The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essay Example

The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations Essay Undergraduate Programme Individual Coursework Submission Feedback Form To#be#completed#by#the#student#- #complete#all#grey#areas#5#failure(to(fully(complete(this(section(or(giving(inaccurat e(information(may( result(in(coursework(being(refused(or(delayed. ( Moduledetails: Module:code: MS3102! Course ofStudy'(please tickone! ): BScAccountingandFinance BSc BankingandInternationalFinance BSclnvestmentandFinancialRiskManagement BSc RealEstateFinanceandlnvestment Studentdetails: 596! BScActuarialScience BScBusinessStudies BScManagement Other'(pleasespecify) Family! Name:! Sarkhel! First! Names:! Jade! Nina!! *your! Student! Registration! Number! (Reg! No)! is! printed! on! the! right! hand! side! of! your! Student! Identity! Card.! ! 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We will write a custom essay sample on The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The use of Skype to facilitate Virtual Organisations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Youshouldpayparticularattentiontoanyfeedbacknoteddirectlyonyourwork. ! FinalMark: Authorised! by:! Please(contact(your(lecturer(to(discuss(his/ her(comments(and(obtain(further(feedback. (All(marks(are(provisional(until(approved(by(the(appropriate(Assessment(Board. ( Technology facilitating virtual organisations This report endeavors to study the application of Skype to facilitate a virtual organisation. This critical analysis will identify benefits and risks associated with the application of this technology and scenarios for its use in the immediate and slightly more distant future. Word count: 2013) )3! ENCOURAGE! KNOWLEDGE! BUILDING! VIRTUAL! INTERVIEWS! † 5 TRAINING! 6 24/7! CUSTOMER! CONCLUSION) BIBLIOGRAPHY). OF MI 980).!! The% exponential% growth% (App. % 1)% of% the% internet% over% recent% years% has% eroded% international% barriers,% given% access% to% a% plethora% of% information% at% our% fingertips% and% has% influenced% a% significant%shift%in %the%way%businesse s%work%today. %with%the%help%of%technological%tools, %we%have% %work%to%more%virtual%organisationsl . These% organisations% operate% in% a % dispersed% manner% with% intensive% use% of% information% technology, %opening%up%both%endless%unexplored%opportunities%and%threats. %with %offce%space%in% prime%locations%becoming%increasingly%more%expensive %and%individual%desk%space%costing%up%to% El 2,000%a%year2,%we%see % many%businesses%warmly%welcoming%the%use%of%virtual%organisations%to% help%drive%down%costs. %% To% successfully% gain% the% benefits% of% operating% as% a% virtual% entity,% frameworks% such% as% the% intelligent% exploiter% model% could% be% used% to% overcome% challenges. highlights% the% importantance% of% implementing% an% effective% system% in% order% to% utilize% information% systems% and%successfully%enhance%performance3%(app%2). %This%critical analysis%endeavors%to%find%value%in% the%use%of%the%web %2. O%t0015,%Skype,%as%an%effective%system%to%facilitate%a%virtua l %organisation. %lt% will%detail%applications%of%skype%to%support%virtual%work %and%the%risks%that%may%arise. %% Skype%is%the%current%leader%in%voice %over%lP%(VolP)%service%and%instant%messaging. %First%released%in% August %freemium4%service%fits% under% the% category% of% a% Web% 2. % tool,% which% is% a% technological% service% that% enables% users% to% interact,% personalize% and% share% information% over% the% Internet5. % Skype% is% classed% as% a% peer% to% peer% application% and% operates% over% a% ultitude% of% platforms% (across% Mac% and% PC)% % mobile% devices%such %as%tablets,%smartphones%and%laptops%allowing%onMtheMgo%accessibility. %% %A virtual organization or company is one whose members are geographically apart, usually operates primarily via electronic means, appearing to others to be a single, unified organization with a real physical location http://whatis. echtarget. com/ %Richard Nessen- Lecture on Virtual Organisations% 3 %Holtham, Clive (October 2009) The I ntelligent Exploiter, Cass Business School. Available At: 4% Freemium is a business model by which a proprietary product or service (typically a igital offering such as software, media, games or web services) is provided free of charge, but money (premium) is charged for advanced features, functionality, or virtual goods. %Antiroiko Savolainen, 2011 It was coined in 2004 by OReilly who claimed that the use of these tools are to make the internet a more collaborative place (BCS, 2009) The% ability% of% a% firm% to% culminate% relevant% knowledge 6 %and% transform% them% into% unique% capabilities% can% be% crucial% in% developing % nonMimitable% competitive% advantages. % a% virtual% organisation,% is % quiet% common% to% have% individuals% in% different% geographical% locations to% be% working% on% the% same% projects. Interactions% between% individuals% operating% remotely% become% more%challenging%thus%reducing %the%amount%of%knowledge%being%shared. %Skype%allows%up%to%25% partic ipants%to%Join%a%conversation%at%once7,%which%can%be%implemented %into%an%organisation%to% facilitate% knowledge% management 8 ,% virtual% brainstorms% and% group% discussions. % Borderless% collaboration%can%help%to %improve%innovation%through%generating%a%wider%variety%of%ideas%with% influence% from% leading% practices% from% different% geographical% locations. can% improve% consistency%throughout%work,%as%everyone%has%equal access%to%information%and%overall%improve% decision%making%due%to%a % reduction%in%the%loss%of%knowMhow%tacit9%knowledge. %Facilitating%group% discussions%also%increases%productivity%by%reducing%cases%of%reinventing