Roy S. Kalawsky

Supply chain risk management: present and future scope

Purpose - This paper examines Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) from a holistic systems thinking perspective by considering the different typologies that have evolved as a result of earlier research. The aim of research reported in this paper is the identification of important strategic changes in the field and to outline future requirements and research opportunities in SCRM.Design/methodology/approach - The Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology employed by our research was used to evaluate and categorise a literature survey of quality articles published over a period of 10 years (2000-2010). Additionally, the findings from the SLR have been strengthened through cross validation against results obtained from an associated text mining activity.Findings - The SLR methodology has provided a rich, unbiased and holistic picture of the advances in the field of SCRM. Consequently, important new research areas have been identified based on a multi-perspective descriptive and thematic data analysis. In addition, our analysis based on evolved typologies indicates a growth of SCRM from a nascent to a fairly established activity over the past decadePractical implications - The systematic approach undertaken for the literature review will provide future researchers and managers with an insightful understanding of the scope of the SCRM field. Also, the literature review provides important clues on new research directions for SCRM through identification of gaps in current knowledge.Originality/value - The holistic approach to SCRM was found to be an important missing link in earlier literature surveys. The outcome of the Systematic Literature Review reported in this paper has provided critical insights into the present and future scope of the SCRM field. The identified research insights, gaps and future directions will encourage new research techniques with a view to managing the risks in the globalized supply chain environment.

VRUSE—a computerised diagnostic tool: for usability evaluation of virtual/synthetic environment systems

A special questionnaire (VRUSE) has been designed to measure the usability of a VR system according to the attitude and perception of its users. Important aspects of VR systems were carefully derived to produce key usability factors for the questionnaire. Unlike questionnaires designed for generic interfaces VRUSE is specifically designed to cater for evaluating virtual environments, being a diagnostic tool providing a wealth of information about a users viewpoint of the interface. VRUSE can be used to great effect with other evaluation techniques to pinpoint problematical areas of a VR interface. Other applications include bench-marking of competitor VR systems.

Noncontact imaging photoplethysmography to effectively access pulse rate variability.

Abstract. Noncontact imaging photoplethysmography (PPG) can provide physiological assessment at various anatomical locations with no discomfort to the patient. However, most previous imaging PPG (iPPG) systems have been limited by a low sample frequency, which restricts their use clinically, for instance, in the assessment of pulse rate variability (PRV). In the present study, plethysmographic signals are remotely captured via an iPPG system at a rate of 200 fps. The physiological parameters (i.e., heart and respiration rate and PRV) derived from the iPPG datasets yield statistically comparable results to those acquired using a contact PPG sensor, the gold standard. More importantly, we present evidence that the negative influence of initial low sample frequency could be compensated via interpolation to improve the time domain resolution. We thereby provide further strong support for the low-cost webcam-based iPPG technique and, importantly, open up a new avenue for effective noncontact assessment of multiple physiological parameters, with potential applications in the evaluation of cardiac autonomic activity and remote sensing of vital physiological signs.

Use of ambient light in remote photoplethysmographic systems: comparison between a high-performance camera and a low-cost webcam

Imaging photoplethysmography (PPG) is able to capture useful physiological data remotely from a wide range of anatomical locations. Recent imaging PPG studies have concentrated on two broad research directions involving either high-performance cameras and or webcam-based systems. However, little has been reported about the difference between these two techniques, particularly in terms of their performance under illumination with ambient light. We explore these two imaging PPG approaches through the simultaneous measurement of the cardiac pulse acquired from the face of 10 male subjects and the spectral characteristics of ambient light. Measurements are made before and after a period of cycling exercise. The physiological pulse waves extracted from both imaging PPG systems using the smoothed pseudo-Wigner-Ville distribution yield functional characteristics comparable to those acquired using gold standard contact PPG sensors. The influence of ambient light intensity on the physiological information is considered, where results reveal an independent relationship between the ambient light intensity and the normalized plethysmographic signals. This provides further support for imaging PPG as a means for practical noncontact physiological assessment with clear applications in several domains, including telemedicine and homecare.

A systems approach for modelling supply chain risks

Purpose - With increasing exposure to disruptions, it is vital for supply chains to manage the risks proactively. Prediction of potential failure points and overall impact of these risks is challenging. In this paper, systems thinking concepts are applied for modelling supply chain risks. The aim of this research is to develop a holistic, systematic and quantitative risk assessment process for measuring the overall risk behaviour.Design/Methodology/Approach - A framework for Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) is developed and tested using an industrial case study. A systematically developed research design is employed to capture the dynamic behaviour of risks. Additionally, a system based supply chain risk model is conceptualized for risk modelling. Sensitivity modelling results are combined for validating the supply chain risk model. Findings - The systems approach for modelling supply chain risks predicts the failure points along with their overall risk impact in the supply chain network. System based risk modelling provides a holistic picture of risk behavioural performance which is difficult to realise through other research methodologies commonly preferred in the SCRM research. Practical Implications - The developed framework for SCRM is tested in an industry setting for its viability. The framework for SCRM along with the supply chain risk model is expected to benefit practitioners in understanding the intricacies of supply chain risks. The system model for risk assessment is a working tool which could provide a perspective of future disruptive events.Originality - A holistic, systematic and quantitative risk modelling mechanism for capturing overall behaviour of risks is a valuable contribution of this research. The paper presents a new perspective towards using systems thinking for modelling supply chain risks.

