Cosmin Porumb

E-maintenance ontology-based approach for heterogeneous distributed robotic production capabilities

An equipment monitoring and e-maintenance information system prototype customised for the robotic production capabilities is presented in this paper. Such an infrastructure enables stakeholders from the robotic field to share and take advantage of maintenance knowledge, create virtual monitoring rooms for remote management used to track equipment performing in real production environment over the life cycle. An ontology-based representation model is developed and used in a prototype for the sharing and use of maintenance knowledge related to the robotic field. The prototype can be dynamically scaled on a hybrid cloud computing infrastructure in order to fit the needs for maintenance and monitoring of other type of production equipment.

Advanced human-computer interaction in external resource annotation

This paper presents innovative multimedia annotation methods based on advanced human-computer interaction and (a)synchronous interpersonal collaboration features. They have been implemented within ERA (External Resource Annotation) framework with the scope of going beyond the existing solutions by introducing new annotation types using external resources. Thus, anyone can easily annotate the own resources with additional information such as real-time handwriting, text and animation, or even audio/video sequences stored into public data repositories, or recorded ad-hoc, in order to create value-added interactive content. ERA framework also provides an advanced rendering tool for such complex multimedia resources.

Blended Learning Concept and its Applications to Engineering Education

The technical educational act means theory and practice, individual study, group-based projects or experimental work that involves equipment, simulation/emulation software packages and laboratory applications. In order to develop advanced e-learning tools and integrate them within online platforms for higher and postgraduate engineering education, new methodologies should be taken into consideration: project-and problem based learning, virtual laboratory (remote access to laboratory infrastructure and task evaluation) or remote assistance for diploma projects and mobility grants. This paper presents new blended learning concepts and approaches and the manner they can be adopted in engineering education, by using the symbiotic computing paradigms adapted to blended learning, especially blended learning gap and blended learning bridge.

Computer-Supported Collaborative Work and Its Application to E-Health

Most of the articles published in the last years present the asynchronous collaborative components integrated into the E-Health complex applications. They do not refer to the synchronous collaboration among the medical staff. A possible approach is because E-Health systems are patient-centered and the physicians, nurses and paramedics have to collaborate in a transparent manner not being focused on the synchronous collaborative tools. Our proposal is focused on advanced concepts for improving the telemedicine services and the real time collaboration among the medical staff. The article is based on a virtual collaboration prototype that supports both interpersonal and inter-process collaborative services and can be considered the core of a virtual healthcare community.

Blended Assessment Concepts for Formal and Informal Engineering Education

Multiple assessment options have been adopted in engineering education in the last years due to different reasons. Most of them are related to increasing the efficiency of the evaluation process applied in each activity performed by students/trainees and decreasing stress among them. The assessment methodology implemented in the formal and informal education programs mentioned in the article includes the automated evaluation approach consisting of assessment of conceptual/theoretical knowledge, as well as competences achieved within individual and/or team projects, hands-on laboratory, or simulation work. An analysis of the assessment scores reveals that end-of-programs assessments looks better if continuous evaluation methods are applied during the whole study act while students and trainees develop their own modes of learning and working based on the assessment results.

Collaborative learning tools for formal and informal engineering education

Microservices deployment of Rich Internet Applications is not a new research topic; many articles have been published and related innovative technologies released in the last years. Thus, the research work presented in this article is focused on surveying the current collaborative learning concepts and technologies and proposing a new virtual classware approach, implemented and deployed as a set of independent components responsible for specific collaborative learning services. While engineering education methodologies are complex, flexibility or openness should be considered as high priorities. Thus, an actual implementation, according to blended training scenarios, has been presented.

Advanced Learning Tools for (Non) Formal Education

An important part of the articles published in the last years highlight teaching and learning approaches and technologies integrated in complex applications and present the concepts used for creating and presenting the educational content. They refer to the methodologies used in self-and collaborative learning, including problem-and project-based learning. The assessment process is also illustrated in several articles but there is no a generic framework that complies with the rules of both formal and non-formal education acts. Our proposal is focused on advanced concepts for improving the educational services and the manner a generic framework for blended learning can be customized for higher education and lifelong learning. In addition, the paper proposes a virtual collaboration prototype that supports interpersonal and inter-process collaborative learning services that can be used as core of any rapidly growing educational community.

Collaborative Learning Tools in Higher Education and Life-Long Learning

Most of the articles published in the last years highlight teaching and learning approaches and technologies integrated in complex applications and present the concepts used for creating and presenting the educational content. They refer to the methodologies used in self and collaborative learning, including problem- and project-based learning. The assessment process is also illustrated in several articles but there is no a generic framework that complies with the rules of both higher education and life-long learning. Our proposal is focused on advanced concepts for improving the e-learning services and how a generic framework can be customized for higher education, life-long learning and e-recruitment. This book chapter presents a virtual collaboration prototype that supports both interpersonal and inter-process collaborative learning services and can be considered the core of an educational community

Hybrid framework for improving collaborative capabilities in virtual organizations

The article proposes new concepts and methods the authors used for designing a hybrid infrastructure that allows the economic agents in different business domains to create and maintain virtual business communities. The presented approach highlights several advantages of the hybrid telecommunication system designed for improving the collaborative capabilities in E-Service area by using the interactive capabilities within the functional blocks of a virtual organization. Advanced concepts such as speech-based user interaction, 2D shared graphics, E-Gap, E-Bridge, are implemented in order to assure collaborative work capabilities for a wide range of users. The end-users collaborate within a secured and stable virtual environment using workstations, tablet PCs, notebooks, PDA or Pocket PC devices.