interactions% would% have% significant% benefits,% the% difficulty% arises%when %trusting%relationships%are%not%fully%developed%and%thus%hinders%the %dissemination%of% tacit% knowledge. The% facilitation% and% management% of % knowledge% sharing% also% becomes% more% challenging% in% absence% of% physical% presence% as% a% physical% brainstorming% session% would% usually% ontain% a% mediator% that% actively% manages% the% interaction% to% either% encourage% our% prevent% interruptions% for% example% in% a% physical% scenario% individuals% would% raise% a% hand% before% interrupting. % Another% important% risk% is% exposing% confidential% material,% as% there% is% very% little% control%over%who%is%listening%in%via%the%25%possible%channels%of %communicators. Knowledge is a fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a basis for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information. It originates and is applied in the mind of individuals. In organisations, it often becomes embedded not only in documents or repositories but also in organisational routines, processes, and practices. (Davenport Prusak, 2000) 7 %There is a magic number for brainstorming and that number is 8-10 people. If you get more than ten people, it becomes challenging for everyone to participate and its too easy for side conversations to get going. http://www. ]rsconsulting. net/ freearticles 26. html% 8 %Knowledge Management is the discipline of enabling individuals, teams and entire organisations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge, to etter achieve their objectives Ron Young. 9 %Goffn, K. Koners, U. (2011). Tacit Knowledge, Lessons Learnt, and New Product Development. J PROD INNOV MANAG, 28, 300-318. With tacit knowledge, people are not often aware of the knowledge they possess or how it can be valuable to others. Effective transfer of tacit knowledge generally requires extensive personal contact, regular interaction and trust. This kind of knowledge can only be revealed through practice in a particular context and transmitted through social networks. To some extent it is captured when the knowledge holder Joins a network or a community of practice. 0 %250 companies using Skype, 80% said using it increased employee productivity. http://financialsocialmedia. com/theadvantages-of-skype-in-business- communications/% Physical%and%social%interaction%is%known%to%bind%an%organisation. %The %lack%of%these%interactions%in% virtual% organisations% tends% to% hinder% the% development% of% a% company% culture. % To% encourage% social %interaction%between%virtual%workers,%Skypes%instant%messaging%and%VoIP %can%be%used%for% immediate% support% during% projects% and% general% social% interactions. Encouraging% employees% to% upload% profile% pictures% nd% building% a% personal% profile% for% themselves% can% help% to% develop % a% more%humane%appearance%to%workers,%especially%when%primarily %interacting%on%a%virtual%level. %lt% can% help% to% foster% teamwork% and% a % sense% of% belonging% in% a% virtual% organisation. % The% risk% of% encouraging%employees%to%use%skype%as%a%social%media%tool%is%the %inability%to%control%the%extent%it% is%being%used%for%social%interaction %and%thus%distracting%employees%from%their%work. % Internet%accessibility%has%opened%up%a%global%pool%of%potential%employees %from%which%to%recruit% from. %The%opportunity%to%outsource%work%through virtual%organisations%has%reduced%the%cost%of% remuneration% and% provided% a% wider% pool% of% applicants% for% firms% to% filter% out% the% most% skilled% people% across% the% globe. % So% although% firms% are% no% longer% limited% to% applicants% within% a% comfortable% com muting% distance % from% an% office% base,% the% difficulty% arises% when% interviewing% international%applicants%for%a%virtual%offsite%role. To%overcome%this,%Skype %could%be%implemented% to%hold%virtual%interviews%via%video%VolP. %The %absence%of%travel%time%would%improve%flexibility%of% meeting%times%and would%also%reduce%the%physical%space%required%to%hold%interviews. %These%two% factors%would%significantly%reduce%the%cost%for%both%parties, %due%to%increased%freedom%to%connect% from%more%convenient%locations %and%the%ability%to%reallocate%meetingMroom%space. %The%benefit%of% using %video%calls%as%opposed%to%a%telephone%conversation%would%allow%the %interviewer%to%assess% important% contributors% such% as% body% language% and% presentation. From% the% applicants% perspective,%being%in%a%familiar %location%might%reduce%nerves%and%in%turn%improve%performance% during% the% interview. Skypes% built% in% recording% software% could% be% utilized% to% document% the% interview%as%referen ce%when%making%comparisons %between%applicants%or%to%allow%third%parties%to% asses% applicants% performance% for% a% more% balanced% final% decision. % A% drawback% of% %employees%experiencing%true% company% culture. Through% physically% entering% an% office% building,% they% would% experience% the% work% environment% and% have% the% opportunity% to% interact% with% potential% colleagues. % A% virtual% interview%could%also%result%in%interruptions%due%to %being%more%exposed%to%external%distractions. For%example%using%lnternet %in%a%cafe%could%result%in%disruptive%background%noise,%it%can%also%be% difficult%to%identify%whether%an%individual%requires%privacy%when%sitting%in %front%of%a%laptop%with% headphones%in. Connection%also%plays%a%big%part %in%determining%whether%the%process%works%well% or% not. Delays% can% occur,% calls% can% be% dropped,% and% poor% connectivity% may% result% in% broken% speech%and%noticeable%lag%in%signal%reaching%its%destination. %skype%does%not%offer%a%serv