Search

Experts predict that in 5 years’ time, more than 90% of all digital content will be wholly or partially AI generated. In a synthetic society, it may no longer be possible to establish what is real and what is not. Central to this open access book are 4 technologies on the frontline of this trend: humanoid robots, deepfakes, augmented reality, and virtual reality. Although they are only in their relative infancy, these technologies can already produce content that is indistinguishable from authentic material. The impact of this new reality on democracy, the judicial system, the functioning of the press, as well as on personal relationships will be unprecedented. Van der Sloot describes the technological fundaments of each of those technologies and maps their positive uses for educational purposes as well as for the treatment of patients, for the entertainment and creative industries, and the retail and financial sectors. The book also conceptualises their negative uses for fraud, deception, exploitation, identity-theft and exploitation, and shows their deeper effects on the post-truth society, the privatisation of the public sphere, and the loss of individual autonomy and societal trust. The book evaluates how the current European legal paradigm applies to these technologies, focussing on the right to privacy and data protection, freedom of expression, procedural law, tort law, and the regulation of AI. It discusses regulatory alternatives to solve existing regulatory gaps and shows that there are no easy answers. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

After a brief phase of playful experimentation, every advance, every major innovation in various media provokes renewed consolidation and aesthetic reflection: we have been familiar with this duality as a separation between mass communication and art since the days of industrial communication at the latest. This can also be observed in the development of the central perspective image, early photography and especially cinematography. After an initial phase of the cinema of attractions, a new and unique formal language of the Classical Style developed as a conventionalized design rule of film, which at the same time and sometimes in sharp opposition triggered various counter-movements or was reshaped as their explicit reflection by individual artistic formal languages. We are currently facing a similar situation, the invention and spread of three-dimensional dynamic techniques with data glasses and other technologies that enable new forms of virtual production and thus of storytelling - so-called 'spatial' or 'environmental storytelling'. This volume is dedicated to this new narrative on three levels: spatial image and sound (film), movement in space (computer games and VR) and space as context (AR)., Jeder Fortschritt, jede Neuerung größeren Ausmaßes in verschiedenen Medien provoziert nach einer kurzen Phase spielerischen Experiments eine erneute Konsolidierung wie deren ästhetische Reflexion: Diese Dualität kennen wir spätestens seit den Tagen industrieller Kommunikation als eine Trennung zwischen Massenkommunikation und Kunst. Dies lässt sich gleichermaßen bei der Entwicklung des zentralperspektivischen Bildes, der frühen Fotografie oder ganz besonders der Kinematografie beobachten. Nach einer ersten Phase des Kinos der Attraktionen entwickelte sich eine neue und einzigartige Formensprache des Classical Style als konventionalisierte Gestaltungsregel des Films, die zugleich und teilweise in scharfer Opposition verschiedene Gegenbewegungen auslöste oder als deren explizite Reflexion durch individuelle künstlerische Formensprachen überformt wurde. Aktuell stehen wir vor einer ähnlichen Situation, der Erfindung und Verbreitung dreidimensionaler dynamischer Techniken mit Datenbrille und anderen Technologien, die neue Formen der Virtual Production und damit des Erzählens ermöglichen – sogenanntes ›spatial‹ oder ›environmental storytelling‹. Der Band widmet sich diesem neuen Erzählen auf drei Ebenen: Raumbild und -ton (Film), Bewegung im Raum (Computerspiel und VR) und Raum als Kontext (AR).

