

College-level mathematical modelling with mobile devices

PurposeThis work is devoted to increasing the effectiveness of a mathematical modelling lesson with the help of mobile devices. It verifies the authors' hypothesis which states that enabling students to solve mathematical models on mobile devices improves their academic results in the discipline.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes an experiment conducted among 38 college students in an extracurricular mathematical club where they solved mathematical models with the help of their own smartphones. The authors describe the mathematical models assigned to students, analyse their academic performance and gather their opinions.FindingsThe usage of mobile devices in the mathematical modelling class positively affects students' scores and interest in the subject. The percentage of positive grades among students working on mobile devices is higher than among students working on desktop computers.Originality/valueThe authors discover that in the context of the college-level mathematical modelling course, mobile devices can be successfully used as an alternative replacement for traditional desktop computers.

COVID-19 and the Courts. The case of the CJEU

The article describes the generally positive experience of Court of Justice of the European Union in managing the Covid-19 crisis. Before the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis the Court had established an effective structure to cope with risks and issues related to pandemics. It benefited from an extensive migration to a modern computer operating system and the replacement of traditional desktop computers by portable devices capable of remotely connecting to the Court’s network. Appropriate teleworking and extensive dematerialisation and simplification of standard administrative procedures took place and proved their effectiveness. The disruptive dimensions of COVID-19 pandemic forced the CJEU to accelerate transformations – not only digital but managerial and judicial processes The author analyses several phases of organising the functioning of the Court during the pandemic and comes to the conclusion that that the Court proved to be well prepared to tackle the issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the quest of the future organisation will also have to do more with smart management and the new modes of working. Keywords: Justice, Court Administration, COVID-19, CJEU.

The educational impact of using mobile technology in a database course in college

PurposeNowadays, when mobile devices are actively evolving and penetrating the various spheres of human activity they have a potential to modernize and facilitate the sphere of IT education as well. This paper aims to test the hypothesis stating that introduction of mobile technology to the college-level database course for future IT specialists has a positive academic impact on students.Design/methodology/approachThe main theoretical premises for the present study were the general findings of the surveys by Hinze et al. (2017) and Bowen and Pistilli (2012) indicating that: using mobile tools to work on classroom projects improves student’s academic success students, especially those from computing specialties, actively turn to mobile tools in their academic activity students favor the Android and iPhone platforms and prefer native mobile apps to Web-based mobile apps The key idea of the present study was to validate these general premises in the specific case of the college-level database class. Namely, the authors formulated a hypothesis that Android-based mobile devices have a positive impact on the IT students’ academic performance and interest in the subject at the college-level introductory database lessons. Throughout the study, the authors examined both quantitative (students’ scores and attendance rate) and qualitative aspects (students’ and teachers’ opinions) of the hypothesis.FindingsBased on the experiment’s positive outcome resulting in students’ increased academic performance and interest in the subject, the authors conclude that in the context of the college-level database course mobile devices can successfully substitute traditional desktop computers and positively affect students’ academic activity.Originality/valueBased on the experiment’s positive outcome resulting in students’ increased academic performance and interest in the subject, the authors conclude that in the context of the college-level database course mobile devices can successfully substitute traditional desktop computers and positively affect students’ academic activity.

Linkage between predictive transmitting ability of a genetic index, potential milk production, and a dynamic model

With the increased use of information and communication technology-based tools and devices across traditional desktop computers and smartphones, models and decision-support systems are becoming more accessible for farmers to improve the decision-making process at the farm level. However, despite the focus of research and industry providers to develop tools that are easy to adopt by the end user, milk-production prediction models require substantial parameterization information for accurate milk production simulations. For these models to be useful at an individual animal level, they require the potential milk yield of the individual animals (and possibly potential fat and protein yields) to be captured and parameterized within the model to allow accurate simulations of the interaction of the animal with the system. The focus of this study was to link 3 predicted transmitting ability (PTA) traits from the Economic Breeding Index (PTA for milk yield, fat, and protein) with potential index parameters for milk, fat, and protein required as inputs to a herd-based dynamic milk model. We compiled a data set of 1,904 lactations that included different experiments conducted at 2 closed sites during a 14-yr period (2003-2016). The treatments implied different stocking rates, concentrate supplementation levels, calving dates, and genetic potential. The first step, using 75% of the data randomly selected, was to link the milk, fat, and protein yields achieved within each lactation to their respective PTA value, stocking rate, parity, and concentrate supplementation level. The equations generated were transformed to correspond to inputs to the pasture-based herd dynamic milk model. The equations created were used in conjunction with the model to predict milk, fat, and protein production. Then, using the remaining 25% data of the data set, the simulations were compared against the actual milk produced during the experiments. When the model was tested, it was capable of predicting the lactation milk, fat, and protein yield with a relative prediction error of <10% at the herd level and <13% at the individual animal level.

