Andrei Vlad Sambra

Linked Data Notifications: A Resource-Centric Communication Protocol

In this article we describe the Linked Data Notifications (LDN) protocol, which is a W3C Candidate Recommendation. Notifications are sent over the Web for a variety of purposes, for example, by social applications. The information contained within a notification is structured arbitrarily, and typically only usable by the application which generated it in the first place. In the spirit of Linked Data, we propose that notifications should be reusable by multiple authorised applications. Through separating the concepts of senders, receivers and consumers of notifications, and leveraging Linked Data principles of shared vocabularies and URIs, LDN provides a building block for decentralised Web applications. This permits end users more freedom to switch between the online tools they use, as well as generating greater value when notifications from different sources can be used in combination. We situate LDN alongside related initiatives, and discuss additional considerations such as security and abuse prevention measures. We evaluate the protocol’s effectiveness by analysing multiple, independent implementations, which pass a suite of formal tests and can be demonstrated interoperating with each other. To experience the described features please open this document in your Web browser under its canonical URI: http://csarven.ca/linked-data-notifications.

The Web Browser Personalization with the Client Side Triplestore

We introduce a client side triplestore library for HTML5 web applications and a personalization technology for web browsers working with this library. The triplestore enables HTML5 web applications to store semantic data into HTML5 Web Storage. The personalization technology enables web browsers to collect semantic data from the web and utilize them for enhanced user experience on web pages as users browse. We show new potentials for web browsers to provide new user experiences by personalizing with semantic web technology.

A Trustful Authentication and Key Exchange Scheme (TAKES) for ad hoc networks

This paper presents a new public key distribution scheme adapted to ad hoc networks called TAKES for Trustful Authentication and Key Exchange Scheme. Its originality lies in performing authentication and key distribution with no need for a trusted authority or access to any infrastructure-based network, thanks to the use of Cryptographically Generated Addresses. Moreover the solution is very convenient having a simple operational mode at no extra hardware cost. TAKES aims to build a trust association between a person, his/her communicating device, the IP address of the device, and his/her public key. As a direct result, new security functions like associating a misbehaving node to its owner, securing end-to-end communications through tunnels, or even implementing a light naming system can be enabled on top of ad hoc networks. TAKES is formally proven using BAN logic and a proof-of-concept implementation demonstrates its feasibility within ad hoc networks.

Open Governance as a Service

This extended abstract discusses how public services can become more open and engage citizens more actively, by providing the local, public administration with the right tools. It calls for public services to think more creatively about how they can collaborate with the public to make better use of the energy and enthusiasm, as well as missing skills that people have and want to offer. It explores the challenges, both in terms of policy and technology, that public services face in mobilizing resources that are by nature voluntary. We intend to provide the governance tools that enable public services to leverage skills coming from the local community, and improve their autonomy, transparency and analytical tools required for true open governance.