Jaime Echeverri

Method to determine optimal hardware platforms in Human Centered Computing based on non functional requirements analysis

Human Centered Computing is a novel paradigm to process context information of human beings environment in which computers are invisible to the subject, providing tools and services depending on the context of each individual. An increasing interest is growing regarding embedded computers since they offer advantages related to portability, dedicated tasks, invisibility, amongst others. However, a plenty of hardware platforms are in the market, so it is complicated to determine which the best for a particular need. Benchmarks make those tasks easier by performing measurements in hardware by running applications and performing comparisons. Nevertheless, they are thought to meet some quite particular kinds of applications. Moreover, if some benchmark applications have to be merged, i.e. voice or images processing, there are not schemes to correctly measure hardware platforms. On the other hand, requirements such as reliability and availability are not commonly assessed as a dependant set in hardware platforms. In this work, we propose a novel method to select hardware architectures for Human Centered Computing based on benchmarking, genetic algorithms, weighted sums and statistical distances in order to consider non-functional requirements.

Games-based assessment strategy: Case systems engineer of Universidad de Medellín [Estrategia de evaluación basada en juegos: Caso Ingeniería de Sistemas Universidad de Medellín]

Assessment is a key element of the teaching-learning process as it allows monitoring of student’s progress. New regulations emanating from the Colombian Ministry of Education look for the promotion of formative, integral and qualitative assessment practices targeting the development of student’s abilities rather than mere acquisition of course content. Meeting these new goals requires innovative strategies to motivate students while reducing the stress generated by assessment activities. This paper describes the results of the introduction of a videogame /computer’s game as an evaluative activity in a course of the System Engineering undergraduate program at Universidad de Medellin. These results reveal that the incorporation of computer’s games in assessment activities encourages teamwork and promote greater students’ involvement in the learning process.

Motivation and Virtual Education in Computer Science: Case Universidad de Medellín-Colombia

Virtual education raises to students and teachers important challenges, normally different to those faced in conventional education. In the context of virtual education, a question that remains to be solved is associated with the level of motivation possessed by the students during the course. Usually, at the School of Engineering in the University of Medellín, this issue is tackled through activities such as chats and forums. Mostly, these activities are not enough to motivate the student in the activities related with the learning process. This work proposes two motivation strategies based on gamification and constructivism. These strategies are validated in a course called programming fundamentals, taught to all bachelor degrees given in the School of Engineering. Results obtained through the experiments suggest that proposed strategies improve the students performance and satisfaction in the course. Therefore, when teaching at the virtual scenario, using Information and Communication Technologies in the educational environment is not only the way to contact the student, it is the mean to develop pedagogical-didactic approaches that finally enrich the educational process and consequently motivate the student to perform well.

A novel application of System on Chip platforms over industrial sensor networks: A case of Ubiquitous Computing within a power generation plant

Ubiquitous Computing (UC) is a paradigm in which stakeholders interact with machines in a natural way, without constraints of time, place or access medium. Data is available everywhere to be read, consulted and modified if needed. Thus, UC becomes a powerful tool for industrial applications, where a plenty of sensors, actuators and controllers are integrated in order to produce outcomes efficiently. Nevertheless, it is common to find a lot of communication schemes that use proprietary protocols, so it is difficult to connect those different devices. Furthermore, some Information Systems inside companies are not able to transmit data outside their own networks into Internet. This work aims to show a study case where UC device is designed and implemented in a power generation plant, sensing level of combustible tanks. A System on Chip platform is used to provide flexibility, usability, better performance, better energy management and integration capabilities.

Systemic archetypes use to developing an interactive software: A children with moderated autism case

The purpose of the present paper is the identification of value elements during the development of an interactive software, which is proposed for children with learning and development difficulties. In order to identify value elements the Systemic Archetype of co-creation is used, those values are identified by using a phenomenological analysis focused on experience of the co-creation network beneficiaries. The study comprises a previous phenomenological analysis of childrens needs within their natural environment with parents and educators. The initial focus is the use case in the scenario that a child faces when going to the bathroom, identifying value elements for aural and graphic stimuli, then registered in software and used in the design phase. Results show the methodology allows the capture of value elements that express functional and no functional requirements, through qualifying speech acts with the purpose of design and develop software that could be redesigned in a co-created way with key actors using the service.

Meanful experiences for training in innovation of systems engineers: Case University of Medellín

The achievement of innovative results in academic spaces needs the constant search of the creativity. This implies defying the methodologies of traditional classes by means of utilization of special tools and techniques that suppose an additional effort for the teachers with regard to the strategies used per years. Make real the fantasy of the innovation is not a task easy to undertake in the academic occupation. This article describes some key to go beyond as for the use of techniques that improve the creativity to the interior of classes and presents results that demonstrate his potential in the generation of products with high degree of innovation. It presents in addition results of the implementation of creative techniques like design thinking, six hats and SCAMPER.

Ubiq-Ideas Machin: Ubiquitous computing system to support creative ideas generation sessions in open innovation

Ideas emerge in the less imagined scenarios, and it is mandatory to have a set of tools which ease their incorporation without time/place/access medium constraints, in order to maximize opportunities and avoid losing worthy contributions that become in incomes for innovations processes in companies or any other institution interested in actively involving their customers, employees, providers and other stakeholders in the Value Chain by means of co-creation. In this work we propose Ubiq-Ideas Machine, a ubiquitous computing prototype to support creative sessions of ideas generation by using a distributed scheme. This tool was built by reviewing literature and a strong field work with ubiquitous computing experts. We present the process until proposing the design and prototype generation. After a first assessment, an interesting projection is revealed due to a high commercialization impact.

A spatio-temporal extension to the map cube operator

OLAP (On Line Analytical Processing) is a set of techniques and operators to facilitate the data analysis usually stored in a data warehouse. In this paper, we extend the functionality of an OLAP operator known as Map Cube with the definition and incorporation of a function that allows the formulation of spatio-temporal queries. For example, consider a data warehouse about crimes that includes data about the places where the crimes were committed. Suppose we want to find and visualize the trajectory (a trajectory is just the path that an object follows through space as a function of time) of the crimes of a suspect beginning with his oldest crime and ending with his most recent one. In order to meet this requirement, we extend the Map Cube operator.

Consultas hipotéticas: la cláusula model en sql

Con el objetivo de hacer analisis historicos y predictivos mediante consultas de tipo what-if (que pasaria si), Oracle ha adicionado al lenguaje SQL la clausula MODEL. Aunque este tipo de consultas se pueden plantear tambien en SQL estandar, su planteamiento se facilita con esta clausula. En este articulo se comparan ambas aproximaciones. Para ello se plantea un conjunto de consultas planteadas con la clausula MODEL y con SQL estandar. Los resultados evidencian las ventajas de la clausula MODEL: su simplicidad en el planteamiento de las consultas y el ahorro computacional que se logra al evitar reuniones (joins), subconsultas correlacionadas y union