The availability of packaged clustering programs means that anyone with data can easily do cluster analysis on it. But many users of this technology don't fully appreciate its many hidden dangers. In today's world of "grab and go algorithms," part of my motivation for writing this book is to provide users with a set of cautionary tales about cluster analysis, for it is very much an art as well as a science, and it is easy to stumble if you don't understand its pitfalls. Indeed, it is easy to trip over them even if you do! The parenthetical word usually in the title is very important, because all clustering algorithms can and do fail from time to time. Modern cluster analysis has become so technically intricate that it is often hard for the beginner or the non-specialist to appreciate and understand its many hidden dangers. Here's how Yogi Berra put it, and he was right: In theory there's no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is ~Yogi Berra This book is a step backwards, to four classical methods for clustering in small, static data sets that have all withstood the tests of time. The youngest of the four methods is now almost 50 years old: Gaussian Mixture Decomposition (GMD, 1898) SAHN Clustering (principally single linkage (SL, 1909)) Hard c-means (HCM, 1956, also widely known as (aka) "k-means") Fuzzy c-means (FCM, 1973, reduces to HCM in a certain limit) The dates are the first known writing (to me, anyway) about these four models. I am (with apologies to Marvel Comics) very comfortable in calling HCM, FCM, GMD and SL the Fantastic Four. Cluster analysis is a vast topic. The overall picture in clustering is quite overwhelming, so any attempt to swim at the deep end of the pool in even a very specialized subfield requires a lot of training. But we all start out at the shallow end (or at least that's where we should start!), and this book is aimed squarely at teaching toddlers not to be afraid of the water. There is no section of this book that, if explored in real depth, cannot be expanded into its own volume. So, if your needs are for an in-depth treatment of all the latest developments in any topic in this volume, the best I can do - what I will try to do anyway - is lead you to the pool, and show you where to jump in.

What do philosophy and computer science have in common? It turns out, quite a lot! In providing an introduction to computer science (using Python), Daniel Lim presents in this book key philosophical issues, ranging from external world skepticism to the existence of God to the problem of induction. These issues, and others, are introduced through the use of critical computational concepts, ranging from image manipulation to recursive programming to elementary machine learning techniques. In illuminating some of the overlapping conceptual spaces of computer science and philosophy, Lim teaches the reader fundamental programming skills and also allows her to develop the critical thinking skills essential for examining some of the enduring questions of philosophy. Key Features Teaches readers actual computer programming, not merely ideas about computers Includes fun programming projects (like digital image manipulation and Game of Life simulation), allowing the reader to develop the ability to write larger computer programs that require decomposition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking Uses computational concepts to introduce, clarify, and develop a variety of philosophical issues Covers various aspects of machine learning and relates them to philosophical issues involving science and induction as well as to ethical issues Provides a framework to critically analyze arguments in classic and contemporary philosophical debates

This book gathers selected papers presented at the International Conference on Advances in Applied Probability and Stochastic Processes, held at CMS College, Kerala, India, on 7-10 January 2019. It showcases high-quality research conducted in the field of applied probability and stochastic processes by focusing on techniques for the modelling and analysis of systems evolving with time. Further, it discusses the applications of stochastic modelling in queuing theory, reliability, inventory, financial mathematics, operations research, and more. This book is intended for a broad audience, ranging from researchers interested in applied probability, stochastic modelling with reference to queuing theory, inventory, and reliability, to those working in industries such as communication and computer networks, distributed information systems, next-generation communication systems, intelligent transportation networks, and financial markets.

Timely, authoritative, application-oriented… an in-depth exploration of current and future uses of FPGAs in digital systems The development of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) may well be the most important breakthrough for the microelectronics industry since the invention of the microprocessor. Using FPGAs, a system designer working on a PC can now develop a working prototype in a few hours and change it at will in just a few minutes, rather than waiting weeks or months for a printed-circuit assembly or a custom integrated circuit to be built. This newfound ability to change a system by simply altering its configuration memory is also leading to exciting new forms of computing, such as array applications that exploit parallelism. Now in a book that functions equally well as a working professional reference and a pedagogically consistent computer engineering text, John V. Oldfield and Richard C. Dorf:

