Abstract: Computing hungry multimedia web applications need to efficiently utilize all
the resources of a device. HTML5 web workers is a non-sharing concurrency
platform that enables multimedia web application to utilize the available multicore
hardware. HTML5 web workers are implemented by major browser
vendors to facilitate concurrent execution in web clients and enhance the
quality of ambitious web applications. The concurrent execution in web
workers allows parallel processing using available cores at the expense of
communication overhead and extra computation. The benefits of concurrent
execution can be maximized by balancing load across workers/CPU cores.
This work presents load-balancing algorithms between web workers using
parameters such as scheduler throughput, computation priority and game
entities locality.An award-winning web-based multimedia game (raptjs.com)
is used to evaluate the performance of load balancing algorithms. The preliminary
results indicated that the performance of game improved with the
proposed load-balancing across web workers. The load balancing algorithms
were developed on top of DOHA [1], an open source JavaScript execution layer for multimedia applications. The load between web workers is transferred
between web workers via serialized objects. Effects of load transfer
between on the overall application performance was measured by analysing
jitter and number of frames per second. Load balancing algorithms and load
transfer mechanism can be used by developers to improve the application
design, and giving end users better perceived quality of experience for
demanding multimedia web based applications.
Keywords: Web workers, concurrent execution, load balancing.
Abstract: Almost every website, mobile application or cloud service requires users
to agree to a privacy policy, or similar terms of service, detailing how the
developer or service provider will handle user data, and the purposes for
which it will be used. Many past works have criticised these documents on
account of their length, excessively complex wording, or the simple fact that
users typically do not read or understand them, and that potentially invasive or
wide-reaching terms are included in these policies. In this paper, an automated
approach and tool to gather and analyse these policies is presented, and some
important considerations for these documents are highlighted, specifically
those surrounding past legal rulings over the enforceability of some specific
and widely-used contract terms – the ability for terms to be changed without
directly notifying users (and presumed continued use indicates acceptance),
and the protections in place in the event of a sale or acquisition of a company.
The concerns these pose to user privacy and choice are highlighted, as well
as the extent to which these terms are found in policies and documents from
many popular websites. This tool was used to highlight how commonly these
terms are found, and the extent of this potential problem, and explore potential
solutions to the challenge of regulating user privacy via such contracts in
an era where mobile devices contain significant quantities of highly sensitive personal data, which is highly desirable to service operators, as a core valuation
asset of their company.
Abstract: Pharma industry is undergoing a major transformation called ‘The new pharma
reality’ caused by the changes in global pharmaceutical business ecosystem
and strive for the improved regulatory compliance and competitiveness. The
current manufacturing and enterprise IT systems have not been satisfactorily
able to deliver on the new requirements and this is leading pharma
companies investigating the benefits of the current trends of digitalization,
IoT and enhanced networking capabilities. This paper introduces the concept
of Pharma Industrial Internet, a reference model for applying the 5G PPP
Infrastructure, Industrial Internet Consortium Reference Architecture and
key pharma industry manufacturing standards for specifying, modeling and
building pharma industry specific industrial internet solutions. By applying
the reference model, pharmaceutical manufacturers will be able to improve
their competitiveness while meeting the global regulatory and manufacturing
quality requirements. The paper provides a holistic view on the digitalization
transformation taking place in the pharmaceutical industry, the technical
enablers driving the transformation and the new service infrastructures and value-add enterprise services helping the pharma companies to compete in the
new pharma reality.
Keywords: Industrial internet, the new pharma reality, pharma manufacturing
IT, 5G, 5G PPP, Industrial Internet Concortium, OPC UA, ISA, GS1.
Abstract: Universal service provision is a key to bridge the digital divide. This paper
provides an empirical examination of the Vietnamese universal policy introduced
in 2015 for implementation up to 2020. Using the framework of
King et al. (1994) the paper analyses the universal services policy in Vietnam
as well as the policies of broadband development in South Korea and Japan
in order to clarify the types of universal service initiatives made in these
countries. Furthermore, the paper compares the universal service policy in
Vietnam with the broadband development policy in South Korea and in Japan
in order to evaluate whether the Vietnamese universal policy is efficient. The
paper concludes with a discussion of how an effective universal policy can be
designed.
