Videoconferencing System Research Articles

Enrollment and Completion Characteristics for Novel Remote Delivery Modes of the Self-management Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploratory Analysis.

In-person, evidence-based, peer-facilitated chronic disease self-management programs have been shown to be effective for individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including rural and minority populations and those with lower socioeconomic status. Based in social learning theory, these programs use group processes to help participants better manage their chronic disease symptoms and improve their quality of life. During the pandemic, these in-person programs were forced to rapidly transition to remote delivery platforms, and it was unclear whether doing so increased disparities within our rural population. The objectives of this analysis were to ascertain self-management program enrollment and completion characteristics between 2 remote delivery platforms, as well as determine the individual level characteristics that drove enrollment and completion across delivery modes. We analyzed enrollment and completion characteristics of 183 individuals who either enrolled in a self-management workshop delivered through a web-based videoconference (VC) system or through a traditional, audio-only conference call (CC) offered by our health care network between April and December 2020. Chi-square tests of association were used to describe the characteristics of and differences between groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine significant predictors of enrollment and completion. Those who enrolled in the VC platform were significantly likelier to be younger and college educated than those who enrolled in the CC platform. Those who completed a program, regardless of delivery mode, were likelier to be older and college educated than those who did not complete a program. Multivariate analyses indicated that of those enrolled in the CC platform, completers were likelier to not be enrolled in Medicaid. Among those enrolled in the VC platform, completers were older, college graduates, female, and likelier to have reported poorer health than those who did not complete the program. The transition of self-management programs to remote delivery modes, particularly to those that rely on VC platforms, revealed that certain demographic groups may no longer be able or willing to access the service. Efforts need to be made to increase engagement in remote self-management workshops. In addition, equivalent quality services that do not rely on a digital platform must continue to be offered in order to promote health equity.

A vehicle whistle database for evaluation of outdoor acoustic source localization and tracking using an intermediate-sized microphone array

Acoustic source localization and tracking (ASLT) are always hot topics for their wide applications, such as binaural hearing aids, smart devices, and audio–video conference systems. Numerous ASLT algorithms have already been proposed, however only very limited open databases were available for evaluation their performance. To date, most of these existing databases were recorded indoors using only a limited number of microphones. To the best of our knowledge, it still lacks of available open databases to evaluate ASLT algorithms for outdoor applications using an intermediate-sized microphone array. This paper describes a new database for evaluation ASLT algorithms, where a planar array with 32 MEMS microphones were designed to record a great number of vehicle whistles in outdoor environments with the vertical distance about 8 m away from the center of this array to the road surface. Besides the detailed description of this database, an example using the steered response power-phase transform sound source localization method was provided to show that the vehicle whistle database has been successfully built. The vehicle whistle database and the demo code have been uploaded and available online.

Efficacy of Telemedicine Using Videoconferencing Systems in Outpatient Care for Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review aimed to investigate the efficacy of telemedicine (TM) using videoconferencing systems in outpatient care for patients with cancer. We searched six electronic databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ICTRP, and ClinicalTrials.gov) through June 2021 to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the use of TM using videoconferencing systems compared with usual face-to-face care in outpatient care for patients with cancer. We assessed the certainty of evidence on the basis of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. From the 2,400 articles screened, six randomized controlled trials were eligible for this study. Two studies evaluated the use of TM in cancer follow-up and four investigated psychotherapy for cancer. TM using videoconferencing systems may result in no differences in primary outcomes such as patient satisfaction (standardized mean difference, 0.11; 95% CI, -0.18 to 0.40) and outpatient attendance complete proportion (risk difference, 0.02%; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.09), and secondary outcomes such as medical professional satisfaction, time devoted to outpatient care, and depression score. The certainty of evidence for these outcomes was low. Although the average money spent on outpatient visit was a primary outcome, the level of evidence was uncertain. Our results suggest that TM using videoconferencing systems in outpatient care for patients with cancer may be as effective as usual face-to-face care. Use of TM more frequently may be considered for patients with cancer who are expected to obtain benefit from TM using videoconference systems.