• Provide a detailed overview of FPGAs in digital systems design
• Explain the underlying principles, strengths, and limitations of most FPGA architectures
• Supply many real-life case studies, from elementary to advanced applications—including examples of "custom computing machines"
• Review cutting-edge developments, including new architectures and a new field-programmable interconnect chip
• Discuss key economic and business aspects of FPGA manufacture and applications and their role in intellectual property protection
• Demonstrate ways in which FPGAs offer plausible solutions to some of the major computing problems of our day

Low-Voltage CMOS Operational Amplifiers: Theory, Design and Implementation discusses both single and two-stage architectures. Opamps with constant-gm input stage are designed and their excellent performance over the rail-to-rail input common mode range is demonstrated. The first set of CMOS constant-gm input stages was introduced by a group from Technische Universiteit, Delft and Universiteit Twente, the Netherlands. These earlier versions of circuits are discussed, along with new circuits developed at the Ohio State University. The design, fabrication (MOSIS Tiny Chips), and characterization of the new circuits are now complete. Basic analog integrated circuit design concepts should be understood in order to fully appreciate the work presented. However, the topics are presented in a logical order and the circuits are explained in great detail, so that Low-Voltage CMOS Operational Amplifiers can be read and enjoyed by those without much experience in analog circuit design. It is an invaluable reference book, and may be used as a text for advanced courses on the subject.

Cryptography has proven to be one of the most contentious areas in modern society. For some it protects the rights of individuals to privacy and security, while for others it puts up barriers against the protection of our society. This book aims to develop a deep understanding of cryptography, and provide a way of understanding how privacy, identity provision and integrity can be enhanced with the usage of encryption. The book has many novel features including: - full provision of Web-based material on almost every topic covered - provision of additional on-line material, such as videos, source code, and labs - coverage of emerging areas such as Blockchain, Light-weight Cryptography and Zero-knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) Key areas covered include: - Fundamentals of Encryption - Public Key Encryption - Symmetric Key Encryption - Hashing Methods - Key Exchange Methods - Digital Certificates and Authentication - Tunneling - Crypto Cracking - Light-weight Cryptography - Blockchain - Zero-knowledge Proofs This book provides extensive support through the associated website of: http://asecuritysite.com/encryption

Covers research on ODL systems, competence-based learning, the project process based on personal and group competencies, knowledge repository development, an ontological model of didactic materials, a theoretical game approach to motivational and incentive modelling, collaboration between a teacher and a team of students, and computer simulation Includes contributions from and is coedited by Prof. Emma Kusztina and Prof. Dr Zenon Gniazdowski, editor of Scientific Notebooks of the Warsaw School of Computer Science located on the list of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education Covers for the first time motivation modelling in ODL, collaboration modelling in ODL and incentive modelling in ODL Is illustrated throughout with excellent figures, a glossary and references to accompany each section

New Work and Industry 4.0 have matured and this book takes a practical, experience-based approach to project management in these areas. It introduces methods and covers the practical aspects. It critically examines existing approaches and practices and shows their limitations. The book covers appropriate methods as well as human and social aspects. It contributes to the ongoing discussion of business practices and methods. It also aims to stimulate dialogue in the professional community. Digital Project Practice for New Work and Industry 4.0 begins by introducing basic concepts in the context of Industry 4.0 and discussing how they might influence organizational communication and impact the work environment. After examining the possibilities and challenges of remote work and collaboration in distributed teams all over the world, the book looks at a company's fundamental changes related to New Work from a practical business perspective as well as legal and ethical perspectives. It reviews the case of the VW emission scandal and recommends ways to improve corporate culture. Legal issues include New Work and hybrid forms of collaboration as well as liability for automated decisions (i.e., the potential need for an 'electronic person'). Other implications for the workplace include how: Industry 4.0 might influence the potential demand for "Digital Unions" Industry 4.0, and lean production, and their applications can change industrial practices Open Banking presents new approaches and new business models Work structures and systems can empower employees' work self-management This book also looks at how New Work effects individual workers. It addresses digital stress, introduces strategies for coping with it, and discusses related topics. It also explores the benefits of meditation and the economics of mind, body, and spirit. In essence, this book cover appropriate methods along with human and social factors. It also covers practice, different perspectives, and various experiences from all around the globe. Contributing to the ongoing discussion on business practices and methods, this book will nourish and stimulate dialogue in the professional community.

