With near-universal internet access and ever-advancing electronic devices, the ability to facilitate interactions between various hardware and software provides endless possibilities. Though internet of things (IoT) technology is becoming more popular among individual users and companies, more potential applications of this technology are being sought every day. There is a need for studies and reviews that discuss the methodologies, concepts, and possible problems of a technology that requires little or no human interaction between systems. The Handbook of Research on the Internet of Things Applications in Robotics and Automation is a pivotal reference source on the methods and uses of advancing IoT technology. While highlighting topics including traffic information systems, home security, and automatic parking, this book is ideally designed for network analysts, telecommunication system designers, engineers, academicians, technology specialists, practitioners, researchers, students, and software developers seeking current research on the trends and functions of this life-changing technology.

The Western cultural trend of self-representation is transcending borders as it permeates the online world. A prime example of this trend is selfies, and how they have evolved into more than just self-portraits. Selfies as a Mode of Social Media and Work Space Research is a comprehensive reference source for the latest research on explicit and implicit messaging of self-portraiture and its indications about individuals, groups, and societies. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics including dating, job hunting, and marketing, this publication is ideally designed for academicians, researchers, and professionals interested in the current phenomenon of selfies and their impact on society.

While transitioning from autocracy to democracy, media in Africa has always played an important role in democratic and non-democratic states; focusing on politicians, diplomats, activists, and others who work towards political transformations. New Media Influence on Social and Political Change in Africa addresses the development of new mass media and communication tools and its influence on social and political change. While analyzing democratic transitions and cultures with a theoretical perspective, this book also presents case studies and national experiences for media, new media, and democracy scholars and practitioners.

In this expert-led guide, Dr Harry Barry draws on his decades of experience as a doctor to show readers how we can improve our emotional connections and transform our mental wellbeing.

The Power of Connection will empower you with the fascinating science behind our existing behaviours and all the need-to-know tips and techniques for improving our skills of emotional connection. From the neuroscience behind communication to the role of verbal language, the importance of setting to the power of humour, this book gives you all the tools you need to thrive in any networking or social situation.

This book will help you to:

• Feel less lonely
• Experience deeper friendships and personal relationships
• Be someone who makes others feel comfortable
• Be more effective in the workplace
• Experience all the positive effects of these changes on your mental and physical health

Including case studies and practical exercises, The Power of Connection offers a step-by-step roadmap to improved social confidence, better workplace communication and more fulfilling emotional connections, with ourselves and others.

This book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. It is funded by the University of Sussex, UK. How can we know about children's everyday lives in a digitally saturated world? What is it like to grow up in and through new media? What happens between the ages of 7 and 15 and does it make sense to think of maturation as mediated? These questions are explored in this innovative book, which synthesizes empirical documentation of children's everyday lives with discussions of key theoretical and methodological concepts to provide a unique guide to researching childhood and youth. Researching Everyday Childhoods begins by asking what recent 'post-empirical' and 'post-digital' frameworks can offer researchers of children and young people's lives, particularly in researching and theorising how the digital remakes childhood and youth. The key ideas of time, technology and documentation are then introduced and are woven throughout the book's chapters. Research-led, the book is informed by two state of the art empirical studies - 'Face 2 Face' and 'Curating Childhoods' - and links to a dynamic multimedia archive generated by the studies.

Typically utilized by larger corporations, social media marketing and strategy is lacking in small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations. Although these organizations are beginning to incorporate this form of online communication, there is still a need to understand the best practices and proper tools to enhance an organization's presence on the web. Cases on Strategic Social Media Utilization in the Nonprofit Sector brings together cases and chapters in order to examine both the practical and theoretical components of creating an online social community for nonprofit organizations. The technologies discussed in this publication provide organizations with the necessary cost-effective tools for fundraising, marketing, and civic engagement. This publication is an essential reference source for practitioners, academicians, researchers, and advanced-level students interested in learning how to effectively use social media technologies in the nonprofit sector.

Our world is increasingly driven by sophisticated networks of advanced computing technology, and the basic operation of everyday society is becoming increasingly vulnerable to these networks' shortcomings. The implementation and upkeep of a strong network defense is a substantial challenge, beset not only by economic disincentives but also by an inherent logistical bias that grants advantage to attackers. Research Anthology on Combating Denial-of-Service Attacks examines the latest research on the development of intrusion detection systems and best practices for preventing and combatting cyber-attacks intended to disrupt business and user experience. Highlighting a range of topics such as network administration, application-layer protocols, and malware detection, this publication is an ideal reference source for cybersecurity professionals, IT specialists, policymakers, forensic analysts, technology developers, security administrators, academicians, researchers, and students.