ice%level% agreement%(SLAb%warranting%that %service%will%be%available%and%quality%good,%therefore%call%and% onnection%quality%are%not%always%as%good%as%they%are%on%the%public %switched%telephone%network% (PSTN). %% Technological%advances%has%allowed%multinationals%to%converge%in%the%way %things%are%done%on%a% global% scale. Another% difficulty% experienced% in % virtual% organisations% is% the% ability% to% bring% all% employees%together %and%disseminate%the%same%standard%of%training%across%the%board. %skype %can% be% utilized% by% providing% prerecorded% training% sessions% to% off% site% employees% for% mobile% % anywhere%access. %For%a%more%localized %approach,%one%to%one%or%group%training%via%skype%video% calls% % creen% sharing% would% allow% a% firm% to% create% bespoke% and% highly% interactive% training% programs. The%interactive%aspect%encourages%live %feedback%on%sessions,%encourages%employees% to%be%more%participative%as %levels%of%intimidation%in%a%classroom%setting%are% reduced. %%The%ability% to%tailor%the%course%based%on%individuals%specific%requirements%also %becomes%more%achievable. % Additionally,% it% could% facilitate% training% seminars% with% external% industry% experts% that% may% not% usually%have %the%time%to%travel%away%from%work. The%live%aspect%of%the%sessions means%that% information%is%always%up%to%date%in%comparison%to %learning%via%literature,%and%again%the%built%in% recording% function% can% be% used% to% record% training% sessions% to% build% a% reference% library% with% anytime% access. % The% drawback% of% the% virtual% training;% leaves% the% speed% of% employee% development% down% to% their% own% motivations% to% progress% and% it% becomes% difficult% to% ensure% alertness% during% sessions% due% to% a% higher% level% of% distraction% in% comparison% to% being% in% a% classroom. sharing%confidential%tacit%%explicit%training % of% this% information% reaching% competitors. The% application% of% Skype% training% in% a% virtual% organisation% can% be% leveraged% as% a% competitive % weapon% and% an% employee% retention% tool% to% ensure% that% employees % are% being% offered% career% development,% growth% prospects%and%support %to%reach%personalized%goals%even%when%working%remotely. % % ln%virtual%organisations%newer%team%members%can%be%deprived%of%the %opportunity%to%learn%from% more% senior% workers% and% valuable% knowMhow% tacit% knowledge% can% be% lost% within% a% firm. % The% application%of%skype%calls%for%the%purpose%of%mentoring%could%mend%this %gap. Again%the%benefit%of% flexibility%and%virtual%faceMtoMface %communication%from%mentors%makes%it%easier%to%set%a%time%% date%to %agree%upon,%especially%with%executives%whose%time%may%be%in%high %demand. This%factor% could% encourage% more% frequent% encounters,% allow % relationships% to% develop% faster% and% shorten% power% distances% between% hierarchical% levels. % The% erosion% of% power% distance% can% benefit% both% levels,%as%experience%is%past %down%to%newer%members%and %the%most%up%to%date%knowledge%from% the% front% line% can% be% filtered % back% up% to% higher% levels. % The% challenge% of% implementing% virtual% entoring%is%the%temptation%for%either%party%to%multiMtask%instead%of %concentrating%on%the%task%at% hand. The% feature% of% having% email% access% and% social% media% literally% at% your% fingertips% can% be% highly %distracting. % The%emergence%of%social%media%%blogging%sites%has%empowered %consumers%and%has%supported% the%development%of%the%term %coMcreation. 1 1 %customers%and%producers%are%beginning%to%see%the% benefit%in%interacting%to%create%experiences%and%build%relationships%even %after%the%transaction%or% purchase% has% been% made. % A% successful% example% of% this% is% Apple% care,% which% allows% 2417% customer%support online. Skypes%voice%over%lP%services%could%be%utilized%to%provide %virtual%faceM toMface%interaction%and%support%with%customers. %The %onMtheMgo%access%via%its%mobile%application% would%allow%virtual %workers%to%take%calls%from%across%the%globe%in%a%preferred%location %without% having% to% operate% from% an% office% base. % % Exploiting% time% zones% % the% differences% in% public% and% religious%holidays%would%allow %firms%to%allocate%hours%to%different%regions%to%cover%24/7%support. % The % use% of% Skype% as% a% virtual% interaction% tool% could% help% to% create%

Iridium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Iridium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Iridium  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 77 Symbol: Ir Atomic Weight: 192.22 Discovery: S.Tenant, A.F.Fourcory, L.N.Vauquelin, H.V.Collet-Descoltils 1803/1804 (England/France) Electron Configuration: [Xe] 6s2 4f14 5d7 Word Origin: Latin iris rainbow, because the salts of iridium are highly colored Properties: Iridium has a melting point of 2410 °C, boiling point of 4130 °C, specific gravity of 22.42 (17 °C), and valence of 3 or 4. A member of the platinum family, iridium is white like platinum, but with a slight yellowish cast. The metal is very hard and brittle and is the most corrosion resistant metal known. Iridium is not attacked by acids or aqua regia, but it is attacked by molten salts, including NaCl and NaCN. Either iridium or osmium is the densest known element, but the data do not allow for selection between the two. Uses: The metal is used for hardening platinum. It is used in crucibles and other applications requiring high temperatures. Iridium is combined with osmium to form an alloy used in compass bearings and for tipping pens. Iridium is also used for