Rospix: modular software tool for automated data acquisitions of Timepix detectors on Robot Operating System

We present software for interfacing FITPix and USB Lite compatible readout electronics using Robot Operating System (ROS). ROS is widely adopted middleware for integration of sensors, processing algorithms and logic to autonomous systems such as robots, unmanned helicopters, and robotic payloads. Thanks to ROS, Timepix detectors can be deployed in automated experiments on platforms spanning from traditional desktop computers to small ARM devices such as Raspberry Pi and Odroid. Acquisition and detector settings can be controlled in Linux shell allowing deployment on headless devices. Using ROS networking capabilities, captured frames and detector control can be transmitted via a network, which allows building distributed processing pipelines. The proposed software is a lightweight package, easily connectable to existing visualization, logging, and processing software in ROS. It offers simple bindings to custom Python and C++ programs for real-time control of the acquisition or processing of the captured frames. Rospix was deployed on NASA suborbital rocket, which was successfully launched on April 4, 2018, from Kwajalein Atoll by Pennsylvania State University. Rospix provides reliable solution for mobile robots where the collected data are used in real time to guide the robot through an environment. We release Rospix using the GitHub platform and welcome the community to contribute on the first project connecting the fields of ionizing radiation imaging and mobile robotics.

Using Gesture, Gaze, and Combination Input Schemes as Alternatives to the Computer Mouse

Novel input devices can increase the bandwidth between users and their devices. Traditional desktop computing uses windows, icons, menus, and pointers – an interface built for the computer mouse and very effective for pointing-and-clicking. Alternative devices provide a variety of interactions including touch-free, gesture-based input and gaze-tracking to determine the user’s on-screen gaze location, but these input channels are not well-suited to a point-and-click interface. This study evaluates five new schemes, some multi-modal. These experimental schemes perform worse than mouse-based input for a picture sorting task, and motion-based gesture control creates more errors. Some gaze-based input has similar performance to the mouse while not creating additional workload.

Advances in Mobile Mental Health: Opportunities and Implications for the Spectrum of E-Mental Health Services.

Reprinted with permission from mHealth (2017), 3:34.

Advances in mobile mental health: opportunities and implications for the spectrum of e-mental health services.

Mobile health (mHealth), telemedicine and other technology-based services facilitate mental health service delivery and may be considered part of an e-mental health (eMH) spectrum of care. Web- and Internet-based resources provide a great opportunity for the public, patients, healthcare providers and others to improve wellness, practice prevention and reduce suffering from illnesses. Mobile apps offer portability for access anytime/anywhere, are inexpensive versus traditional desktop computers, and have additional features (e.g., context-aware interventions and sensors with real-time feedback. This paper discusses mobile mental health (mMH) options, as part of a broader framework of eMH options. The evidence-based literature shows that many people have an openness to technology as a way to help themselves, change behaviors and engage additional clinical services. Studies show that traditional video-based synchronous telepsychiatry (TP) is as good as in-person service, but mHealth outcomes have been rarely, directly compared to in-person and other eMH care options. Similarly, technology options added to in-person care or combined with others have not been evaluated nor linked with specific goals and desired outcomes. Skills and competencies for clinicians are needed for mHealth, social media and other new technologies in the eMH spectrum, in addition to research by randomized trials and study of health service delivery models with an emphasis on effectiveness.

Source camera identification: a distributed computing approach using Hadoop

The widespread use of digital images has led to a new challenge in digital image forensics. These images can be used in court as evidence of criminal cases. However, digital images are easily manipulated which brings up the need of a method to verify the authenticity of the image. One of the methods is by identifying the source camera. In spite of that, it takes a large amount of time to be completed by using traditional desktop computers. To tackle the problem, we aim to increase the performance of the process by implementing it in a distributed computing environment. We evaluate the camera identification process using conditional probability features and Apache Hadoop. The evaluation process used 6000 images from six different mobile phones of the different models and classified them using Apache Mahout, a scalable machine learning tool which runs on Hadoop. We ran the source camera identification process in a cluster of up to 19 computing nodes. The experimental results demonstrate exponential decrease in processing times and slight decrease in accuracies as the processes are distributed across the cluster. Our prediction accuracies are recorded between 85 to 95% across varying number of mappers.