Keywords: Universal services, broadband, policy, supply, demand.
Abstract: The deployment of previous wireless standards has provided more benefits
for urban dwellers than rural dwellers. 5G deployment may not be different.
This paper identifies that Community Based Networks as carriers that deserve
recognition as potential 5G providers may change this. The argument is
hinged on a research aimed at understanding how and why Community Based
Networks deploy telecom and Broadband infrastructure. The study was a
qualitative study carried out inductively using Grounded Theory. Six cases
were investigated.Two Community Based Network Mobilization models were
identified. The findings indicate that 5G connectivity can be extended to rural
areas by these networks, via heterogenous networks. Hence the delivery of
5G data rates delivery via Wireless WAN in rural areas can be achieved by
utilizing the causal factors of the identified models for Community Based
Networks.
Keywords: 5G, Community Based Networks, telecom infrastructure,
telecom services, CBNM models.
Abstract: Methods for interaction design have emerged and established themselves first
in a Scandinavian context, later in US context and in the rest of the developed
world. While good usability and good user experiences are important to
all users of ICT, the question is whether the methods and techniques that
were mainly developed in Scandinavia, Europe and US are suitable for ICT
development in West Africa? Can ideals for user-involvement be directly
transferred? This paper aims to initiate a discussion of the communication of
interaction design knowledge in West Africa by discussing whether insights
from Scandinavian Participatory design can be used to localize the learning
process and make interaction design methods sensitive to the West African
context. The paper is based on the author’s reflection on his experiences
teaching interaction design inWest Africa.
Keywords: Teaching Scandinavian Interaction Design inWest Africa
Abstract: Providing last-mile Internet access to rural areas in Africa is a very challenging
task, i.e. many more or less successful attempts have been made over the
years. One solution that seems to offer a sustainable business case is based
onWiFi base stations with access points placed in the centers of the villages.
Nevertheless, this solution has a limited range, especially inside the homes
where the wall attenuation dominates. This paper provides a solution in the
form of deploying a cheap, simple, and powerless passive repeater on the
shielding walls. By simulating theWiFi radio-link between a base station and
a user positioned inside a home, it has been found that the passive repeater
lowers the wall attenuation considerably and thereby extends the usable
range.
Keywords: Improving Internet Coverage in Rural Africa
by Using Passive Repeaters in the Home
Abstract: Bottom - up Broadband infrastructure development facilitated by the civil
societies and social enterprises are on the increase. However, the problem
plaguing the development of these bottom-up approaches in developing
countries is the financial capacity to expand their small networks into larger
networks – leading to the demise of some of these initiatives. This paper
proposes co-financing of these networks as a means of sustaining the bottomup
Broadband network. The argument of this paper is anchored on two of
developing country cases. One in India and the other in Ghana. One survived
with financial injection and the other did not due to low revenue. This
paper, based on these cases, proposes the utilization and the reintroduction of
Universal Service funds in developing countries to aid these small networks.
This is a qualitative study, the Grounded Theory approach was used adopted
gather data for these cases.
Keywords: Universal Access and Service, Broadband Infrastructure, Universal
Service funds.
Abstract: This article studies Ukrainian legal and regulatory rules for telecommunications
services markets against the backdrop of Ukrainian commitments
under the GATS and especially the Association Agreement with the EU. The
study elucidates to what extent the Ukrainian telecoms regulatory framework
complies with the relevant liberalisation and regulatory requirements and what
prospective work on regulatory approximation still needs to be done.
Keywords: EU, Ukraine, trade in telecommunications services, liberalisation,
regulatory approximation.
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyse whether the developmental policy model
applied for fibre roll-out in Sweden can be used as inspiration for the Danish
telecom policy. This is done through a comparison of the two very different
policy approaches applied in Denmark and Sweden. A case study on public
intervention in the rural Swedish municipality of Almhult is included to
illustrate the Swedish model.
Keywords: broadband policy, regulation, developmental policy, public
private partnership.