This book takes a holistic view of the roles of ICTs during the pandemic through the lens of social informatics, as it is critical to our understanding of the relations between society and technology. Specific attention is given to various stakeholders and social contexts, with analysis at the individual, group, community, and society levels. Pushing the boundaries of information science research with timely and critical research questions, this edited volume showcases information science research in the context of COVID-19, by specifically accentuating sociotechnical practices, activities, and ICT interventions during the pandemic. Its social informatics focus appeals to a broad audience, and its global and international orientation provides a timely, innovative, and much-needed perspective to information science. This book is unique in its interdisciplinary nature as it consists of research studies on the intersections between ICTs and health, culture, social interaction, civic engagement, information dissemination, work, and education. Chapters apply a range of research methods, including questionnaire surveys, content analyses, and case studies from countries in Asia, Europe, and America, as well as global and international comparisons. The book's primary target audience includes scholars and students in information and library science, particularly those interested in the social aspect of the information society. It may be of interest to information professionals, library practitioners, educators, and information policymakers, as well as scholars and students in science and technology studies, cultural studies, political science, public administration, sociology, and communication studies.

1. It is a practical guide to understanding and implementation 2. It assumes no prior in depth knowledge 3. It is written in plain language and may be understood by anyone, whether or not they are qualified or involved with IT. It is therefore equally suitable for senior management, IT practitioners, students and interested individuals.

Experts in research, industry, and academia cover recent trends and state-of-the art solutions in computer and communications engineering, focusing specifically on real-time applications of electronics, communications, computing, and information technology. The volume provides sound theoretical and application-oriented knowledge with a special focus on the development of safety-critical networks and integrated electrical and electronics systems. The volume also features numerous new algorithms that assist in solving computer and communication engineering problems.

Digital Approaches to Inclusion and Participation in Cultural Heritage brings together best examples and practices of digital and interactive approaches and platforms from a number of projects based in European countries to foster social inclusion and participation in heritage and culture. It engages with ongoing debates on the role of culture and heritage in contemporary society relating to inclusion and exclusion, openness, access, and bottom-up participation. The contributions address key themes such as the engagement of marginalised communities, the opening of debates and new interpretations around socially and historically contested heritages, and the way in which digital technologies may foster more inclusive cultural heritage practices. They will also showcase examples of work that can inspire reflection, further research, and also practice for readers such as practice-focused researchers in both HCI and design. Indeed, as well as consolidating the achievements of researchers, the contributions also represent concrete approaches to digital heritage innovation for social inclusion purposes. The book's primary audience is academics, researchers, and students in the fields of cultural heritage, digital heritage, human-computer interaction, digital humanities, and digital media, as well as practitioners in the cultural sector.

The text covers a wide range of topics such as mathematical modeling of crop pest control management, water resources management, impact of anthropogenic activities on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, impact of climate changes on melting of glaciers and polar bear populations, dynamics of slow-fast predator-prey system and spread and control of HIV epidemic. It emphasizes the use of mathematical modeling to investigate the fluid flow problems including the breaking of viscoelastic jet, instability arising in nanofiber, flow in an annulus channel, and thermal instability in nano-fluids in a comprehensive manner. This book will be a readily accessible source of information for the students, researchers and policymakers interested in the application of mathematical and computational modeling techniques to investigate various biological and engineering phenomena. Features Focuses on the current modeling and computational trends to investigate various ecological, epidemiological, and engineering systems. Presents the mathematical modeling of a wide range of ecological and environmental issues including crop pest control management, water resources management, the effect of anthropogenic activities on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and impact of climate changes on melting of glaciers and polar bear population. Covers a wide range of topics including the breaking of viscoelastic jet, instability arising in nanofiber, flow in an annulus channel, and thermal instability in nano-fluids. Examines evolutionary models i.e., models of time-varying processes. Highlights the recent developments in the analytical methods to investigate the nonlinear dynamical systems. Showcases diversified applications of computational techniques to solve practical biological and engineering problems. The book focuses on the recent research developments in the mathematical modeling and scientific computing of biological and engineering systems. It will serve as an ideal reference text for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and researchers in diverse fields including ecological engineering, environmental engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics, and fluid dynamics.

