Instant Knowledge: Secure Autonomic Business Collaboration
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Abstract
The University of Strathclyde work packages will develop the technology platform for the core of the interpersonal networking system. This consists of techniques for extracting communications metadata, an ontology for describing and sharing this information throughout the system, protocols for establishing the network and sharing contact information, a method of pro-actively achieving this growth, and an examination into the usability of the system. Communications Metadata: This task will develop techniques to extract and describe useful context information from ongoing mobile communications, in order to retrieve implied social links between communicants. This communications metadata must be presented in a manner which allows it to be understood by several other system components. Therefore, an ontology specification will be a key outcome of this area of work. The challenges here are in determining how much information can be found within communications sessions, defining that which may be useful for building and extending the interpersonal network, and creating a syntax for describing this information which will scale to future communications systems. Network Implementation: Building and growing the interpersonal network is a fundamental component of the system described in this proposal. The work in this task will develop protocols which enable the exchange of contact information among users of the system, enabling establishment and expansion of the number of connections in the network. As part of this work, the research must define the meaning of having such a link between two people, and determine how to describe their relationship. This work will tie in with the Security and Privacy work in the broader project, ensuring that data privacy issues are addressed appropriately. Once these methods of establishing a network are defined, the task will examine techniques to pro-actively apply the protocols to build the network without user effort. This will require the application of communications metadata as described above. User Control and Usability: The interpersonal network system described in this project is designed to be largely automatic in its operation, requiring no direct user input. However, it is vital that the user feels in control of the information being communicated between devices. Automation is only useful so long as it is actually helpful; all intelligent assistant systems require human input to guide them in the correct direction. For example, a user may want to specify a relationship to a contact, remove a link from the network, or restrict the flow of personal information. This task will examine the human interface issues raised by this new system. Exposing the network information to the user in a usable manner is vital to the success of the system, and the research will determine how the user should be able to control the interpersonal network. One key output of the work here will be a practical demonstration system, which can be used as a basis for further research as well as assist in potential product development.
People |
ORCID iD |
James Irvine (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Banford J
(2012)
Estimating Social Graphs in an Education Environment: Using Mobile Communication Devices
in IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine
Banford J
(2009)
Relationship Mapping for Proactive Growth of Knowledge Networks
Description | The research allowed keys skills of system users to inferred from their smart phone usage. The underlying research was proved in two deployments - one on database accesses from one of the project partners and one on a group of high school students |
Exploitation Route | The work was taken forward to a successor project by one of the partners of the original project in the security sector. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Electronics Security and Diplomacy |
URL | http://www.nodobo.com |
Description | The data processing algorithms developed in the project have been used as part of a SMART award project with a local company, TreeGreen, to develop energy saving software for their EnergyEgg product. |
First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
Sector | Electronics,Energy |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | Joint research with Mobile VCE |
Organisation | Virtual Centre of Excellence (VCE) in mobile communications |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from Mobile VCE |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | Joint research with Royal Holloway |
Organisation | Royal Holloway, University of London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | University of Strathclyde researchers worked on this project with researchers from Royal Holloway |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | IEEE VTS Distinguished Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited lecture to professional society members in KL, Malaysia, on results of the study. I've received an invitation to record the talk by the IEEE so that it can be distributed more generally |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |