Dario Assante

The Use of Cloud Computing in SMEs

Abstract Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) assure economic growth in Europe. Generally, many SMEs are struggling to survive in an ongoing global recession and are often reluctant to release or pay for staff training. Cloud Computing offers many opportunities and could help companies to improve their business and use technology more efficiently In this chapter, learning methods particularly E-Learning in European SMEs is described in part 1. In this paper a short presentation of Cloud Computing and advantages for SMEs (part 1), the objectives of the European project IN-CLOUD (part 2) and the work in progress within this project are presented.

Involving graduating engineers in applying a commercial brain-computer interface to motorized wheelchair driving

Engineering students have a natural strong desire to see how their laboriously acquired knowledge has effective application in real life. A small group of students were involved to apply their knowledge of computer science, electronics, and electrical engineering to something unusual and with a social impact: driving a wheelchair by using brain-computer interfaces. Todays development of these interfaces are not yet so advanced to be effectively used in health devices and must be considered very carefully. This led to a pilot experiment that kept all the charm of the original goal, but would have no drawbacks if something should go wrong: moving a small cart, based on Arduino boards, interfaced with a normal laptop to a commercial and affordable brainwave sensing headset. Being the driver not onboard, a Bluetooth connection has been used to send commands to the cart. Results are twofold. The cart actually moved where requested, and this is even more noticeable after considering that the people involved had limited time training and had no reduced mobility, which means less psychological involvement, otherwise recognized as an important factor of success. The group manifested a strong interest in every part of the project, giving them awareness of their actual skills and their actual ability to autonomously acquire new skills as needed. This study is the outcome of the International Telematic University Uninettuno and Helwan University (Cairo, Egypt) in a four year long cooperation for a double degree (one recognized in Italy and all Europe and the other in Egypt). The students involved had completed all the exams and were going to graduate. This project was devised for one of their MS thesis.

An international cooperation experience between the International Telematic University Uninettuno and the Helwan University: The double degree in ICT Engineeing

The International Telematic University Uninettuno organizes an ICT Engineering distance degree course in cooperation with the Helwan University (Il Cairo, Egypt) since 2006. The use of e-learning didactic allows to Egyptian students to study at home or in the Technological Pole of the Helwan University and to take a double degree, one recognized in Italy and all Europe and the other in Egypt. After a cooperation of four years the first students have completed all the exams and are going to graduate. In this paper we analyze the main results of this international experience.

Edutronics: Gamification for introducing kids to electronics

In this paper we present the Edutronics project, a new game-based equipment to introduce kids to Electronics by means of a fun learning environment based on learning by doing. The equipment has been developed as a graduation project by a group of Egyptian students, enrolled in a double degree program in ICT Engineering, organized by Uninettuno University (Italy) and Helwan University (Egypt). The equipment is composed by a hardware platform and a controlling software. The hardware platform consists of a didactic kit designed to allow to build electric circuits in a amusing and safe way. The controlling software has been developed as a mobile application and provides the students with exercises to be solved. Todays ubiquity of social networks is enabled through a Facebook profile in order to publish ones results. An Arduino board with Bluetooth shield connects the hardware to the software and is able to check the correctness of each exercise solutions. Such an equipment is targeted to young students of primary to high schools in order to introduce them to Electronics in a safe way and with an affordable cost for schools.

A didactic electronic set-up for introducing to complex networks of chaotic oscillators

The paper describes a portable didactic experiment, realizing a complex network of Chuas circuits, along with its use for introducing collective dynamics in networks of nonlinear oscillators to students. The equipment enables the full configurability of the nodes parameters and the network structure (topology and link impedances). An 8 nodes portable version is realized as a demonstrator, however the corresponding laboratory experiment is designed to be easily scalable to a high number of nodes. The networks control and the data acquisition are automated thanks to a USB interface board and a LabVIEW control interface. The experiment allows the student to perform some direct real time analysis of a set of networked (coupled) Chuas circuits, with the goal to give immediate impact to the discovery of collective behaviors. In particular, the proposed experiences range from the characterization of the complex dynamics of the isolated nodes to the complete synchronization, as well as the emergence of clustering and waves. It is adopted within some course on Advanced Circuit Theory at the Master Degree level.

A remotely accessible photovoltaic system as didactic laboratory for electrical engineering courses

With the involvement of graduating engineering students, a remotely accessible solar energy laboratory has been developed, in order to simulate a small photovoltaic system. The laboratory includes two photovoltaic cells, a charge controller, batteries and a dummy load. A Raspberry PI microcontroller enables to control the different inputs, measures the voltages and the currents in the circuit and provides a remote access through the web. The lab intends to be a prototype of remote lab for the University, in terms of realization costs, communication protocols and software interface. It will be used by graduate students in the Electrical Engineering courses, enabling them to perform some experiments at distance.

Work in progress: Experimental set-up for the analysis of circuits with fractional order components

The interest around Fractional Calculus has significantly grown in the last thirty years, at first by the mathematical point of view and later with respect to several technical application. In circuit theory, Fractances are components with particular properties: the most important one is a fractional order characteristic relation between voltage and current. In the last years, the studies related to fractances significantly increasing, however these components are rarely taught even in the advanced circuit theory courses. The main reasons are the advanced mathematical knowledge required to deal with them and the difficulty to implement in practice. With these work we would like to face the second problem, implementing a remote laboratory enabling the students to practice with fractances. The laboratory would consist of a signal generator, an oscilloscope and several circuits including fractances, to study the effect of these components in different conditions. Different implementations of the fractances are proposed, to analyze the main differences.

Smart open online tool for adaptive education on Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is a breakthrough paradigm and even more a key aspect for the digital transformation of companies, the Public Administration and Society. The IN-CLOUD project, funded by the European Union, aims to train and qualify professionals able to introduce and manage cloud-based services and technologies in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Public Administrations. Among all the outcomes of the project, a smart open online tool has been designed for adaptive education. The tool is able to assess the needs of each different user and to propose a customized learning path, optimally fitting his/her didactic needs and expectations.

THE ROLE OF VET CERTIFICATIONS IN MOOCS

Currently cloud computing is an innovation enabler for small and medium enterprises. It fosters costeffectiveness and competitiveness in companies. However, many of them do not give a stepforward in this transformation process mainly because of lack of knowledge and understanding of the technology. For that reason, the IN-CLOUD project is currently working on developing professional qualifications based on MOOCs to train european SMEs. The resulting courses will be associated to a set of Vocational Education and Training qualification at different levels. Thanks to these courses students will be able to update their technical skills, improve their employability opportunities and get certifications of their acquired knowledge.