Blockchain: A Hype or a Hoax? fills a gap in the book market to provide material that is not only technical but also caters to business readers. This book was written to keep in mind various stakeholders and the current gap in blockchain education as well as use case implementation. This book reviews blockchain technology, discusses why proof of concept fails, offers examples of use cases that have been successful and that have failed and articulates a framework that should be used before deciding whether blockchain is the right technology for transformation. It uses strategic models and frameworks to assist organisations to see a fit score for their specific use cases. This book provides guidance on how to create a blockchain strategy and a business case to pitch for the budget. It also includes a case study to apply the knowledge on practical use cases for blockchain and a technical overview of most of the blockchain use cases in the market including crypto, non-fungible tokens, decentralised finance, and decentralised autonomous organisations, as well as financial and non-financial industry use cases. This book also provides a detailed overview of most of the mainstream blockchain products currently available in the market. It also offers guidance on how readers can best educate themselves on blockchain technology that is available through commercial and free resources. It concludes with a clear direction on selecting blockchain to solve real-life use cases that are best fit. A financial and non-financial value-adding framework is discussed throughout this book to assist business leaders, programme managers, product managers and information technology leaders to make strategic choices, and business cases and develop strategies for digital transformation through the use of blockchain. The distinctive feature of this book is the critical analysis of blockchain from a technology and business perspective. This is the first book to focus on business, technology and blockchain selection framework. The most unique feature of this book would be to apply Michael Porter's competitive advantage strategy theory on blockchain use cases and their impact on companies. This book is aimed at technology students, technology professionals, blockchain and fintech consultant and business leaders. It will also be useful for readers who are building a business case to adopt blockchain into an organisation or are seeking to grow their knowledge of blockchain and improve their fintech strategy.

Key Features / Selling Points Unique selling point: * The only book to distill the CSEC2017 recommendations down into practical teaching approaches for K-12 classrooms Core audience: * Teachers and educators of cybersecurity, who may or may not have a background in the subject Place in the market: * First book of its kind

Key Features / Selling Points Unique selling point: * The only book to distill the CSEC2017 recommendations down into practical teaching approaches for K-12 classrooms Core audience: * Teachers and educators of cybersecurity, who may or may not have a background in the subject Place in the market: * First book of its kind

This textbook intends to be a comprehensive and substantially self-contained two-volume book covering performance, reliability, and availability evaluation subjects. The volumes focus on computing systems, although the methods may also be applied to other systems. The first volume covers Chapter 1 to Chapter 14, whose subtitle is ``Performance Modeling and Background". The second volume encompasses Chapter 15 to Chapter 25 and has the subtitle ``Reliability and Availability Modeling, Measuring and Workload, and Lifetime Data Analysis". This text is helpful for computer performance professionals for supporting planning, design, configuring, and tuning the performance, reliability, and availability of computing systems. Such professionals may use these volumes to get acquainted with specific subjects by looking at the particular chapters. Many examples in the textbook on computing systems will help them understand the concepts covered in each chapter. The text may also be helpful for the instructor who teaches performance, reliability, and availability evaluation subjects. Many possible threads could be configured according to the interest of the audience and the duration of the course. Chapter 1 presents a good number of possible courses programs that could be organized using this text. Volume I is composed of the first two parts, besides Chapter 1. Part I gives the knowledge required for the subsequent parts of the text. This part includes six chapters. It covers an introduction to probability, descriptive statistics and exploratory data analysis, random variables, moments, covariance, some helpful discrete and continuous random variables, Taylor series, inference methods, distribution fitting, regression, interpolation, data scaling, distance measures, and some clustering methods. Part II presents methods for performance evaluation modeling, such as operational analysis, Discrete-Time Markov Chains (DTMC), and Continuous Time Markov Chains (CTMC), Markovian queues, Stochastic Petri nets (SPN), and discrete event simulation.

