Seung-yun Kim

On a collaborative commerce framework and architecture for next generation commerce

Collaborative commerce (or c-commerce) can be regarded as the next evolutionary step beyond the more basic process of electronic commerce (or e-commerce). It is an emerging area that is based on interactions enabled by Internet technology. It offers many levels of coordination, collaborative interactions and cooperation among or within organizations, and between individuals. C-commerce requires the establishment of dynamic collaborative environments over the Internet. In a collaborative environment, organizations and individuals can work together, share sensitive information, protect their privacy, and collaborate on activities and projects efficiently and effectively. This paper presents an overview of some principal concepts and definitions of c-commerce, and proposes an intelligent collaborative commerce (ICC) system architecture. The core component of the ICC architecture is a collaborative Web portal which can be used with existing e-commerce systems. We then describe each block in the collaborative Web portal component as well as the layers of Web services envisioned and their functions. The architecture can be implemented in a variety of network-centric scenarios, which form the basis for future work and further development

Toward an integrated human-centered knowledge-based collaborative decision making system

Collaboration and the use of knowledge in collaborative decision-making are fundamental to all organizational processes, and have been the subject of research in management and in decision and computer sciences for years. More recently, it has become necessary to integrate human-centered designs and groupwork practices with other aspects of collaborative systems to ensure higher levels of human involvement in task processes. Human-centered systems not only allow greater involvement, but require higher user friendliness, end-user satisfaction, learnability, and so on. In addition to the aforementioned advantages, human involvement enables the system to capture a wider context, create more knowledge and enhance its collaborative and decision making abilities. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a good balance and integration of the human aspects with enabling technologies for knowledge and decision making. This paper presents human-centered decision-making system (HUDS), an architecture for collaborative decision making in a knowledge based system with active human involvement. We discuss its architecture and concentrate on its main features, namely, decision making, knowledge management, and human computer interaction. We also present case studies that can be used to validate our architecture and to show how information and knowledge flow through the designed system. This architecture can be implemented in a variety of networked scenarios which form the basis of our future work and further development.

Security and Access Control for a Human-centric Collaborative Commerce System

The rise of globally distributed computer based workspaces has enabled the incorporation of collaboration in electronic commerce (e-Commerce) systems. Working in collaborative environments with e-Commerce technologies leads to the subject of collaborative commerce (or c-Commerce). C-Commerce creates dynamic collaboration and harnesses organizations’ information and knowledge base into a computer-based framework to support personalized access to potentially all participants and information in a given community. One of the main concerns in such a system is security and control of access. Many distributed organizations and individuals want to work together and share their information and knowledge in the process. At the same time, they need to protect their privacy and sensitive information and establish proper protocols for access and sharing activities. This paper discusses a human-centered collaborative commerce system (HCCS) and its security and access control design. Specifically, it presents three security modules and components that will support collaborative exchange and processes. We, then, introduce an improved access control method and algorithm which is role-, group-, and task-based (RGT-based access control) that ensures information and resources access efficiently. Developing further access control algorithms and implementations will be considered in a variety of case studies in future work.

Efficient Handling of Changes in Dynamic Workflow Systems

Workflow systems have been used in collaborative environments for many years to assist individuals and organizations to organize project executions and carry out work sequences. Two conflicting goals are argued in the literature regarding workflow systems: the need to provide efficient flexibility in terms of capabilities to handle changing situations and the need for control without creating high overhead. For this reason, current research in workflow systems concentrates primarily on making the workflows flexible to changes in processes. In this paper, we present an approach to handle changes in dynamic workflow systems. First, we introduce efficient change handling algorithms that will incorporate certain modifications that must be made in the current workflow, and based on the results, a new workflow will be generated accordingly. Then we introduce a case study to validate our algorithms. Finally, we simulate and compare the proposed algorithms with existing ones to show the level of improvement that can be achieved.

Multi-Disciplinary Integrated Framework and Architecture for a Human Centered Collaborative Commerce System

In recent years, collaborative commerce (or c-commerce) and human-centric systems have been research subjects of keen interest in Web-based technologies and have become a major focus for many organizations. C-commerce provides and supports dynamic collaborative environments over the Internet and other potential public information networks (PINs). It offers many levels of collaborative interactions and enables organizations and individuals to work simultaneously, cooperatively, as well as independently. Of late, it has become increasingly important to integrate human-centered designs in collaborative systems to achieve user-oriented environments. This paper presents human-centered c-commerce system (HCCS), an architectural framework for collaborative commerce with integration of some human aspects. We discuss its framework and describe each component of the proposed architecture. We contend that using an intelligent c-commerce system, such as HCCS, will enhance collaboration between individual users and among organizations, and will provide effective infrastructure to achieve the intended objectives of collaborative work

