Multi-Agent Systems for Education and Interactive Entertainment: Design, Use and Experience presents readers with a rich collection of ideas from researchers who are exploring the complex tradeoffs that must be made in designing agent systems for education and interactive entertainment. This book aims to provide a mixture of relevant theoretical and practical understanding of the use of multi-agent systems in educational and entertainment research, together with practical examples of the use of such systems in real application scenarios.

This edited volume explores the intersection between philosophy and computing. It features work presented at the 2016 annual meeting of the International Association for Computing and Philosophy. The 23 contributions to this volume neatly represent a cross section of 40 papers, four keynote addresses, and eight symposia as they cut across six distinct research agendas. The volume begins with foundational studies in computation and information, epistemology and philosophy of science, and logic. The contributions next examine research into computational aspects of cognition and philosophy of mind. This leads to a look at moral dimensions of man-machine interaction as well as issues of trust, privacy, and justice. This multi-disciplinary or, better yet, a-disciplinary investigation reveals the fruitfulness of erasing distinctions among and boundaries between established academic disciplines. This should come as no surprise. The computational turn itself is a-disciplinary and no former discipline, whether scientific, artistic, or humanistic, has remained unchanged. Rigorous reflection on the nature of these changes opens the door to inquiry into the nature of the world, what constitutes our knowledge of it, and our understanding of our place in it. These investigations are only just beginning. The contributions to this volume make this clear: many encourage further research and end with open questions.

With the rapid development of digital and networking technologies, trust has become an important factor that influences the success of digital life in control and management. Trust Modeling and Management in Digital Environments: From Social Concept to System Development examines how reliance is transferred from a social to a digital concept, enabling digital system users to build up confidence in their system. A defining body of sought after research, this innovative publication provides an understanding of the current challenges, solutions, and their limitations to those interested in this advancing field.

A key technology enabling fast-paced embedded media processing developments is the high-performance, low-power, small-footprint convergent processor, a specialized device that combines the real-time control of a traditional microcontroller with the signal processing power of a DSP. This practical guide is your one-stop shop for understanding how to implement this cutting-edge technology. You will learn how to: * Choose the proper processor for an application. * Architect your system to avoid problems at the outset. * Manage your data flows and memory accesses so that they line up properly * Make smart-trade-offs in portable applications between power considerations and computational performance. * Divide processing tasks across multiple cores. * Program frameworks that optimize performance without needlessly increasing programming model complexity. * Implement benchmarking techniques that will help you adapt a framework to best fit a target application, and much more Covering the entire spectrum of EMP-related design issues, from easy-to-understand explanations of basic architecture and direct memory access (DMA), to in-depth discussions of code optimization and power management, this practical book will be an invaluable aid to every engineer working with EMP, from the beginner to the seasoned expert.

All disc-based content for this title is now available on the Web.

* Comprehensive subject coverage with emphasis on practical application * Essential assembly language code included throughout text * Many real-world examples using Analog's popular Blackfin Processor architecture

In today's modernized market, various disciplines continue to search for universally functional technologies that improve upon traditional processes. Artificial neural networks are a set of statistical modeling tools that are capable of processing nonlinear data with strong accuracy. Due to their complexity, utilizing their potential was previously seen as a challenge. However, with the development of artificial intelligence, this technology has proven to be an effective and efficient problem-solving method. Artificial Neural Network Applications in Business and Engineering is an essential reference source that illustrates recent advancements of artificial neural networks in various professional fields, accompanied by specific case studies and practical examples. Featuring research on topics such as training algorithms, transportation, and computer security, this book is ideally designed for researchers, students, developers, managers, engineers, academicians, industrialists, policymakers, and educators seeking coverage on modern trends in artificial neural networks and their real-world implementations.