Privacy conscious architecture for personal information transfer from a personal trusted device to an HTTP based service

Modern services request personal information from their customers. The personal information is not needed onlyfor identifying the customer but also for customising the service for each customer. In this paper we first analyse the existing approaches for personal information handling and point out their weaknesses. We desribe an architecture for the delivery of personal information from the customer to the HTTP based service in the Internet. For personal information storing our architecture relies on a mobile device, such as a customer’s mobile phone. The access of the service is conducted with a traditional desktop computer. The information is transmitted to the serviceon request via a desktop computer that fetches the information from a mobile device over a wireless link.The goal of our approach is to simplify the use of servicesby helping the customer to provide the required personal information. Furthermore our approach is designed so that existing services require only minor changes. We introduce methods for the customer to control his own privacy by providing notation to define the required security measures for automated data transfer. Finally we discuss the possible security risks of our architecture.

Promoting Voluntariness on Technology Usage in Organisations

Voluntariness in technology adoption and use is vital in promoting technology diffusion and use in organisations. Various technology adoption models have been proposed to explain the adoption of technologies in different settings, such as organizational and individual, as well as in the voluntary and mandatory contexts. Recently, uptake of mobile phones in achieving organisational targets has been increased in developing countries and Tanzania in particular. This is due to the notable improvements in both hardware performance and sophistications. In organisation context, not all users are willing to use technology as required. In such circumstances, they are mandated to use it in order to fulfil their working duties. This leads to poor uptake of technology and results to unclear understanding regarding to their attitudes towards using it. While some studies have discussed the impact of voluntariness in using traditional desktop computer systems and thin client computing, mobile phone technology has not received the deserved attention. Discussing voluntariness in using mobile phone technology in organisations in relation to other technologies is essential especially due to its usage in both working and private purposes. This paper describes the voluntary aspects of using mobile phones in performing activities of the firms in Tanzania and compares it with desktop and thin client technologies. Also, it proposes possible ways of handling such situation in order to improve its use. Among others, the paper has analysed mandotoriness on usage of mobile technology. Further, it highlights key areas which should be addressed in order to improve the usage of mobiletechnology in organisations and eventually cover the gap caused by such mandatory situations.

Applicability of keystroke dynamics as a biometric security feature for mobile touchscreen devices with virtualised keyboards

Touchscreen-based smartphones with virtualised QWERTY keyboards are becoming increasingly popular and by and by displace the old numerical keypads of normal cellular phones. On traditional desktop computer keyboards, which basically feature the same layout as the virtualised smarthpone keyboards, keystroke dynamics analysis KDA algorithms have long since been successfully used as an additional factor for user authentication. However the question remains whether the algorithms used for desktop computers also achieve good results on touchscreen-based devices. This paper presents the results of an experimental user study on the performance of a KDA algorithm for desktop computers applied on a touchscreen-based smartphone. The results achieved are far inferior than those achieved with a desktop computer keyboard. As will be shown, standard typing characteristics like time between two key events which provide good results for user authentication on desktop computers are not sufficient for building a successful KDA algorithm for virtual touchscreen keyboards. Hence, this paper also identifies additional features that could be incorporated in such an algorithm in order to improve the accuracy of KDA on touchscreen-based mobile devices.

Trends in home computing and energy demand

Household energy demand due to domestic computer usage has changed beyond recognition over the past thirty years. Computers are now used in most homes, almost every day and laptop ownership has overtaken traditional desktop computers. Mobile devices give access to services that in the past required desktops, and they are usually more energy efficient. Today's computers usually rely on wireless routers that are often run all day. The effect of these changes on electricity use in the home has been profound. At least 60% more electricity was used for UK home computing in 2012 than in 1990. The implications of recent changes in information technology use are assessed for domestic electricity use and carbon emissions, using data from the Household Electricity Survey (HES) – the most detailed survey of electricity consumption in UK homes. On average, routers use twice as much energy per day as the laptops they serve. Laptops also draw power at a different time of day compared with desktop computers – which has implications for generation. Policy and practical recommendations are made for reducing energy use for information technology, including the estimated energy savings that could be achieved if UK routers met the US Energy Star standard for energy efficiency.

Big Data 2.0: Cataclysm or Catalyst?

Big Data 2.0: Cataclysm or Catalyst?