Human Factors Evaluation Techniques to Aid Understanding of Virtual Interfaces

Advances in enabling technologies such as broadband wide area networks and the proliferation of the Internet has led to industry and home users looking beyond conventional communications media. Consequently, the telecommunications industry has been extending its application domain over recent years. Indeed, mediated communication has become a reasonably well established research area. Numerous modes of communication have been utilised successfully for various applications. From e-mail and text chat to videoconferencing systems, the use of mediated communication has become a part of daily life. Virtual environments (VEs) are highly configurable media, ranging from relatively basic to extremely elaborate architectures. At their most complex, they promise a seamless interface between real and synthesised environments. The potential for media-rich environments is seeded in the technologys capacity to faithfully represent the participants (both physically and dynamically) and for those participants to present and interact with (shared) data in an intuitive manner. It is the latter of these attributes which is highly relevant to communications and is discussed in this paper. The various configurations of virtual reality (VR) technology make matching the user to the technology an extremely complex task. Clearly, a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of these systems is required. Even though human factors (HF) evaluation and design techniques are well established in other human/computer interaction (HCI) fields, knowledge and understanding of virtual interfaces is limited. HF evaluation in VR is a complex subject and covers many aspects, such as basic human performance, cognition, and sensory capability. To address all these factors individually in an empirical fashion would demand a very long and expensive research programme. In addition, such studies may not predict the users overall performance in a multi-modal VE. This paper deals with an alternative approach to understanding the issues of human performance in virtual environments via a process of top-down systems engineering evaluation. This paper is designed to provide an introduction to the assessment of virtual environments, and a reference for interface designers and researchers engaged in the investigation of mediated communication.

Capturing user requirements for an integrated home environment

Technology is being developed at a rapid rate such that a large proportion of the population are finding it impossible to utilize the full functionality of products. In an integrated home environment, it is vital that technology products are not only desirable but also accessible to the whole population in terms of functionality and usability. This work-in-progress paper presents the findings from the first phase of a project investigating smart user interfaces (SUIs) in the context of an integrated home environment. To gather the requirements for universal access, eight workshops were conducted focussing on the needs, attitudes and expectations of people towards smart homes. This will contribute to the development of user led design criteria for the development of a prototype universal SUI.

Sensor Networks for Continuous Health Monitoring

Continuous monitoring of well being is one of a number of new schemes under development that promise to reduce the UKs health care bill and ease the burden on carers and support organisations. Fundamental to its widespread adoption is the deployment of low-cost sensor networks in residential, sheltered and community settings. These networks must be capable of a variety of monitoring functions, the data from which is collated locally and then delivered to health care professionals over the national network. Delivering this data reliably and securely is central to BTs service offering. This paper describes our work to date in developing a sensor network that will be deployed in later trials of continuous well-being monitoring.

Old theories, new technologies: cumulative clutter effects using augmented reality

The paper investigates human cognitive performance when information is presented via augmented reality (AR) and overlaid upon a primary display. Initial results support traditional experimental paradigms of human memory (G.A. Miller, 1956) and comprehension of information (C.D. Wickens, 1992), and have been used to compare AR and standard display formats when used in isolation. Results from these experiments provide a fundamental baseline for cognitive performance with a see-through AR headset. Furthermore the results lay the foundations for more comprehensive trials later in the research programme when the display formats are combined to provide a full AR facility. Consideration is given to the specific effects of cumulative clutter and two experiments are outlined that investigate the effects on target identification. Although the data are still being analysed, further consideration is given to key points addressed in the experimental design. Details of a dedicated Web site are provided where information will be consolidated and provide a basis for developing guidelines for the future development and application of AR technology.

Using Architecture Patterns to Architect and Analyze Systems of Systems

The inherent nature of a Systems of Systems (SoS) makes it very difficult to model and analyze it through conventional means. One of the first challenges faced is how to represent the SoS in a form that lends itself to detailed analysis, especially when full details of the component systems may not be readily available. Therefore, an important consideration is whether use of model abstractions can be sufficient to deal with many of the analysis needs of the SoS. It is clear there is a need for a new paradigm, encompassing methodology, models, tools and flows that enable the future engineering of SoS in order that they can be operated effectively. This paper describes how we are using architecture patterns to architect and analyze SoS in order that we can compare different architecture solutions and provide guidelines for the development of a future architectures based on the analysis of existing architectures. Insights are given to show the benefits for SoS architecture analysis with exemplars taken from a test case dealing with emergency response for a major incident in the UK. Our findings show the significant increase in SoS characterization that patterns can afford the systems architect in all phases of SoS evolution in order to deliver improved SoS capability.