Lessons Learnt From The Home Office: An Autoethnographic Case Study

The Corona pandemic has certainly acted as a catalyst for technology enabled and technology enhanced learning. In this paper technology enabled learning is defined as learning activities that are supported and made possible by technology, while technology enhanced learning refers to learning activities where technology has improved the quality. To what degree, and how teaching and learning activities and meetings have been transformed depends on the actual educational orchestration before the pandemic. This case story is based on experiences from courses and collaborations at a department of computer and system science. The question that guided this study was: "What are the lessons learnt from online activities at the home office during the pandemic?". This study was carried out as an autoethnographic case study with five case units: 1) A programming course 2) A course for Bachelor's thesis writing, 3) A course for system development by internship, and 4) Staff meetings and 5) Research collaborations. Results indicate that at a department where technology enabled blended synchronous learning was the standard mode already before the pandemic, the forced changes have not been that drastic. However, the course with internship and workplace learning has really suffered. The course where students have their Bachelor's thesis supervision has been much alike, while the other units show improvements that could be classified as technology enhancement. Ensemble programming online has worked very well, staff meetings have been more focused than in face-to-face mode, and the research collaborations have been efficient and with a high number of publications. Research methods seems to have changed with more literature reviews, more of email interviews and more of focus group interviews in video conference systems. The part of research that has suffered is the one with conferences, and as an example, networking at a virtual conference has been rather poor. Finally, many home offices seem to survive the pandemic due to the high and high-quality delivery from home, with the known risk of distance workers becoming workaholics.

When Instructions Based on Constructive Controversy Boost Synergy in Online Groups

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of people throughout the world participated in remote meetings in online groups using videoconferencing systems. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects on group synergy of a series of instructions based on constructive controversy delivered during online collaboration. After performing a decision-making task individually, 125 participants were randomly assigned to online groups to collaborate and reach a consensus using a videoconferencing system, either in “free discussion” or “instructed discussion” groups. Results revealed that groups with instructions outperformed their best members (strong synergy) at higher rates than groups without instructions. Moreover, participants reported higher epistemic conflict regulation when they received instructions than when they did not. These findings suggest that providing instructions based on constructive controversy during a collaborative task can boost synergy and epistemic conflict regulation in online groups.

Collective feedback based on quizzes in online learning: a “double-edged sword” effect on attitude to courses, emotions, and academic behaviors

ABSTRACT The role of individual feedback in (online) learning has been widely studied by researchers, but collective feedback based on quizzes and its impact on various academic outcomes has been overlooked to date. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of displaying individual or collective feedback during an online course on students’ attitudes (interest in the course), emotions (social comparison threat), and behaviors (engagement and academic performance). A two-hour online learning session was conducted among undergraduate students in psychology (N = 155) to examine the effects of collective or individual feedback using quizzes on academic outcomes. In a control condition, each student received individual feedback from the teacher privately on their own device indicating the correct/incorrect answers to each quiz question. In an experimental condition, collective feedback was given publicly to the whole online class by displaying the distribution of answers by response options to each quiz question via a videoconferencing system which shared the teacher’s computer screen. Results showed that students perceived a greater threat of social comparison, and demonstrated lower behavioral engagement and academic performance in the collective than in the individual feedback condition. The opposite effect was found on interest in the course, which was higher when collective feedback based on quizzes was displayed than when it was not. These findings suggest that collective feedback can be considered as a “double-edged sword” generating both positive and negative impacts depending on the type of academic outcomes taken into consideration. Highlights Collective feedback-based on quizzes is a “double-edged sword” in online learning. Collective feedback has a positive effect on students’ interest in the course. Collective feedback is threatening for students due to potentially unfavorable social comparisons. Collective feedback has negative effects on engagement and academic performance.

Digital Legal Relations – Modern Reality

The article substantiates the appeal of the authors of the special issue of the journal dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to the topic of special legal relations formed under the influence of the implementation of digital technology in all spheres of government. The authors review areas of use by public authorities, including the judiciary, information and digital technologies, national legal acts intended to facilitate the effective development of the digital economy. In connection with the 100th anniversary of the key role of the judicial system of Russia in the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms of the individual, ensuring the realization of state interests, the article defines the stages of development of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, and also emphasizes the importance of giving it the status of “the highest judicial body” by the Russian Constitution in its new version. The authors analyze the stages of the ongoing judicial reform, fundamental changes aimed at improving the judicial system and proceedings, including the impact of digital technologies: filing statements and necessary documents online, conducting court sessions using video-conferencing systems, sending electronic notices to participants of judicial proceedings by the courts and much more. All this demonstrates that the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation supports and implements the concept of digitalization of court proceedings, various aspects of which are covered in the publication prepared by the scientists of the Russian State University of Justice.