Social networks, particularly public ones, have become part of the fabric of how we communicate and collaborate as a society. With value from micro-level personal networking to macro-level outreach, social networking has become pervasive in people s lives and is now becoming a significant driving force in business. These new platforms have provided new approaches to many critical enterprise functions, including identifying, communicating, and gathering feedback with customers (e.g., Facebook, Ning); locating expertise (e.g., LinkedIn); providing new communication platforms (e.g., Twitter); and collaborating with a community, small or large (e.g., wikis). However, many organizations have stayed away from potential benefits of social networks because of the significant risks associated with them. This book will help an organization understand the risks present in social networks and provide a framework covering policy, training and technology to address those concerns and mitigate the risks presented to leverage social media in their organization. The book also acknowledges that many organizations have already exposed themselves to more risk than they think from social networking and offers strategies for "dialing it back" to retake control.
Defines an organization's goals for social networkingPresents the risks present in social networking and how to mitigate themExplains how to maintain continuous social networking security"

Imagine... a world where your next personal computing device is the last one that you would ever need to buy. Where you would never need to worry about operating systems, software patches, or viruses. Where you always had enough processing power, memory, storage, and top-of-the-line graphics. Where you could access all of the very best software applications, regardless of their platform. Where you had a constant connection to all your favourite digital services, and your battery lasted for days, perhaps even weeks, of full-on use. Sounds good, doesn't it? Well, this is the world of the Stream Tone. A world that does not exist in some far off future; this could be, figuratively speaking, our world a mere five minutes from now. All that is needed to make it a reality is the creative convergence of certain technologies that are already available and in use today. Personal computing is changing from an old world of local services, provided by local devices, to a new world of remote Web-based services, provided by cloud computing-based data centres. The STREAM TONE: The Future of Personal Computing? is a 408-page academically-oriented non-fiction book that explores, in some technical detail, what might be required to make a comprehensive move to this exciting new world, and the many benefits that move could bring. This book not only attempts to make a thorough evaluation of the technology ecosystem that will be required to create this future but also considers many of the implications of such a move. Along the way, it also discusses a wide range of currently-available technologies and how they could possibly be used to enable this future.

Co-creativity has become a significant cultural and economic phenomenon. Media consumers have become media producers. This book offers a rich description and analysis of the emerging participatory, co-creative relationships within the videogames industry. Banks discusses the challenges of incorporating these co-creative relationships into the development process. Drawing on a decade of research within the industry, the book gives us valuable insight into the continually changing and growing world of video games.

Although virtual worlds continue to grow in popularity, a substantial amount of research is needed to determine best practices in virtual spaces. The artistic community is one field where virtual worlds can be utilized to the greatest effect. New Opportunities for Artistic Practice in Virtual Worlds provides a coherent account of artistic practices in virtual worlds and considers the contribution the Second Life platform has made in a historical, theoretical, and critical context within the fields of art and technology. This volume is intended for both artists and scholars in the areas of digital art, art and technology, media arts history, virtual worlds, and games studies, as well as a broader academic audience who are interested in the philosophical implications of virtual spaces.

Feeling guilty about not networking enough? Stop! You can learn how to network effectively without attending networking events, collecting business cards, or getting a lot of LinkedIn followers. How? By learning how to Connect the Dots. Written by Inga Carboni, Ph.D., Connect the Dots is a fun, fast-paced, and fact-based book for working professionals seeking to take the next step in their careers. The truth is that networking is not about managing impressions or projecting your personal brand. Effective networkers build, nurture, and leverage relationships, real relationships built on genuine connection. When done correctly, networking isn't sleazy or manipulative. Instead, it's empowering - for you, for all the people you know, and for all the people they know. Connect the Dots: How to Build, Nurture, and Leverage Your Network to Achieve Your Personal and Professional Goals offers a combination of personal stories, business anecdotes, self-assessments, exercises, and concrete guidelines grounded in the latest scientific research. Connect the Dots focuses on developing your personal power and leadership skills by creating effective networks and networking effectively. This book is designed to benefit everyone, from young professionals to senior managers to human resource professionals to C-suite executives. Unleash the power of your network by learning how to connect the dots to make your network work for you.