Trying to learn Maya programming from the documentation can be daunting whether or not you are a programmer. The first edition of "MEL Scripting for Maya Animators" earned the reputation as the best introductory book on MEL, Maya's scripting language. Now fully revised and updated, the second edition also includes new features, such as a discussion of global procedures, new chapters on fixing programming bottlenecks, advanced user interface techniques, and optimizing character rigs. New chapters on utility nodes and Maya's Web Panel feature provide new ideas on how to use MEL in applications.
This new edition has kept the popular style of the first edition that offered very clear explanations of programming concepts to those without programming experience. A generous collection of code examples and Maya scene files is included on the companion Web site. This is a book for animators, artists, game developers, visual effects developers, and technical directors who want to learn the fundamentals of Maya, how to automate tasks, personalize user interfaces, build custom tools, and solve problems with MEL.
* Fully updated with several new chapters.
* Profusely illustrated and includes a companion Web site with numerous code examples and scene files.
* The authors bring their extensive experience in professional production studios to provide expert guidance.

A practical reference written to assist the security professional in clearly identifying what systems are required to meet security needs as defined by a threat analysis and vulnerability assessment. All of the elements necessary to conduct a detailed survey of a facility and the methods used to document the findings of that survey are covered. Once the required systems are determined, the chapters following present how to assemble and evaluate bids for the acquisition of the required systems in a manner that will meet the most rigorous standards established for competitive bidding. The book also provides recommended approaches for system/user implementation, giving checklists and examples for developing management controls using the installed systems. This book was developed after a careful examination of the approved reference material available from the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS International) for the certification of Physical Security Professionals (PSP). It is intended to fill voids left by the currently approved reference material to perform implementation of systems suggested in the existing reference texts. This book is an excellent "How To" for the aspiring security professional who wishes to take on the responsibilities of security system implementation, or the security manager who wants to do a professional job of system acquisition without hiring a professional consultant.
* Offers a step-by-step approach to identifying the application, acquiring the product and implementing the recommended system.
* Builds upon well-known, widely adopted concepts prevalent among security professionals.
* Offers seasoned advice on the competitive biddingprocess as well as on legal issues involved in the selection of applied products.

Corporations accumulate a lot of valuable data and knowledge over time, but storing and maintaining this data can be a logistic and financial headache for business leaders and IT specialists. Uncovering Essential Software Artifacts through Business Process Archaeology introduces an emerging method of software modernisation used to effectively manage legacy systems and company operations supported by such systems. This book presents methods, techniques, and new trends on business process archaeology as well as some industrial success stories. Business experts, professionals, and researchers working in the field of information and knowledge management will use this reference source to efficiently and effectively implement and utilise business knowledge.

The unique research area of audio-visual speech recognition has attracted much interest in recent years as visual information about lip dynamics has been shown to improve the performance of automatic speech recognition systems, especially in noisy environments.""Visual Speech Recognition: Lip Segmentation and Mapping"" presents an up-to-date account of research done in the areas of lip segmentation, visual speech recognition, and speaker identification and verification. A useful reference for researchers working in this field, this book contains the latest research results from renowned experts with in-depth discussion on topics such as visual speaker authentication, lip modeling, and systematic evaluation of lip features.

This book introduces the applications of deep learning in various human centric visual analysis tasks, including classical ones like face detection and alignment and some newly rising tasks like fashion clothing parsing. Starting from an overview of current research in human centric visual analysis, the book then presents a tutorial of basic concepts and techniques of deep learning. In addition, the book systematically investigates the main human centric analysis tasks of different levels, ranging from detection and segmentation to parsing and higher-level understanding. At last, it presents the state-of-the-art solutions based on deep learning for every task, as well as providing sufficient references and extensive discussions. Specifically, this book addresses four important research topics, including 1) localizing persons in images, such as face and pedestrian detection; 2) parsing persons in details, such as human pose and clothing parsing, 3) identifying and verifying persons, such as face and human identification, and 4) high-level human centric tasks, such as person attributes and human activity understanding. This book can serve as reading material and reference text for academic professors / students or industrial engineers working in the field of vision surveillance, biometrics, and human-computer interaction, where human centric visual analysis are indispensable in analysing human identity, pose, attributes, and behaviours for further understanding.