A Tale of Three Videoconferencing Applications: Zoom, Webex, and Meet

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, videoconferencing has become the default mode of communication in our daily lives at homes, workplaces and schools, and it is likely to remain an important part of our lives in the post-pandemic world. Despite its significance, there has not been any systematic study characterizing the user-perceived performance of existing videoconferencing systems other than anecdotal reports. In this paper, we present a detailed measurement study that compares three major videoconferencing systems: Zoom, Webex and Google Meet. Our study is based on 62 hours’ worth of more than 1.1K videoconferencing sessions, which were created with a mix of emulated videoconferencing clients deployed in the cloud, as well as real mobile devices running from a residential network over two separate periods with nine months apart. We find that the existing videoconferencing systems vary in terms of geographic scope and resource provisioning strategies, which in turns determine streaming lag experienced by users. We also observe that streaming rate can change under different conditions (e.g., available bandwidth, number of users in a session, mobile device status), which affects user-perceived streaming quality. Beyond these findings, our measurement methodology enables reproducible benchmark analysis for any types of comparative or longitudinal study on available videoconferencing systems.

Impact Of Exercise Delivery Mode Under The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comparison Of Face-to-face Versus Zoom In Patients With Diabetes And/or Hypertension

Patients were commonly referred to a face-to-face center-based exercise program by healthcare providers. With the recent restriction on social gathering under the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, online exercise program delivered through videoconferencing system (e.g., Zoom) may be a promising solution to overcome this barrier. To date, little information is known about the relative effectiveness of exercise program delivered through face-to-face versus online modes. PURPOSE:To compare the effectiveness of exercise training delivery between the face-to-face and online (Zoom) mode. METHODS:A total of 59 patients (age: 65.7 ± 6.9 yrs-old) with diabetes and/or hypertension completed a 12-week exercise program (60 minutes/session, one session/week) delivered through either a face-to-face (n = 27) or videoconferencing system (Zoom) (n = 32). Health-related physical fitness including handgrip (muscular strength), 30-second chair stand test (lower body strength), chair sit-and-reach test (lower limb flexibility), and 2-minute step test (aerobic endurance) were measured at the baseline and post-intervention. RESULTS:Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in all health-related fitness parameters (p < .05) except the 30-second chair stand test on face-to-face group. Only the 30-second chair-stand test found significant interaction (p < .001). Score of 30-second chair stand test for online group improved from 13.8 ± 0.7 reps to 18.5 ± 0.8 reps (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS:Besides traditional face-to-face exercise delivery mode, online-exercise delivery mode may be an alternative option to improve similar health related outcomes among patients with diabetes and/or hypertension, especially under restriction of social interaction such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Production Monitoring to Improve Test Suites

In this paper, we propose to use production executions to improve the quality of testing for certain methods of interest for developers. These methods can be methods that are not covered by the existing test suite, or methods that are poorly tested. We devise an approach called PANKTI which monitors applications as they execute in production, and then automatically generates differential unit tests, as well as derived oracles, from the collected data. PANKTI's monitoring and generation focuses on one single programming language, Java. We evaluate it on three real-world, open-source projects: a videoconferencing system, a PDF manipulation library, and an e-commerce application. We show that PANKTI is able to generate differential unit tests by monitoring target methods in production, and that the generated tests improve the quality of the test suite of the application under consideration.

A Hybrid Encryption Scheme for Quantum Secure Video Conferencing Combined with Blockchain

Traditional video conference systems depend largely on computational complexity to ensure system security, but with the development of high-performance computers, the existing encryption system will be seriously threatened. To solve this problem, a hybrid encryption scheme for quantum secure video conferencing combined with blockchain is proposed in this study. In the system solution architecture, first, the quantum key distribution network is embedded in the classic network; then, the “classical + quantum” hybrid encryption scheme is designed according to the secret level required for the video conference content. Besides, the real-time monitoring module of the quantum key distribution network is designed to ensure that users can check the running state of the network at any time. Meeting minutes can be shared by combining with blockchain. In order to quickly query meeting minutes, a cache-efficient query method based on B+ tree is proposed. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional video conference system, the quantum secure video conference system sufficiently integrates the technical advantages of the quantum key distribution to resist the security threats such as channel eavesdropping and high-performance computational attacks while ensuring the stable operation of the classic system, thus providing a video conference system with a higher security level. Meanwhile, the query time cost of blockchain with different lengths is tested, and the query efficiency of the proposed method is 3.15-times higher than the original query efficiency of blockchain.