Brain Technology in Augmented Cognition: Current and Future Trends informs engineers interested in human-computer interaction about the current state of augmented cognition. Its scope includes recent advances in electroencephalography (EEG), neural network (NN), and brain-computer interface (BCI) brain technologies. The title explores in detail each technological approach to augmented cognition and offers conclusions to them, summarizing the work and their respective futures. Augmented cognition research often includes the use of brain technology, and this book addresses advances in augmented cognition and its applications. It details recent uses of EEG, NN, and BCI in the field and how they may augment user, researcher, and practitioner cognition. Focusing on the use of EEG for eye-tracking, NN logic, and the BCI application of motor-imagery (MI) and discussing challenges and opportunities relevant to such applications, the title is a useful introduction to the subject matter. This is an engaging read for any student, researcher or academic in the fields of engineering, augmented cognition, human-computer interaction and human factors/ergonomics who will learn the basics and key concepts of augmented cognition through this simple and straightforward title.

Summary: Recent years have seen a vast development in various methodologies for object detection and feature extraction and recognition, both in theory and in practice. When processing images, videos, or other types of multimedia, one needs efficient solutions to perform fast and reliable processing. Computational intelligence is used for medical screening where the detection of disease symptoms is carried out, in prevention monitoring to detect suspicious behavior, in agriculture systems to help with growing plants and animal breeding, in transportation systems for the control of incoming and outgoing transportation, for unmanned vehicles to detect obstacles and avoid collisions, in optics and materials for the detection of surface damage, etc. In many cases, we use developed techniques which help us to recognize some special features. In the context of this innovative research on computational intelligence, the Special Issue "Advanced Computational Intelligence for Object Detection, Feature Extraction and Recognition in Smart Sensor Environments" present an excellent opportunity for the dissemination of recent results and achievements for further innovations and development. It is my pleasure to present this collection of excellent contributions to the research community. - Prof. Marcin Woźniak, Silesian University of Technology, Poland -

Summary: In the future, wearable technology will revolutionize the way we live. The current trend is to augment ordinary wearable objects - e.g. watches, glasses, bracelets, and clothing - with advanced information and communication technologies such as sensors, electronics, software, connectivity, and power sources. These wearable devices can monitor and assist the user in the management of his/her daily life with applications that range from activity tracking, sport and wellness, mobile games, and environmental monitoring, up to e-health. This book explores recent advances in the multidisciplinary field of wearable technologies and the important remaining gaps that must be addressed in order to obtain a massive diffusion. Articles in this book address topics that include wearable sensing and bio-sensing technologies, smart textiles, smart materials, wearable microsystems, low-power and embedded circuits for data acquisition, and processing and data transmission.

Summary: Minimally invasive surgery has become a common term in visceral as well as gynecologic surgery. It has almost evolved into its own surgical speciality over the past 20 years. Today, being firmly established in every subspeciality of visceral surgery, it is now no longer a distinct skillset, but a fixed part of the armamentarium of surgical options available. In every indication, the advantages of a minimally invasive approach include reduced intraoperative blood loss, less postoperative pain, and shorter rehabilitation times, as well as a marked reduction of overall and surgical postoperative morbidity. In the advent of modern oncologic treatment algorithms, these effects not only lower the immediate impact that an operation has on the patient, but also become important key steps in reducing the side-effects of surgery. Thus, they enable surgery to become a module in modern multi-disciplinary cancer treatment, which blends into multimodular treatment options at different times and prolongs and widens the possibilities available to cancer patients. In this quickly changing environment, the requirement to learn and refine not only open surgical but also different minimally invasive techniques on high levels deeply impact modern surgical training pathways. The use of modern elearning tools and new and praxis-based surgical training possibilities have been readily integrated into modern surgical education,which persists throughout the whole surgical career of modern gynecologic and visceral surgery specialists.

Summary: Most of the treatments in medicine are patient specific, aren't they? So why should we bother with individualizing implants if we adapt our therapy to patients anyway? Looking at the neighboring field of oncologic treatment, you would not question the fact that individualization of tumor therapy with personalized antibodies has led to the thriving of this field in terms of success in patient survival and positive responses to alternatives for conventional treatments. Regarding the latest cutting-edge developments in orthopedic surgery and biotechnology, including new imaging techniques and 3D-printing of bone substitutes as well as implants, we do have an armamentarium available to stimulate the race for innovation in medicine. This Special Issue of Journal of Personalized Medicine will gather all relevant new and developed techniques already in clinical practice. Examples include the developments in revision arthroplasty and tumor (pelvic replacement) surgery to recreate individual defects, individualized implants for primary arthroplasty to establish physiological joint kinematics, and personalized implants in fracture treatment, to name but a few.

