José Gonçalves Pereira Filho

Using an ECG reference ontology for semantic interoperability of ECG data

In this paper we test the hypothesis that a domain reference ontology of the electrocardiogram (ECG) can be employed in an effective manner to achieve semantic integration between ECG data standards. Several standardization initiatives, namely AHA/MIT-BIH (Physionet), SCP-ECG and HL7 aECG, have led to heterogeneous conceptualizations of the ECG domain. We then argue that a shared anchor, the biomedical reality under scrutiny, can effectively support the semantic integration of these ECG standards into a coherent ECG representation for the sake of a unified Electronic Health Record (EHR) model. Our hypothesis is tested by means of an integration experiment that uses, on the one hand, an ECG Ontology and, on the other hand, elicited conceptual models of the ECG standards. As a conclusion, we attest the hypothesis and also provide an integration table depicting correspondence links between entities in the ECG Ontology and elements in the ECG standards.

An ontology-based application in heart electrophysiology: representation, reasoning and visualization on the web

Computational technologies have been increasingly explored to make biomedical knowledge and data more accessible for human understanding, comparison, analysis and communication. In this context, ontology has been recognized in the bioinformatics literature as a suitable technique for advancing knowledge and data representations in Biomedicine. Moreover, automated reasoning and visualization mechanisms can favor in providing support for human comprehensibility as well as in dealing with the complexity inherent to this domain. This paper elaborates on the application of ontology for heart electrophysiology representation, reasoning and visualization on the web. The ontology-based application we propose can be used to offer support for interactive learning in heart electrophysiology.

ECG data provisioning for telehomecare monitoring

The latest computer and communication technologies in combination with an enhanced ECG analysis system can be used to improve cardiac patients follow-up out-of-hospital. In this way, real-time transmission of the so-called ambulatory electrocardiogram (AECG) to a remote health application with awareness of the patients context can support decision making as well as to allow efficient emergency attendance. However, the effectiveness of such a service requires tackling challenges of hardware and software beyond the common issues normally addressed in the literature. This paper proposes an ECG provisioning system that handles advanced issues such as flexibility and interoperability in pervasive scenarios as much as the well-known need for efficient transmission. This system architecture embraces an ECG analysis system based on hidden markov models and makes use of an original ECG markup language.

Semantic context reasoning using ontology based models

New mobile computing technologies and the increasing use of portable devices have pushed the development of the so-called context-aware applications. This new class of applications aims at improving human-computer interactions by supporting dynamic adaptations according to context changes. This paper discusses the suitability of using ontologies for modeling context information and presents the design, implementation and applicability of an ontology based context interpreter. The proposed interpreter is responsible for inferring new context information in a context-aware services platform.

A service architecture for sensor data provisioning for context-aware mobile applications

One of the main issues that inhibit the development of context-aware mobile applications is the lack of systematic methods for sensor data acquisition. This lack, however, is a result of the diversity of sensor data and its acquisition devices. In face of this, there is a need for general engineering solutions in order to address the common sensor data acquisition concerns. This paper presents a service-oriented architecture that allows the rapid prototyping of sensor data provisioning systems. This architecture is then applied to the Healthcare domain for providing cardiac signals in the scope of a context-aware telemonitoring system. The architecture is defined by entity and behavior models through a service-oriented design (SOD) language that has tool support.

Using a lightweight ontology of heart electrophysiology in an interactive web application

Biomedical knowledge and data have been increasingly more explored by computer programs in providing support for human visualization of biomedical phenomena. Use scenarios of such graphical simulations range from physicians decision support to aid-learning in medical sciences. The knowledge and data representation often plays a prominent role in such biomedical applications. In this sense, this paper introduces the use of a lightweight ontology of heart electrophysiology in an interactive web application. We reflect on this ontology-based application to highlight some benefits achieved with a representation based on a combination of the semantic web languages OWL DL and SWRL. The application can be used to offer support for interactive learning in heart electrophysiology.

Automated image recognition of public lighting luminaries

Brazilian energy distribution companies need to frequently update their database of the public lighting network. Since changes on this network are frequently not reported, it is important to monitor where they are made. An electronic device is under development for making this task easier. One component of this device uses image processing and recognition techniques to identify the luminaire models of the public lighting spot. This paper presents the comparative analysis of techniques for image description and classification we have performed in order to discriminate different models of luminaires.

RS4IoT: a Recommender System for IoT

This paper presents RS4IoT, a recommendation web service for smart devices. RS4IoT provides an API to perform multi-attribute sensor recommendation tasks, in which client applications can inform which features the sensors to be recommended should contain. In addition, RS4IoT interacts with social networks to identify how certain sensors and actuators are evaluated by users and to gauge their importance in the recommendation. RS4IoT provides interoperability through an information model based on the W3C Semantic Sensor Network (SSN) standard.

Modeling and automatic code generation for wireless sensor network applications using model-driven or business process approaches: A systematic mapping study

Abstract This systematic mapping study investigates the modeling and automatic code generation initiatives for wireless sensor network applications based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, trying to understand the reasons, characteristics and methods used in the approaches available in the scientific literature, identifying research gaps and potential approaches that can be better exploited, indicating new possibilities of research. The focus is on studies that follow the Model-Driven or Business Process approaches.

A Protocol to Secure Context-aware Service Discovery in Complex Earth Experiments

Ubiquitous Computing allows the use of context-aware applications, a new set of functionalities which adopt contextual information. The structure of such type of information allows the development of more flexible and adaptable services, rich in functions and centered on user demands. The development and management of such services require dynamic mechanisms which consider the nature of contextual information. Service discovery protocols offer such dynamism and ontology is a way to deal with the complexity of the contextual information. Experiments to monitor the environment, like the LBA, due to the diversity of devices, services and contexts, are good examples of ubiquitous environments where service discovery protocols can be a essential tool. SCaSDP is a new service discovery protocol which considers the nature of contextual information and allows a secure management of services and user information. SCaSDP uses a semantic matching algorithm of service descriptions based on ontology’s.