Cluster system load balancing model with consideration of hardware characteristics of server hardware

Objectives. To upgrade and complement the existing load balancing model in multi-server systems, taking into account the hardware characteristics of the server equipment, as well as the most loaded components of the server equipment in the video conferencing service cluster in educational processes and distance education.Methods. The existing mathematical model of load balancing as a mass exchange system is considered, when significant changes are introduced: penalties for equipment downtime and penalties for waiting in a queue will depend on the load on the server hardware components in the cluster architecture of video conferencing service.Results. Formulas are given for calculating the total performance of a cluster of n servers with the maximum and minimum load of server hardware components in a videoconferencing system cluster.Conclusion. A modeling complex has been developed to test the mathematical model on a system of up to n &lt; 10 servers in a cluster of a videoconferencing system. Based on the results of calculations of the modeling complex, it was concluded that it is necessary to upgrate the existing algorithm for balancing the load on the selected BigBlueButton video conferencing service.

Promoting an equity-based approach for social and emotional learning in physical education teacher education: international teacher educators’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Despite growing attention on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in education settings (Jones, S. M., McGarrah, M. W., & Kahn, J. (2019). Social and emotional learning: A principled science of human development in context. Educational Psychologist, 54(3), 129–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2019.1625776), there also has been an increasing concern that the existing understanding of SEL is not based on diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural perspectives (Hurd, E., Brinegar, K., & Harrison, L. (2021). Equity-based social emotional learning (SEL): A critical lens for moving forward. Middle School Journal, 52(3), 2–3. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2021.1893994). The purpose of this research was to explore teacher educators’ perspectives on promoting an equity-based approach for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in physical education teacher education (PETE) from an international perspective. Using an international comparative case study design (Penn, R. (2019). International comparative case studies: Multiple methods in action. Sage.), 18 teacher educators were recruited from 10 different countries (Australia; Brazil; Cyprus; China; Finland; Germany; Ireland; New Zealand; South Korea; The United States). Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted using a video-conferencing system to collect data on the participants’ perspectives on promoting equity-based SEL in PETE. Using a systematic process of inductive data analysis by Miles et al. (Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook. Sage.), four findings were generated: (a) Respecting differences with culturally responsive pedagogy, (b) Embedding diversity across different phases, (c) Critical introspection on self and others, and (d) Having intentional and difficult conversations. Based on the findings, more research needs to be conducted in the future to investigate how PE teachers incorporate equity elements into their SEL practices in real-time school settings.

Perception of direct gaze in a video-conference setting: the effects of position and size

A common problem in video conferences is gaze direction. In face-to-face communication, it is common that speaker and listener intermittently look at each other. In a video-conference setting, where multiple participants are on the screen, things are complicated and not necessarily optimal. If the listener feels looked at when the speaker looks into the camera, how tolerant is the listener for slight deviations? And does this depend on the position of the speaker’s tile on the screen, or the size of the tile? In a first experiment, participants from a student population judged whether they are looked at, while vertical gaze direction of the looker was varied. Furthermore, the position of the tile on the screen varied. The results showed that a slightly upward directed gaze was optimal for the direct gaze judgment, with a width of ± 4 degrees. Optimal gaze direction was somewhat higher for tiles at the bottom of the screen. A second experiment tested the effect of size on the perception of horizontal gaze directions. Size was found to increase the gaze cone. The paper concludes with some recommendations for a setup of video conference systems, optimized for perceived gaze contact.

Procedural Guarantees of the Rights of Participants in Investigative Activities Carried out via a Video Conferencing System

The modern digital transformation of Russian society affects criminal proceedings, which results in the expansion of the scope of application of LegalTech tools in the course of criminal proceedings. The purpose of LegalTech in modern criminal proceedings is to optimize not only the professional activities of the governmental participants in the criminal procedure when they carry out procedural actions and make procedural decisions, but also the procedural mechanism for protecting rights, defending legitimate interests by non-governmental participants in the field of activity under consideration. The results of the analysis of domestic and foreign experience (the Republic of Belarus, Ukraine, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Finland, and the Swiss Confederation), alongside with the position of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, makes it possible to conclude that the investigator should use a video conference system during interrogation, confrontation, and identification.At the same time, the author presents some arguments confirming the need to implement additional legal, organizational, technological measures in pre-trial proceedings in order to overcome the risks of unjustified restriction of the rights and legitimate interests of participants in these investigative actions.We are talking about expanding the rights of participants in the analyzed investigative actions, clarifying the legal regulation of the procedure for video recording during the production of these actions, regulating the procedural status of the investigator-executor of the order on organizing the participation of a suspect, accused, victim, witness in investigative actions carried out using a video conferencing system, optimizing the technological support of criminal investigation business.The author proposes to expand the procedural guarantees of the rights of certain social groups who, due to their state of health, social immaturity, lack of technical equipment, are not able to perceive the LegalTech technological tools, when an investigator decides on the production of an investigative action using a video conferencing system.