DESCRIPTION Users expect search to be simple: They enter a few terms and expect perfectly-organized, relevant results instantly. But behind this simple user experience, complex machinery is at work. Whether using Elasticsearch, Solr, or another search technology, the solution is never one size fits all. Returning the right search results requires conveying domain knowledge and business rules in the search engine's data structures, text analytics, and results ranking capabilities. Relevant Search demystifies relevance work. Using Elasticsearch, it tells how to return engaging search results to users, helping readers understand and leverage the internals of Lucene-based search engines. The book walks through several real-world problems using a cohesive philosophy that combines text analysis, query building, and score shaping to express business ranking rules to the search engine. It outlines how to guide the engineering process by monitoring search user behavior and shifting the enterprise to a search-first culture focused on humans, not computers. It also shows how the search engine provides a deeply pluggable platform for integrating search ranking with machine learning, ontologies, personalization, domain-specific expertise, and other enriching sources. KEY FEATURES Highly relevant, concrete, hands-on guide Digs deep into search engine technology Contains essential tools, tips, and strategies for building engaging search engines AUDIENCE For readers who can code moderately complex tasks. ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY Lucene is the underlying technology that backs both Elasticsearch and Solr. Dominant search engines are based upon Lucene and since Lucene itself is based upon the strong foundation of Information Retrieval research, the book will be applicable to almost any search technology available now or in the foreseeable future.

As the healthcare industry continues to expand, it must utilize technology to ensure efficiencies are maintained. Healthcare needs to move in a direction where computational methods and algorithms can relieve the routine work of medical doctors, leaving them more time to carry out more important and skilled tasks such as surgery. Computational Methods and Algorithms for Medicine and Optimized Clinical Practice discusses some of the most interesting aspects of theoretical and applied research covering complementary facets of computational methods and algorithms to achieve greater efficiency and support medical personnel. Featuring research on topics such as healthcare reform, artificial intelligence, and disease detection, this book will particularly appeal to medical professionals and practitioners, hospitals, administrators, students, researchers, and academicians.

This book bridges the communication gap between neuroscientists and engineers through the unifying theme of correlation-based learning

Developing brain-style signal processing or machine learning algorithms has attracted many sharp minds from a range of disciplines. Now, coauthored by four researchers with varying backgrounds in signal processing, neuroscience, psychology, and computer science, Correlative Learning unifies the many cross-fertilized ideas in computational neuroscience and signal processing in a common language that will help engineers understand and appreciate the human brain as a highly sophisticated biosystem for building more intelligent machines.

First, the authors present the necessary neuroscience background for engineers, and then go on to relate the common intrinsic structures of the learning mechanisms of the brain to signal processing, machine learning, kernel learning, complex-valued domains, and the ALOPEX learning paradigm.

This correlation-based approach to building complex, reliable (robust), and adaptive systems is vital for engineers, researchers, and graduate students from various fields of science and engineering. Figures, tables, worked examples, and case studies illustrate how to use computational tools for either helping to understand brain functions or fitting specific engineering applications, and a comprehensive bibliography covering over 1,000 references from major publications is included for further reading.

This book explores the main elements of e-Democracy, the term normally used to describe the implementation of democratic government processes by electronic means. It provides insights into the main technological and human issues regarding governance, government, participation, inclusion, empowerment, procurement and, last but not least, ethical and privacy issues. Its main aim is to bridge the gap between technological solutions, their successful implementation, and the fruitful utilization of the main set of e-Services totally or partially delivered by governments or non-government organizations. Today, various parameters actively influence e-Services' success or failure: cultural aspects, organisational issues, bureaucracy and workflows, infrastructure and technology in general, user habits, literacy, capacity or merely interaction design. This includes having a significant population of citizens who are willing and able to adopt and use online services; as well as developing the managerial and technical capability to implement applications that meet citizens' needs. This book helps readers understand the mutual dependencies involved; further, a selection of success stories and failures, duly commented on, enables readers to identify the right approach to innovation in governmental e-Services. With its balanced humanistic and technological approach, the book mainly targets public authorities, decision-makers, stakeholders, solution developers, and graduate students.

Technology holds the key for bridging the gap between access to quality education and the need for enhanced learning experiences. Cases on Technological Adaptability and Transnational Learning: Issues and Challenges contains case studies on divergent themes of personalized learning environments, inclusive learning for social change, innovative learning and assessment techniques, technology and international partnership and transnational collaboration for enhanced access under the core domain of technological adaptability and transnational learning.