electrical contacts and in the jewelry industry. Sources: Iridium occurs in nature uncombined or with platinum and other related metals in alluvial deposits. It is recovered as a by-product from the nickel mining industry. Element Classification: Transition Metal Iridium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 22.42 Melting Point (K): 2683 Boiling Point (K): 4403 Appearance: white, brittle metal Atomic Radius (pm): 136 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.54 Covalent Radius (pm): 127 Ionic Radius: 68 (4e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.133 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 27.61 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 604 Debye Temperature (K): 430.00 Pauling Negativity Number: 2.20 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 868.1 Oxidation States: 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, -1 Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.840 References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.) Return to the Periodic Table Chemistry Encyclopedia

Assess the extent to which manufacturing in China can compete on a Essay

Assess the extent to which manufacturing in China can compete on a global scale. Illustrate your argument with different types o - Essay Example These were originally set-up on the south china coast near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan. The 1990s was the actual boom decades in china’s introduction to foreign capital. About 70 percentages of FDI flows to china are in developed businesses. This was a reply to a rising political commitment by the Chinese administration to market-oriented reform, the continued creation of special economic zones and strong domestic development and other shareholder incentives. New worldwide economic slowdown and U.S recession are forcing a lot of U.S companies to re-evaluate their manufacturing policy in order to compete successfully in the market. China has turn into a preferable and logical option. There are a number of methods to doing manufacturing in china. â€Å"In china, there are many industrial parks with all the needed infrastructure- electricity, water, telephone, transportation, customer service, shipping service, bank branches, government service and security† (Michael Yih -chung Shen, 2004. P. 118). Presently china has a part of the world trade organization has skilled 23 successive years of development in its gross domestic product. This paper analyses the importance of manufacturing competitiveness in China and its influence on the global market, including aerospace, apparel/clothing, automobiles, and electronic goods. Competitive strength of China in manufacturing field: China’s move to the global centre for manufacturing is based on numerous factors such as the eastward immigration of manufacturing facility, the fact that china is already the world’s number one manufacturer for more than 100 products in terms of quality and its complementary position in terms of financial levels from east to west. The geographical attentiveness of exports and imports in china is highly rough. It is focused in the coastal regions. According to Jintong Lin, Xiongjian Liang and Yan Wan in his book Telecommunications in China: development and prospects says that â€Å"The development of china’s telecommunication manufacturing industry is closely linked with the development of china’s telecommunication industry† (Lin, et al, 2001, P. 74). In the late of 2000s china was the second largest nation in the world in terms of purchasing power parity GDP and it was the third biggest trading state. In the primary production, china was the main producer of wheat, rice, cotton, red meat, coal, tobacco and aluminium. In the case of manufactures, china produced about 60% of the world’s bicycles, 70% of the world’s toys, 40% of the world’s mobile phones and 50% of the world’s motorcycles. In addition to being the world’s top producer of LCD screens and TVs, china created above a third of the world’s air conditioners, luggage, computer monitors and microwave ovens. It also creates above 50% of the world’s cameras and shoes, and regarding two-thirds of all DVD players. "The succ ess of home-grown companies rests in equal measure on the vision of their strategic management and the competence of their labourers. While China indeed possesses a vast pool of workers, few of them are able to compete in today’s global economy" (Wyne, 2007). A major feature of china’s competitive benefit as a site of export-oriented manufacturing production is a low-cost, huge and highly creative labour force. According to James Riedel, Jing Jin, Jian Gao in his book How China grows: investment, finance, and reform says

Job Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Job - Personal Statement Example My academic experience and professional qualifications harnessed my skills and prepared me for the responsibilities that go with the position. I am deeply dedicated to the accomplishment of required endeavors and am committed to being instrumental in creating progress and development to the organization I am connected with. I am enthusiastic to offer my professional services as part of the accounting team of your prestigious institution. Since I am still attending Baltimore City Community College, majoring in accounting, I have been committed to continue a career with your firm. I have taken two business classes and received As. I also have taken three Accounting classes and received no less than Bs. In these classes I became skillful and adept in using Microsoft office. I am well aware that TSA is consistently in pursuit of people who are ambitious, competitive, with a strong focus to succeed and a force to work for the betterment of mankind. I would like to continue to be part of your workforce being guided by values of integrity, honest dealing, treating everyone with respect and dignity, striving for mutual advantage, transparency and contributing to human