The Camera-on or Camera-off, Is It a Dilemma? Sparking Engagement, Motivation, and Autonomy Through Microsoft Teams Videoconferencing

A videoconferencing system to communicate synchronously is an indispensable tool for educators, teachers, students, parents, and administrators in online courses. One of the effective online learning platforms that can increase student engagement and motivation in online courses is Microsoft Teams. This research aimed to explore English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ views of enacting Microsoft Teams videoconferencing. This study employed a mixed-method design complemented by observation, open-ended questionnaires, as well as in-depth interviews for qualitative analysis in capturing and exploring their experience of synchronous learning using the Microsoft Teams in the post-pandemic. Furthermore, close-ended questionnaires were also distributed as quantitative data. The results revealed that Microsoft Teams helped the learners to be more involved in debates with both faculty and students as a result of their participation in discussion forums. They also gained a better comprehension and knowledge of language learning. It was clear that they were highly motivated and enjoyed the online course due to its ease of use and fun features, and they appreciated direct feedback in the synchronous online meeting. Thus, the learners with strong motivation can develop their learning autonomy. They can monitor and evaluate their self-progress in learning. Further research is highly recommended for exploiting Microsoft Teams to create innovations in a virtual classroom.

A WebRTC Based Video Conferencing System with Screen Sharing

Abstract: With the modern and rapid development of the internet, people's connections are more important than ever, and they're looking for new ways to communicate with one another in real time. WebRTC is a futuristic technology that enables realtime communication in audio, video, and data transmission through web browsers without the need for a plugin by using JavaScript APIs (Application Programming Interface). In this paper, we present a web peer-to-peer real-time communication system that allows users to communicate across a communication channel with high-speed data transmission using WebRTC technology, HTML5, and a Node.js server address. The outcome demonstrates that the system is stable, fully functioning, and secure. Keywords: WebRTC, Vide o Conferencing Application, Peer to Peer

Integrating mobile technologies in a smart classroom to improve the quality of the educational process: Synergy of technological and pedagogical tools

The article describes the possibilities of mobile learning to implement the innovative educational concept of Smart Classroom. To increase the effectiveness of international partnerships and to develop opportunities for creating innovative projects in relevant socio-economic areas, an online forum "Engineering of educational courses in the medical and pharmaceutical industry" was held. Proficonf videoconferencing system made it possible to organize five online meetings on digital technologies in the training of modern pharmaceutical personnel within the concept of "Smart Classroom". The study results show that under digital transformation of the educational paradigm, it is advisable to consider a curriculum development strategy in the university ("Smart Campus"). Based on the study results, one can conclude that implementing the concept of "Smart Classroom" allows one to improve teaching methods and interaction between students at all stages of international educational relations.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: digital technology, mobile learning, Smart Classroom, Smart Environment, Smart Technology, student interaction.

The Affordances of Video Conferencing Tools in Synchronous Online Sessions in the Turkish EFL Context

In 2020, video conferencing went from a novelty to a necessity, and its usage skyrocketed due to shelter-in-place throughout the world. However, there is a scarcity of academic research on the psychological effects and mechanisms of video conferencing, and scholars need tools to understand this drastically scaled usage. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to understand EFL teachers’ expectations and needs for video conferencing tools. 578 English as a foreign language education teachers who live in Turkey participated in this study. Mixed-methods research was used to analyze the survey results. The findings of this study can be used to guide the selection of appropriate videoconferencing systems for educational purposes. They also provide information on how to investigate teaching methods and pedagogies for online education. This study also includes a series of suggestions for how to improve videoconferencing tools.

VirtualCube: An Immersive 3D Video Communication System.

The VirtualCube system is a 3D video conference system that attempts to overcome some limitations of conventional technologies. The key ingredient is VirtualCube, an abstract representation of a real-world cubicle instrumented with RGBD cameras for capturing the user's 3D geometry and texture. We design VirtualCube so that the task of data capturing is standardized and significantly simplified, and everything can be built using off-the-shelf hardware. We use VirtualCubes as the basic building blocks of a virtual conferencing environment, and we provide each VirtualCube user with a surrounding display showing life-size videos of remote participants. To achieve real-time rendering of remote participants, we develop the V-Cube View algorithm, which uses multi-view stereo for more accurate depth estimation and Lumi-Net rendering for better rendering quality. The VirtualCube system correctly preserves the mutual eye gaze between participants, allowing them to establish eye contact and be aware of who is visually paying attention to them. The system also allows a participant to have side discussions with remote participants as if they were in the same room. Finally, the system sheds lights on how to support the shared space of work items (e.g., documents and applications) and track participants' visual attention to work items.