This textbook intends to be a comprehensive and substantially self-contained two-volume book covering performance, reliability, and availability evaluation subjects. The volumes focus on computing systems, although the methods may also be applied to other systems. The first volume covers Chapter 1 to Chapter 14, whose subtitle is ``Performance Modeling and Background". The second volume encompasses Chapter 15 to Chapter 25 and has the subtitle ``Reliability and Availability Modeling, Measuring and Workload, and Lifetime Data Analysis". This text is helpful for computer performance professionals for supporting planning, design, configuring, and tuning the performance, reliability, and availability of computing systems. Such professionals may use these volumes to get acquainted with specific subjects by looking at the particular chapters. Many examples in the textbook on computing systems will help them understand the concepts covered in each chapter. The text may also be helpful for the instructor who teaches performance, reliability, and availability evaluation subjects. Many possible threads could be configured according to the interest of the audience and the duration of the course. Chapter 1 presents a good number of possible courses programs that could be organized using this text. Volume II is composed of the last two parts. Part III examines reliability and availability modeling by covering a set of fundamental notions, definitions, redundancy procedures, and modeling methods such as Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD) and Fault Trees (FT) with the respective evaluation methods, adopts Markov chains, Stochastic Petri nets and even hierarchical and heterogeneous modeling to represent more complex systems. Part IV discusses performance measurements and reliability data analysis. It first depicts some basic measuring mechanisms applied in computer systems, then discusses workload generation. After, we examine failure monitoring and fault injection, and finally, we discuss a set of techniques for reliability and maintainability data analysis.

The philosophy of computer science is concerned with issues that arise from reflection upon the nature and practice of the discipline of computer science. This book presents an approach to the subject that is centered upon the notion of computational artefact. It provides an analysis of the things of computer science as technical artefacts. Seeing them in this way enables the application of the analytical tools and concepts from the philosophy of technology to the technical artefacts of computer science. With this conceptual framework the author examines some of the central philosophical concerns of computer science including the foundations of semantics, the logical role of specification, the nature of correctness, computational ontology and abstraction, formal methods, computational epistemology and explanation, the methodology of computer science, and the nature of computation. The book will be of value to philosophers and computer scientists.

This new volume provides the information needed to understand the simplex method, the revised simplex method, dual simplex method, and more for solving linear programming problems. Following a logical order, the book first gives a mathematical model of the linear problem programming and describes the usual assumptions under which the problem is solved. It gives a brief description of classic algorithms for solving linear programming problems as well as some theoretical results. It goes on to explain the definitions and solutions of linear programming problems, outlining the simplest geometric methods and showing how they can be implemented. Practical examples are included along the way. The book concludes with a discussion of multi-criteria decision-making methods. Advances in Optimization and Linear Programming is a highly useful guide to linear programming for professors and students in optimization and linear programming.

Access US Census Bureau geographic and demographic data directly within R. Wrangle Census data with tidyverse tools and work with margins of error in the American Community Survey. Make maps and interactive web visualizations with US Census data. Explore Census data with spatial analysis using the sf package. Integrate Census data into spatial and machine learning models.

Access US Census Bureau geographic and demographic data directly within R. Wrangle Census data with tidyverse tools and work with margins of error in the American Community Survey. Make maps and interactive web visualizations with US Census data. Explore Census data with spatial analysis using the sf package. Integrate Census data into spatial and machine learning models.

This book deals with how to measure innovation in crisis management, drawing on data, case studies, and lessons learnt from different European countries. The aim of this book is to tackle innovation in crisis management through lessons learnt and experiences gained from the implementation of mixed methods through a practitioner-driven approach in a large-scale demonstration project (DRIVER+). It explores innovation from the perspective of the end-users by focusing on the needs and problems they are trying to address through a tool (be it an app, a drone, or a training program) and takes a deep dive into what is needed to understand if and to what extent the tool they have in mind can really bring innovation. This book is a toolkit for readers interested in understanding what needs to be in place to measure innovation: it provides the know-how through examples and best practices. The book will be a valuable source of knowledge for scientists, practitioners, researchers, and postgraduate students studying safety, crisis management, and innovation.

This book deals with how to measure innovation in crisis management, drawing on data, case studies, and lessons learnt from different European countries. The aim of this book is to tackle innovation in crisis management through lessons learnt and experiences gained from the implementation of mixed methods through a practitioner-driven approach in a large-scale demonstration project (DRIVER+). It explores innovation from the perspective of the end-users by focusing on the needs and problems they are trying to address through a tool (be it an app, a drone, or a training program) and takes a deep dive into what is needed to understand if and to what extent the tool they have in mind can really bring innovation. This book is a toolkit for readers interested in understanding what needs to be in place to measure innovation: it provides the know-how through examples and best practices. The book will be a valuable source of knowledge for scientists, practitioners, researchers, and postgraduate students studying safety, crisis management, and innovation.