Summary: A Special Issue of the international journal Sustainability under the section Sustainability of Culture & Heritage has been made, entitled Natural Sciences in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage. The bridge between science/technology and the humanities (archaeology, anthropology, history of art, and cultural heritage) has formed a well-established interdisciplinary subject with several sub-disciplines; it is growing exponentially, spurred by the fast development of technology in other fields (space exploration, medical, military, and industrial applications). On the other hand, art and culture struggle to survive due to neglect, lack of funding, or the dangers of events such as natural disasters and war. This volume strengthens and exerts the documentation of the sustainability of the issue that arises from the outcome of resulting research and the application of such a duality link. The sustainable dimension emerges from society, education, and economics through the impact of cultural growth, all of which produce a balanced society, in which prosperity, harmony, and development are merged at a sustainable local/regional/national/social level. A wide range of subjects linking the applied natural sciences with archaeology and the cultural heritage of innovative research and applications are presented in this volume.

Summary: As explored in this open access book, higher education in STEM fields is influenced by many factors, including education research, government and school policies, financial considerations, technology limitations, and acceptance of innovations by faculty and students. In 2018, Drs. Ryoo and Winkelmann explored the opportunities, challenges, and future research initiatives of innovative learning environments (ILEs) in higher education STEM disciplines in their pioneering project: eXploring the Future of Innovative Learning Environments (X-FILEs). Workshop participants evaluated four main ILE categories: personalized and adaptive learning, multimodal learning formats, cross/extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This open access book gathers the perspectives expressed during the X-FILEs workshop and its follow-up activities. It is designed to help inform education policy makers, researchers, developers, and practitioners about the adoption and implementation of ILEs in higher education.

Summary: Scale up and implementation of new point-of-care (POC) diagnostics is a global health priority to enable the adoption of new evidence-based POC diagnostics and to replicate and extend the reach of POC diagnostics. Global private and public sector agencies have significantly increased their investment in the development of POC diagnostics to meet the unmet needs of patients in resource-limited settings, particularly disease burdened settings with limited access to laboratory infrastructure. However, previous research has demonstrated that the availability of health technologies in these settings does not always guarantee patient-centered outcomes. The applicability, effectiveness and sustainability of diagnostic technologies is affected by the involvement of all stakeholders during planning and implementation, which must be relevant to each specific context and sensitive to local culture. Factors such as infrastructure, resources, values and characteristics of participants can influence the implementation, scalability and sustainability of health interventions such as POC diagnostics. This book, "Implementation and Scale up of Point of Care (POC) Diagnostics in Resource-Limited Settings", presents literature reviews and primary research studies focusing on the implementation and scale up of POC diagnostics in resource-limited settings.

Summary: A Smart City is the perfect environment to study and exploit the interactions between actors because its architecture already integrates vaious elements to collect data and connect to its citizens. Furthermore, the proliferation of web platforms (e.g., social media and web fora) and the increased affordability of sensors and IoT devices (e.g., smart meters) make data related to a large and diverse set of users accessible, as their activities in the digital world reflect their real-life actions. These new technologies can be of great use for the stakeholders as, on the one hand, they provide them with semantically rich inputs and frequent updates at a relatively cheap cost and, on the other, form a direct channel of communication with the citizens. To fully exploit these new data sources, we need both novel computational methods (e.g., AI, data mining algorithms, knowledge representation) that are suitable for analyzing and understanding the dynamics behind energy consumption and also a deeper understanding of how these methods can be integrated into the existing design and decision processes (e.g., human-in-the-loop processes).Therefore, this Special Issue welcomed original multidisciplinary research works about AI, data science methods, and their integration in existing design/decision-making processes in the domain of energy consumption in Smart Cities.