Electronic participation is an emerging and growing research area that makes use of internet solutions to enhance citizens' participation in government processes in order to provide a fair and efficient society. This book examines recommender-system technologies and voting advice applications as tools to enable electronic citizen participation during election campaigns. Further, making use of fuzzy classification, it provides an evaluation framework for eParticipation. A dynamic voting advice application developed for the 2017 Ecuador national election serves as a real-world case study to introduce readers to the practical implementation and evaluation issues. The book concludes with a comprehensive analysis of the 2017 election project based on altmetrics, Google Analytics and statistics from the case study.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges in hydrological modeling. Hydrology, on both a local and global scale, has undergone dramatic changes, largely due to variations in climate, population growth and the associated land-use and land-cover changes. Written by experts in the field, the book provides decision-makers with a better understanding of the science, impacts, and consequences of these climate and land-use changes on hydrology. Further, offering insights into how the changing behavior of hydrological processes, related uncertainties and their evolution affect the modeling process, it is of interest for all researchers and practitioners using hydrological modeling.

The concept of virtual worlds is strongly related to the current innovations of new media communication. As such, it is increasingly imperative to understand the criteria for creating virtual worlds as well as the evolution in system architecture, information visualization and human interaction. Meta-plasticity in Virtual Worlds: Aesthetics and Semantics Concepts provides in-depth coverage of the state-of-the-art among the best international research experiences of virtual world concept creations from a wide range of media culture fields, at the edge of artistic and scientific inquiry and emerging technologies. Written for professionals, researchers, artists and designers, this text is a perfect companion for those who want to improve their understanding of the strategic role of virtual worlds within the development of digital communication.

This book provides a survey on research, development, and trends in innovative computing in communications engineering and computer science. It features selected and expanded papers from the EAI International Conference on Computer Science and Engineering 2018 (COMPSE 2018), with contributions by top global researchers and practitioners in the field. The content is of relevance to computer science graduates, researchers and academicians in computer science and engineering. The authors discuss new technologies in computer science and engineering that have reduced the dimension of data coverage worldwide, reducing the gaps and coverage of domains globally. They discuss how these advances have also contributed to strength in prediction, analysis, and decision in the areas such as Technology, Management, Social Computing, Green Computing, and Telecom. Contributions show how nurturing the research in technology and computing is essential to finding the right pattern in the ocean of data. Focuses on research areas of innovative computing and its application in engineering and technology; Includes contributions from researchers in computing and engineering from around the world; Features selected and expanded papers from EAI International Conference on Computer Science and Engineering 2018 (COMPSE 2018).

Services both as a science and as a practice in today's corporate environments are suffering from many suboptimalities. A compromise of both organizational and technological aspects provides the answer to many pitfalls and shortcomings currently faced. ""Service Science for Socio-Economical and Information Systems Advancement: Holistic Methodologies"" sheds light on a variety of issues and shortcomings of service-based economies by analyzing situations and modern practices that improve the way researchers, field practitioners, and ICT professionals account for their core business service-related activities. This defining body of research provides a broad perspective of how to improve service creation, production, and management of assets.

The book deals with the most recent technology of distributed computing.
As Internet continues to grow and provide practical connectivity between users of computers it has become possible to consider use of computing resources which are far apart and connected by Wide Area Networks.
Instead of using only local computing power it has become practical to access computing resources widely distributed. In some cases between different countries in other cases between different continents.
This idea of using computer power is similar to the well known electric power utility technology. Hence the name of this distributed computing technology is the Grid Computing.
Initially grid computing was used by technologically advanced scientific users.
They used grid computing to experiment with large scale problems which required high performance computing facilities and collaborative work.
In the next stage of development the grid computing technology has become effective and economically attractive for large and medium size commercial companies.
It is expected that eventually the grid computing style of providing computing power will become universal reaching every user in industry and business.
* Written by academic and industrial experts who have developed or used grid computing
* Many proposed solutions have been tested in real life applications
* Covers most essential and technically relevant issues in grid computing