Schuman Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11000 words

Schuman Plan - Coursework Example In fact she had been already actively engaged in NATO along with the U.S.A. Looking at the success of the ECSC however , Britain was tempted to canvass for membership but her attempt was twice scuttled by Charles de Gaulle who opined that Britain had no real interest in joining the ECSC but was trying to enter as the Trojan horse of the U.S.A. which in a way was obvious since the U.S.A. had been advising her to enter the ECSC and try to change its policies on a broader perspective in tandem with NATO. Thus it took almost 22 years for her to make an entry into the community which by then had become EEC from ECSC, only after the exit of Charles de Gaulle from the French Government. The other five states had been longing for Britain's entry and hence the passage was smooth for Britain though France under the premiership of Pompidou allowed her entry only on firm commitments with respect to the EEC budget contributions and on community's Common Agricultural Policy. The conclusion is ther efore that Britain's entry into EEC was politically motivated rather than on economic motives. The unification of Europe was felt ... Thus it took almost 22 years for her to make an entry into the community which by then had become EEC from ECSC, only after the exit of Charles de Gaulle from the French Government. The other five states had been longing for Britain's entry and hence the passage was smooth for Britain though France under the premiership of Pompidou allowed her entry only on firm commitments with respect to the EEC budget contributions and on community's Common Agricultural Policy. The conclusion is therefore that Britain's entry into EEC was politically motivated rather than on economic motives. Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background The unification of Europe was felt to be the only way to avoid war among nations. France and Germany were sworn enemy nations during world wars I & II. The cessation of hostilities after the end of World War saw many a world leader advocating cooperation between nations in Europe. Robert Schuman, the Foreign Minister of France startled the world by his announcement on May 9, 1950 that Coal and Steel Industry of European nations would have common platform to conduct uniform trade in the said industries what famously came to be known as Schuman Plan. In spite of the apparent advantages of this kind of arrangement, Britain opted out of joining it. While Britain had its own reasons, her rejection of the Schuman plan was not taken lightly by France because of which though Britain quickly realised its importance, it took almost 23 years for it to manage to join the EEC after its formation. 1.2 Aims and Objectives With the above background, aims and objective is to go into the aspects of Britain's hesitation to join the EC initially and

Posture Recognition Based Fall Detection System

Posture Recognition Based Fall Detection System A POSTURE RECOGNITION BASED FALL DETECTION SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN ELDERLY PERSON IN A SMART HOME ENVIRONMENT ABSTRACT The mobile application is capable of detecting possible falls for elderly, through the use of special sensors. The alert messages contain useful information about the people in danger, such as his/her geo location and also corresponding directions on a map. In occasions of false alerts, the supervised person is given the ability to estimate the value of importance of a possible alert and to stop it before being transmitted. This paper describes system for monitoring and fall detection of ELDERLY PEOPLE using triaxial accelerometer together with ZigBee transceiver to detect fall of ELDERLY PEOPLE. The system is composed of data acquisition, fall detection and database for analysis. Triaxial accelerometer is used for human position tracking and fall detection. The system is capable of monitoring ELDERLY PEOPLE in real time and on the basis of results another important parameters of patient can be deducted: the quality of therapy, the time spent on different activities, the joint moveme nt, etc. The system, including calibration of accelerometers and measurement is explained in detail. The Accidental Fall Detection System will be able to assist carriers as well as the elderly, as the carriers will be notified immediately to the intended person. This fall detection system is designed to detect the accidental fall of the elderly and alert the carriers or their loved ones via Smart-Messaging Services (SMS) immediately. This fall detection is created using microcontroller technology as the heart of the system, the accelerometer as to detect the sudden movement or fall and the Global System for Mobile (GSM) modem, to send out SMS to the receiver. INTRODUCTION The leading health problems in the elderly community. They can occur in home as well as in hospitals or in the long-term care institutions [1]. Falls increase risk for serious injuries, chronic pain, long-term disability, and loss of independence, psychological and social limitations due to institutionalization. Nearly 50% of older adults hospitalized for fall- related injuries are discharged to nursing homes or long-term care facilities [2]. A fall can cause psychological damage even if the person did not suffer a physical injury. Those who fall often experience decrease activities of daily living and self-care due to fear of falling again. This behavior decreases their mobility, balance and fitness and leads to reduced social interactions and increased depression. The mortality rate for falls increases progressively with age. Falls caused 57% of deaths due to injuries among females and 36% of deaths among males, age 65 and older [3]. Majority of falls result from an interaction between multiple long-term and short-term factors in person’s environment [4]. Common risk factors include problems with balance and stability, arthritis, muscle weakness, multiple medications therapy, depressive symptoms, cardiac disorders, stroke, impairment in cognition and vision Detection of a fall possibly leading to injury in timely manner is crucial for providing adequate medical response and care. Present fall detection systems can be categorized [7, 8, 9] under one of the following groups: User activated alarm systems (wireless tags), Floor vibration-based fall detection, Wearable sensors (contact sensors and switches, sensors for heart rate and temperature, accelerometers and gyroscopes ), Acoustic fall detection, Visual fall detection. The most common method for fall detection is using a triaxial accelerometers or bi-axial gyroscopes. Accelerometer is a device for measuring acceleration, but is also used to detect free fall and shock, movement, speed and vibration. Using the threshold algorithms while measuring changes in acceleration in each direction, it is possible do detect falls with very high accuracy. Using two or more tri-axial accelerometers and combining them with gyroscopes at different body locations it is possible to recognize several kinds of postures (sitting, standing, etc.) and movements, thereby detecting falls with much better accuracy. An easy and simple method to detect fall detection of ELDERLY PEOPLE is using accelerometer together with ZigBee transceiver to communicate with Monitoring System through wireless network, and in this paper a system for monitoring and fall detection of ELDERLY PEOPLE using mobile MEMS accelerometers will be presented. . The first three functions provide recording in a database, and also a text message is sent to the supervisor with latitude, longitude and other useful data. Afterwards, you can detect the elder person through Google maps. Additionally, an application was implemented for the attending physician, which is connected with the database, through which s/he can obtain a complete picture of the patients’ status, to draw useful conclusions and proceed to possible change in medical treatment. EXISTING SYSTEM: An application for Apple IOS by using an accelerometer to detect falls. A possible drawback is that the development platform Apple IOS is not accessible to the average user. An application in Symbian s60 using machine learning algorithm takes 64 samples every two seconds from the accelerometer and decides whether there is a fall. PROPOSED SYSTEM: In this paper, we designed an application with the ability of automatic fall detection, by using the mobile sensors, warning signal by pressing a button in cases of emergency, detection and automatic notification to supervisors as well as visual display to passerbies. The application uses basically two incorporated mobile sensors, namely the accelerometer and the gyroscope sensor.A counter starts counting loudly on the screen from 30 to 0. If the counter reaches 0, then an SMS message is sent to the caregiver or relative and an entry is made to the Database. The first service detects the patient’s position and calculates whether the patient is further away than a set distance. When activated can give directions to the patient what route to follow to return back to home. APPLICATIONS: Automatic fall detection. Warning if the elder moves away from the place of residence directions given on the map. ADVANTAGES: Elder’s safety can be assured. Fast First aid or medical treatment can be guaranteed. DISADVANTAGES: Device Sensor should be carried out whenever the person moves over. SYSTEM DESIGN Architecture Diagram SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND FALL DETECTION The whole system consists of a set of sensors (two or more sensors on the patient, usually MEMS sensors) which the patient wears on himself, local units to collect data that are placed in patient vicinity and systems for collecting. The tiny sensors in the strap are capable of measuring user orientation and motion in three-dimensions and it is constantly monitoring and analyzing the signals in real-time looking for movement indicating a fall. From the comparison Table Error! No text of specified style in document. .1, it shows that the system maybe a hindrance to the consumer in terms of price over the years. The aim of this project is to be able to provide equal standard of care at an affordable cost. The system is shown in Figure 1 the space is divided into sections which are defined by interior and exterior of the institution in which a system is operated. Each room is stocked with local receivers. Local receivers collect data from sensors that the ELDERLY PEOPLE are wearing on the clothes. The sensors are small and lightweight. One sensor is located in the upper garment and the other at the bottom. This is not limited to two sensors, if necessary, there may be more, but for the detection of falls to the back the system must have at least 2 sensors Local receivers pass information to the server. The server information is processed local health care service. Personal computers are used to browse the