Summary: The book is the reprint of the Special Issue 'Advances in Sustainable and Digitalized Factories: Manufacturing, Measuring Technologies and Systems' published in the journal Applied Science (MDPI). It contains 17 articles, including 1 Editorial, 14 Research Papers, and 2 Reviews.

Summary: Recent years have seen important developments in the computer and game industry, including the emergence of the concept of serious games. It is hypothesized that tools such as games, virtual reality, or applications for smartphones may foster learning, enhance motivation, promote behavioral change, support psychotherapy, favor empowerment, and improve some cognitive functions. Computers and games may create supports for training or help people with cognitive, emotional, or behavioral change. Games take various formats, from board games to informatics to games with interactive rules of play. Similarly, computer tools may vary widely in format, from self-help or assisted computerized training to virtual reality or applications for smartphones. Some tools that may be helpful for mental health were specifically designed for that goal, whereas others were not. Gamification of computer-related products and games with a numeric format tend to reduce the gap between games and computers tools and increase the conceptual synergy in such fields. Games and computer design share an opportunity for creativity and innovation to help create, specifically design, and assess preventive or therapeutic tools. Computers and games share a design conception that allows innovative approaches to overcome barriers of the real world by creating their own rules. Yet, despite the potential interest in such tools to improve treatment of mental disorders and to help prevent them, the field remains understudied and information is under-disseminated in clinical practice. Some studies have shown, however, that there is potential interest and acceptability of tools that support various vehicles, rationales, objectives, and formats. These tools include traditional games (e.g., chess games), popular electronic games, board games, computer-based interventions specifically designed for psychotherapy or cognitive training, virtual reality, apps for smartphones, and so forth. Computers and games may offer a true opportunity to develop, assess, and disseminate new prevention and treatment tools for mental health and well-being. Currently, there is a strong need for state-of-the-art information to answer questions such as the following: Why develop such tools for mental health and well-being? What are the potential additions to traditional treatments? What are the best strategies or formats to improve the possible impact of these tools? Are such tools useful as a first treatment step? What is the potential of a hybrid model of care that combines traditional approaches with games and/or computers as tools? What games and applications have already been designed and studied? What is the evidence from previous studies? How can such tools be successfully designed for mental health and well-being? What is rewarding or attractive for patients in using such treatments? What are the worldwide developments in the field? Are some protocols under development? What are the barriers and challenges related to such developments? How can these tools be assessed, and how can the way that they work, and for whom, be measured? Are the potential benefits of such products specific, or can these additions be attributed to nonspecific factors? What are the users' views on such tools? What are the possible links between such tools and social networks? Is there a gap between evidence-based results and market development? Are there any quality challenges? What future developments and studies are needed in the field?

This open access book presents the proceedings of the International Federation for IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT)’s 29th Annual International eTourism Conference, which assembles the latest research presented at the ENTER2022 conference, which will be held on January 11–14, 2022. The book provides an extensive overview of how information and communication technologies can be used to develop tourism and hospitality. It covers the latest research on various topics within the field, including augmented and virtual reality, website development, social media use, e-learning, big data, analytics, and recommendation systems. The readers will gain insights and ideas on how information and communication technologies can be used in tourism and hospitality. Academics working in the eTourism field, as well as students and practitioners, will find up-to-date information on the status of research.