Histostitcher™: An informatics software platform for reconstructing whole-mount prostate histology using the extensible imaging platform framework

Context: Co-registration of ex-vivo histologic images with pre-operative imaging (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) can be used to align and map disease extent, and to identify quantitative imaging signatures. However, ex-vivo histology images are frequently sectioned into quarters prior to imaging. Aims: This work presents Histostitcher™, a software system designed to create a pseudo whole mount histology section (WMHS) from a stitching of four individual histology quadrant images. Materials and Methods: Histostitcher™ uses user-identified fiducials on the boundary of two quadrants to stitch such quadrants. An original prototype of Histostitcher™ was designed using the Matlab programming languages. However, clinical use was limited due to slow performance, computer memory constraints and an inefficient workflow. The latest version was created using the extensible imaging platform (XIP™) architecture in the C++ programming language. A fast, graphics processor unit renderer was designed to intelligently cache the visible parts of the histology quadrants and the workflow was significantly improved to allow modifying existing fiducials, fast transformations of the quadrants and saving/loading sessions. Results: The new stitching platform yielded significantly more efficient workflow and reconstruction than the previous prototype. It was tested on a traditional desktop computer, a Windows 8 Surface Pro table device and a 27 inch multi-touch display, with little performance difference between the different devices. Conclusions: Histostitcher™ is a fast, efficient framework for reconstructing pseudo WMHS from individually imaged quadrants. The highly modular XIP™ framework was used to develop an intuitive interface and future work will entail mapping the disease extent from the pseudo WMHS onto pre-operative MRI.

1st Anniversary for Advanced Optical Materials

It has been a successful year since the first issue of Advanced Optical Materials was published. The journal is a forum for high quality materials science research related to light–matter interactions. In the twelve issues of the 2013 volume we have published more than a hundred original research articles which were complemented by reviews and progress reports from experts in their respective fields. The journal was nearly immediately accepted by the community, evidenced by high manuscript submission numbers. Thus, in its first year, the journal could already accept only the top 30% of submissions for publication. The topics covered in this journal span a broad spectrum of optical materials research. You can read about photonics, plasmonics, metamaterials, nano-optics, optoelectronics, detectors and sensors, resonators, waveguides and many more interesting fields. To give you a flavor of our journal, the articles that generated the most interest and enjoyed high download numbers in 2013 were selected for the “Best of Advanced Optical Materials” which has been published here. We were delighted that Advanced Optical Materials was selected for indexing in the Web of Knowledge at a very early stage. This was one of our goals, to ensure the highest visibility for the contributions in Advanced Optical Materials. The journal will still be freely accessible to registered users until the end of 2014, as it has been since its launch in January 2013. If your institution has not yet registered, contact your librarian to register here. In view of modern publishing, Advanced Optical Materials is a fully electronic journal and offers optional open access by participating in Wiley's OnlineOpen scheme. Details about OnlineOpen can be found here. Next year will bring exciting new features as the “Anywhere Article” is implemented for all Wiley's journal publications. With this new article format, you can conveniently enjoy our content on portable devices like tablet computers or even mobile phones as well as on traditional desktop or laptop computers. It offers enhanced functionality and increased clarity for readers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Editorial Advisory Board, which has been essential in building the journal's reputation as well as having contributed much advice and support. It has grown from its original sixteen members for the topical section in Advanced Materials in 2012 to 27 members in 2013. We would like to welcome our new members: They will further strengthen the considerable expertise already assembled. Our thanks also go to the numerous scientists that are willing to assist us in judging the scientific quality of the manuscripts submitted to Advanced Optical Materials. Thanks to already more than 600 referees, our average reviewing time from submission to first decision remains below 20 days. Special thanks go to some highly dedicated reviewers who have already submitted up to six reports this year for our journal! We deeply appreciate this support. Last but not least, Advanced Optical Materials relies strongly on its authors, who continuously submit their high quality work to the journal. We are very grateful for their trust in our journal, and we are convinced that next year will be as exciting as the first year of Advanced Optical Materials. By now we have met some of you personally at conferences and workshops. We hope that we will be able to get in touch with many more of you in 2014. You can also find us on YouTube and Twitter. In this spirit we wish you all the best for the coming year and hope that you will stay interested in Advanced Optical Materials. P.S.: The Advanced Materials and Small family of journals has expanded in the last few years, showing how materials science will help to shape future research directions to resolve the challenges that face society. Advanced Energy Materials and Advanced Healthcare Materials have become top journals for materials science research in the energy and healthcare sectors, respectively. We are delighted to announce the newest member in our journal family: Advanced Materials Interfaces provides a high quality and multidisciplinary publication forum for research in surface and interface science. Peter Gregory Editor-in-Chief and Consulting Editor Guido Fuchs Editor Eva Rittweger Editor Anja Eberhardt Editor