Toward a distributed collaborative human-centric decision-making system: An information grid approach

Advances in computer science and communication technologies have helped people, businesses, and organizations interact faster and easier than ever before. In the future, computers will be required to play a lot more active role in performing a wide range of activities, such as collaboration, decision-making, task automation, data and information management, and so on, to create and share knowledge while assisting users in performing tasks. Computers will have to be a seamless and transparent part of our environment, and their design will have to concentrate as much on human centeredness as on other aspects of the system. Tomorrows computer based environments will require an optimal integration of decision-making, knowledge management, and human computer interaction aspects. They will also need to be truly pervasive and ubiquitous in nature. The main goal of this paper is to propose an Information Grid-based approach towards realizing such human-centric computing systems in a distributed environment, in order to facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and distributed decision-making, at both local and global levels. The proposed framework is a layered approach that incorporates decision making, human centeredness and knowledge management at various points in the architecture. A first step towards the implementation of such a system is also proposed by incorporating the HUDS architecture [16] in a grid-based scenario. This implementation incorporates four important properties, namely, pervasiveness, awareness, autonomicity, and human factors in order to make the system human centric in nature.

On a corporate e-commerce system design and implementation

The growth of electronic commerce (e-commerce) is complex and rapidly expanding. E-commerce is also one of the fastest growing application areas for the World Wide Web, spanning all businesses and industries and providing new paradigms. Computer-based technologies embody essential characteristics of work environments which require many decision making processes. Decision support systems (DSS) allow managers to be more productive in the sense of facilitating more effective and efficient decision making. This work proposes a corporate e-commerce system which is based on DSS and discusses how to design and implement a usable e-commerce system. The system has four components: security module, service module, learning module, and decision making management module. Using an intelligent e-commerce system, such as this one, will enhance the employees skills and management levels, reduce production costs, promote product sales, and strengthen corporations market competitiveness effectively.

3-D printed hand assisstive exoskeleton for actuated pinch and grasp

In the United States over 1 million Americans suffer from muscular disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Parkinsons disease. Muscular disorders can affect the skeletal muscles that control hand movements by reducing strength and dexterity resulting in a loss of the hands ability to perform everyday functional movements such as pinching and grasping. A power assistive exoskeleton was designed to amplify a users residual strength and restore functional movements. This device incorporates a multi-digit mechanism comprising of a thumb, index, and grouped third MRS (middle, ring, small) digit. Each digit will provide flexion/extension through the coupling of a solenoid pneumatic actuator and a double action pneumatic cylinder working in compression. The double action pneumatic cylinders are connected to a polymer-braided cable that can produce a force on each digit allowing it to actuate. The solenoid pneumatic actuator is powered through a control system that receives sensor feedback from force sensing resistors placed on each digit, and converts it to an electrical signal. Preliminary testing will include the utilization of forearm EMG data obtained when the user performs daily tasks such as picking up a pencil, a 5 lb bag, and a water bottle with the exoskeleton. These results should present a reduction in pinching and grasping effort with respect to normal force production in each subject tested, and thereby successfully amplifying these movements and restoring hand functionality.

A perspective on the design of human-centered collaboration systems

The combination of computer and communications technologies has opened up many new opportunities for getting commercial and social benefits for organizations and communities in general. Applications of computer science and computing systems today are not limited to businesses and office environments, but have spread into the military, healthcare and even entertainment domain. In this context, user-friendliness and human centeredness are two key terms fast gaining popularity and importance. In this paper, we attempt to provide a universal definition for human centeredness and a human-centric system. In doing so, we focus on five areas which we consider the most important while designing systems that are human-centric in nature. We discuss the need for human-centric system design, and in doing so analyze important issues and challenges in past and current human-centric design approaches. We also present a framework for human-centric system design, and discuss how this framework can be helpful to designers and researchers alike. We conclude the paper by presenting an architecture that incorporates human centeredness and collaboration.

Modeling and analysis of a web-based collaborative enterprise using Petri nets

Lately, web-based collaborative enterprises concepts have been applied in numerous information systems and have become a key focus for many organizations. The well structured, modeled and analyzed architectural framework of the system is a very important part of the process when developing applications, since these applications are subject to frequent change and increased complexity. This paper discusses three essential phases of designing a web-based collaborative enterprise: framework, modeling and analysis. First, the paper proposes an application oriented web-based collaborative system architecture. Second, the modeling and simulation of the selected application are shown. Third, some analysis of the application using Stochastic Petri nets is discussed. We contend that following these phases will help to develop and analyze the web-based collaborative enterprise systems. Finally, this approach can be used in a variety of collaborative enterprise systems which form the basis of our future work and further development.