database collected a t the server. The database contains information about the mobility of ELDERLY PEOPLE, treatment efficacy, joints. All these data can be analyzed offline and used to adjust patient therapy. This has served a double function of the system Real-time patient monitoring and early detection of the fall in order to deliver medical assistance as soon as possible. In this application Free scale TM ZSTAR wireless sensing triple axis board is used (Fig. 2). It is very practical because of low power consumption, portability, and the ability to be mounted in small pockets inside the clothes of ELDERLY PEOPLE. Board is divided into sensory and receiver part. The sensor is placed at the patient and is equipped with an accelerometer, microprocessor, and transceiver with the antenna which sends the measurement data to the receiver. The receiver also has a microprocessor that adjusts the signals received through the antenna to send with the USB protocol. These data are sent to the server. The server collects process and stores the data. Each sensor that is connected to the patient is personalized, and its data are stored in a file under persons name to get an overview of all activities and physical stress of the patient FALL DETECTION USING TWO ACCELEROMETERS In this chapter the operation of the system through one of its functions and to the detection of fall will be described. The figures have been simplified for better understanding of the system. The algorithm used is improved algorithm given in, with better detection of backwards falls. Setup for accelerometer fall detection, consists of the measuring sensors with transmitter, receiver and server for data processing and fall detection. The fall is detected by the algorithm described in. It can be seen that fall detection algorithm uses data from both sensors that are monitored at the same time. This algorithm is able to distinguish between falls (forward, back word fall into a sitting position) and the normal daily activity, such as walking, mastering stairs, sitting in a chair, lying walking is also detecting by the sensors. However, these impacts are not isolated, and after them there is no significant change in orientation between the two sensors. Vectors are in the area that will call common zone .if an isolated stoke which causes a change in orientation of the body is detected, or the orientation of certain body parts in relation to the situation before the stroke, then with some certainty it can be said that the fall had occurred. Dataflow Diagram SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION Modules details Phase 1 Modules Fall Detection Location Tracking Phase 2 Modules Communication Route Map Integration Fall Detection: The FALL DETECTION is something that we have developed at Alert1 so you can be safe at all times. Whether you are a senior citizen and want to maintain your independence, a concerned family member looking for peace of mind, or a caregiver with patients, this tool has been developed for you. Prevention is key. Use it to inspect and detect hazardous areas in your home that could result in a fall. If you answer no to the questions, you have already taken action to reduce your risk of falling. If you answer yes to any of the questions, consider making the recommended change or adaptation to reduce your risk of falling. Location Tracking: Real-time locating systems (RTLS)are used to automatically identify and track the location of objects or people in real time, usually within a building or other contained area. Wireless RTLS tags are attached to objects or worn by people, and in most RTLS, fixed reference points receive wireless signals from tags to determine their location. The physical layer of RTLS technology is usually some form ofradio frequency(RF) communication, but some systems use optical (usuallyinfrared) or acoustic (usuallyultrasound) technology instead of or in addition to RF. Tags and fixed reference points can be transmitters, receivers, or both, resulting in numerous possible technology combinations. RTLS are a form oflocal positioning system, and do not usually refer to GPS,mobile phone tracking, or systems that use only passiveRFIDtracking. Location information usually does not include speed, direction, or spatial orientation. Communication: The table that maintained the mapping between the agent’s name and the landmark location is shared and updated by the agents who were on nodes within the landmark’s coverage. When the node is not a landmark node, the table is used as a cache table. If communication with the other agent succeeds, the locations and the agent names are registered in this cache table. It is possible for the agent to periodically get the location of the target agent and store it in the cache table. The use of a cache table enables agents to initiate direct communication with each other and reduce the communication overhead to landmarks. When the cache misses, the agent sends a request to the landmark to get updated information. Agents can also delete the information from the cache table. The communication between landmarks is implemented, however we only use this communication to call the target agent when there is no target agent within the coverage area. This primitive is used when the pro grammer deploys agents and makes deployment of agents easy. Routemap Integration: The integration of spatial maps in mobile was investigated using a spatial analog to sensory preconditioning. The GPS chip outputs the positioning information which is transferred over a GPRS link to the mobile operator’s GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) and then to a