Intuitive interaction techniques are essential for mobile augmented reality systems. For implicit interaction, this work presents techniques for automatic eye movement analysis and visualization. In the context of explicit interaction, a fusion of optical flow, skin color segmentation, and a hand pose estimator is presented along with a tracking method for localization and pose estimation of a hand in monocular color images.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Electronic Literature as Digital Humanities: Contexts, Forms & Practices is a volume of essays that provides a detailed account of born-digital literature by artists and scholars who have contributed to its birth and evolution. Rather than offering a prescriptive definition of electronic literature, this book takes an ontological approach through descriptive exploration, treating electronic literature from the perspective of the digital humanities (DH)––that is, as an area of scholarship and practice that exists at the juncture between the literary and the algorithmic. The domain of DH is typically segmented into the two seemingly disparate strands of criticism and building, with scholars either studying the synthesis between cultural expression and screens or the use of technology to make artifacts in themselves. This book regards electronic literature as fundamentally DH in that it synthesizes these two constituents. Electronic Literature as Digital Humanities provides a context for the development of the field, informed by the forms and practices that have emerged throughout the DH moment, and finally, offers resources for others interested in learning more about electronic literature.

"This book sets out cutting-edge new research and examines future prospects on 360-degree video, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) in journalism, analyzing and discussing virtual world experiments from a range of perspectives. Featuring contributions from a diverse range of scholars, Immersive Journalism as Storytelling highlights both the opportunities and the challenges presented by this form of storytelling. The book discusses how immersive journalism has the potential to reach new audiences, change the way stories are told, and provide more interactivity within the news industry. Aside from generating deeper emotional reactions and global perspectives, the book demonstrates how it can also diversify and upskill the news industry. Further contributions address the challenges, examining how immersive storytelling calls for reassessing issues of journalism ethics and truthfulness, transparency, privacy, manipulation, and surveillance, and questioning what it means to cover reality when a story is told in virtual reality. Chapters are grounded in empirical data such as content analyses and expert interviews, alongside insightful case studies that discuss Euronews, Nonny de la Peña’s Project Syria, and The New York Times’ NYTVR application. This book is written for journalism teachers, educators, and students, as well as scholars, politicians, lawmakers, and citizens with an interest in emerging technologies for media practice. "

As explored in this open access book, higher education in STEM fields is influenced by many factors, including education research, government and school policies, financial considerations, technology limitations, and acceptance of innovations by faculty and students. In 2018, Drs. Ryoo and Winkelmann explored the opportunities, challenges, and future research initiatives of innovative learning environments (ILEs) in higher education STEM disciplines in their pioneering project: eXploring the Future of Innovative Learning Environments (X-FILEs). Workshop participants evaluated four main ILE categories: personalized and adaptive learning, multimodal learning formats, cross/extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This open access book gathers the perspectives expressed during the X-FILEs workshop and its follow-up activities. It is designed to help inform education policy makers, researchers, developers, and practitioners about the adoption and implementation of ILEs in higher education.

Menschen haben Identitäten - Technik auch! Es handelt sich um narrativ hergestellte symbolische Strukturen, die einfache Artefakte sowie Hochtechnologien von der ersten Entwicklungsidee bis zum praktischen Gebrauch begleiten. Sie sind ebenso wandelbar wie vielfältig und sorgen doch für Kohärenz und Kontinuität. Unter Rückgriff auf die Biographie- und Lebenslaufforschung entwickelt Kirstin Lenzen erstmalig ein fundiert ausgearbeitetes theoretisches Konzept technischer Identität. In ihrer Fallstudie verdeutlicht sie anhand der Augmented Reality-Technologie sowohl die Anwendbarkeit als auch die empirische Relevanz einer innovationsbiographischen Identitätsrekonstruktion, die über Metaphern hinausgeht.

"Recent developments in the field of archaeology are not only progressing archaeological fieldwork but also changing the way we practise and present archaeology today. As these digital technologies are being used more and more every day on excavations or in museums, this also means that we must change the way we approach teaching and communicating archaeology as a discipline. This volume presents the outcome of a two-day international symposium on digital methods in teaching and learning in archaeology held at the University of Cologne in October 2018. Specialists from around the world share their views on the newest developments in the field of archaeology and the way we teach these with the help of archaeogaming, augmented and virtual reality, 3D reconstruction and many more. "