remote server over a TCP connection. The TCP server stores the incoming positional data in a mySQL database. When a user clicks on the tracking page., Zope, which is an open source web application server, serves up an HTML page with an embedded javascript code. The javascript would run in the users browser and has instructions to retrieve the positional information from the mySQL database every second. It then integrates this information into Google Maps through Google Maps API which displays the position on a map. Since the positional information is retrieved every second and the maps updated at the same frequency, a real time GPS tracking effect is achieved. CONCLUSION Triaxial accelerometers can be used for detecting fall of ELDERLY PEOPLE. They offer low cost solution, and together with wireless connectivity solutions such as ZigBee provide efficient solution for both ELDERLY PEOPLE and medical personnel l. In this paper I have presented an intelligent mobile multimedia application that can be incorporated into modern mobile smartphones in order to be used for the needs of the elderly. It is in our future plans to evaluate this system in order to test its efficiency in actually helping these people sufficiently. It is also in our future plans to extend the system’s capabilities by incorporating new services. These services include the following: Embed a belt measuring heart rate as an external sensor Integrate a gyroscope sensor instead of an orientation sensor, for more accurate results Integration of social networks to alert senders Integrate public agency to alert senders Add a system administrator feature. References: A. Chan and N. Vasconcelos, â€Å"Counting people with low-level features and Bayesian regression,† IEEE Trans. Image Process., vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 2160–2177, Apr. 2012. E.Auvinet, F. Multon, A. Saint-Arnaud, J. Rousseau, and J. Meunier, â€Å"Fall detection with multiple cameras: An occlusion-resistant method based on 3-d silhouette vertical distribution,† IEEE Trans. Inf. Technol. Biomed., vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 290–300, Mar. 2011. Y. Hou and G. Pang, â€Å"People counting and human detection in a challenging situation,† IEEE Trans. Syst. Man, Cybern. Part A: Syst. Humans, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 24–33, Jan. 2011 Y. Chen, L. Zhu, A. Yuille, and H. Zhang, â€Å"Unsupervised learning of probabilistic object models (POMs) for object classification, segmentation, and recognition using knowledge propagation,† IEEE Trans. PatternAnal. Mach. Intell., vol. 31, no. 10, pp. 1747–1761, Oct. 2009 F. Lecumberry, A. Pardo, and G. Sapiro, â€Å"Simultaneous object classification and segmentation with high-order multiple shape models,† IEEETrans. Image Process., vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 625–635, Mar. 2010

Social Interaction and Technology Essay example -- Sociology

Cellphones, television, and computers are just three of the most popular ways that we communicate in today. They have made a substantial impact on the United States simply by being readily available and easy to use. People are often discussing how technology has impacted us. Many believe that technology is actually hindering society rather than helping it. Then there are those who doubt technology has made our social interactions better. Certainly, this is true; without the advances in technology, our level of social interaction in education, businesses, and relationships would diminish. Education is important, so it would only make sense that technology would have a huge part in it. When children are born, they are placed into a world that is driven by technology. Parents are now using iPads and cellphones to allow their children to get a head start on learning. Now, by the time children are of age to attend school, they are exceedingly prepared to incorporate technology in their education. With this being said, educational institutions must help students get ready to work in a society that encompasses an extensive amount of technology. According to Sean McCollum, â€Å"a handful of school districts†¦are adapting their use to serve the curriculum.† Many schools are now using whiteboards, laptops, tablets, Smartphones and other devices in almost every classroom. Technology enhances learning, boosts confidence, and eliminates geographical limitations. Technology enriches learning by being able to come in different forms and do different things. "For lessons traditionally done with a paper and pencil, we now were able to do them in color, with animation, and with more depth and complexity"(McCollum). Teachers are now able to help stu... ...al interactions with each other. Works Cited Carr, Nicholas G. "IT Doesn't Matter." Harvard Business Review 81.5 (2003): 41-49. Business Source Complete. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Levin, Barbara. "On-Demand Workforce-Communications Technologies Help Organizations Meet Critical Business Goals." Employment Relations Today (Wiley) 35.2 (2008): 43-50. Business Source Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. McCollum, Sean. "Getting Past the 'Digital Divide'." Education Digest 77.2 (2011): 52. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Social Interaction and Technology. n.d. Intelecom. Video. Web. 11 March 2012. Vanden Abeele, Mariek and Keith Roe "New Life, Old Friends: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Communication Technology Use in Freshmen's Social Life." Conference Papers International Communication Association (2009): 1-36. Communication & Mass Media. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.