The Internet of Things (IoT) represents a networking paradigm where entities are viewed as objects that are identifiable, traceable and connected. This view requires the integration and interoperability of numerous wireless standards. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are two dominant technologies that jointly constitute a class of hybrid/integrated IoT architectures known as RFID-Sensor Networks (RSNs). Data delivery across such integrated architectures faces challenges in terms of cost-efficiency, scalability and connectivity, among many others. Moreover, IoT-driven solutions are required to address constraints on node mobility, delay-tolerance and resource management, and may have to adhere to an economic model in order to establish incentive-based schemes. Most available RSN solutions are tailored for a single-application and fail to address the aforementioned IoT constraints. To the best of our knowledge, a detailed framework that comprehensively addresses such constraints does not exist. We investigate this promising research direction by proposing a novel framework that incorporates an RSN integrated architecture to improve delivery over heterogeneous topologies. Our framework provides data delivery solutions that adhere to delivery and connectivity considerations of integrated RSN architectures in IoT. Moreover, our data delivery solutions incorporate pricing policies for incentive public sensing applications over the proposed architecture. We show, by theoretical analysis and simulations, that our framework outperforms rival RSN integration approaches, as well as other wireless Ad-hoc data delivery schemes in realizing IoT performance requirements. / Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-01 15:09:52.668

The purpose of this study is to sample a number of disparate texts from the early Islamic cultural field to explore the shared grounds or themes that bind them together. The focus of the sampled texts and their analysis is the different relations between God and the real things of this world. The method that is applied in the selection of the texts of this research relies on Pierre Bourdieu’s approach to the study of cultural production. It assumes a relational and dynamic intellectual field which creates interlinked differences and similarities. This is the reason for sampling texts which are assumed to be reasonably marginal to the main cultural establishment. The kalām of the early stage, exemplified by the texts of the Zaydī al-Qāsim al-Rassī and the eastern Ibādīs, is found to emphasise the radical separation between the creator and the created. The development of this relation, which is explored through an intertextual reading of Qurʾānic exegesis, bridges the fissure, between creator and created, through the process of re-interpreting the terms of creation. The act of creation itself becomes an act of transformation, and the objects of creation become eternal ‘non-existent things’ that acquire the quality of existence. In the philosophical works of Jābir Ibn Ḥayyān, the things of this world are also reduced to transformations within the one substance that encompasses the intelligible and the material world. The results of this research show that there is a great degree of diffusion of ideas in this early stage of Islamic culture, from an assumed centre to the margins, and vice versa. The general tendencies in the texts considered reflect, on the one hand, a critique of multiplicity of principles, particularly dualism, and an emphasis on God’s unity, through different interpretations of tawḥīd. On the other hand, the sought unity itself established God’s radical transcendence from the real world, thus leading to another form of dualism dividing the world and the absolute other. The process of opposition to dualism seems to have eventually produced two forms of affirming and defining unity. Both forms define the existent things in terms of substance (jawhar), however, the kalām model expresses it in atomistic terms whilst the alchemical model of Jābir expresses it in terms of a hylomorphic model. One of these redefines the meanings of the existent and the non-existent things in term of subsistence, and the other, develops the idea of a single substance with different gradation in being.

Today communicating sensors are everywhere. There are sensors in our smart phones, in our vehicles, even in our homes. As the technology in electronics and wireless communication is developed more devices is installed all around us. The Internet connected network of physical objects is called the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT devices send, receive and exchange data in order to control, monitor and optimize. The possible appliances for IoT spans industries, healthcare, cities, airports, and much more. This project targets the current state of IoT, how the development of IoT might affect building services engineering and possible future IoT appliances in buildings. The main appliances of IoT in buildings are energy saving procedures, maintenance improvements, chore automation and security enhancements. Energy saving in buildings has been a hot topic for many years due to global warming. IoT offers the possibility to reduce greenhouse gases, not only locally but also on a grander scheme. This project investigate possible energy savings by assuming that IoT can create an optimal ventilation and heating schedules. The analysis is carried out by simulating energy consumption in an apartment building using IDA ICE. The apartment building used as a reference model is located in Lycksele, Sweden. The result shows a modest energy saving of 100 kWh/apartment for heating and 250 kWh/apartment for ventilation optimization. The conclusion is that energy saving potential of IoT lies in interoperability between devices and the possibility to find correlations between data, not in individual optimizations. The main focus of IoT today in the building sector is to assist facility management with supervision of real estate. Sensors that send information about the state of devices decreases the supervision time of operating technicians. It's fundamental for facility management companies to cooperate with building engineering companies in order to avoid a constant change of batteries in IoT devices installed in buildings. By settle necessary power connections during the construction phase of a building the need for batteries is limited.

Informe de Seminario para optar al grado de Licenciado en Lengua y Literatura Inglesa

Technology-sustained pervasive games, contrary to technology-supported pervasive games, can be understood as computer games interfacing with the physical world. Pervasive games are known to make use of ‘non-standard input devices’ and with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), pervasive applications can be expected to move beyond games. This dissertation is requirements- and development-focused Design Science research for distributed technology-sustained pervasive applications, incorporating knowledge from the domains of Distributed Computing, Mixed Reality, Context-Aware Computing, Geographical Information Systems and IoT. Computer video games have existed for decades, with a reusable game engine to drive them. If pervasive games can be understood as computer games interfacing with the physical world, can computer game engines be used to stage pervasive games? Considering the use of non-standard input devices in pervasive games and the rise of IoT, how will this affect the architectures supporting the broader set of pervasive applications? The use of a game engine can be found in some existing pervasive game projects, but general research into how the domain of pervasive games overlaps with that of video games is lacking. When an engine is used, a discussion of, what type of engine is most suitable and what properties are being fulfilled by the engine, is often not part of the discourse. This dissertation uses multiple iterations of the method framework for Design Science for the design and development of three software system architectures. In the face of IoT, the problem of extending pervasive games into a fourth software architecture, accommodating a broader set of pervasive applications, is explicated. The requirements, for technology-sustained pervasive games, are verified through the design, development and demonstration of the three software system architectures. The scaling up of the architecture to support distributed pervasive applications, is based on research in the domain of Virtual Worlds and IoT. The results of this dissertation are: the aligning of the Pervasive Games research domain with that of Virtual Worlds, the mapping of virtual time and space to physical counterparts, the scaling up of pervasive games to distributed systems, and the explication of the problem of incorporating IoT into pervasive applications. The implication of this dissertation is to ensure that pervasive games are not left reinventing existing technologies. / Teknikförmedlade verklighetsspel (technology-sustained pervasive games), i motsats till teknikstödda verklighetsspel (technology-supported pervasive games), kan förstås som dataspelets gränssnitt mot den fysiska världen. Verklighetsspel games är kända för att använda sig av ‘icke-standardiserade inmatningsenheter’ och med ökningen av Sakernas Internet (Internet of Things) (IoT), kan verklighetsapplikationer (pervasive applications) förväntas gå längre än verklighetsspel. Denna avhandling omfattar krav- och utvecklingfokuserad (Design Science) forskning för distribuerad teknik omfattande verklighetsspel, som innehåller kunskap från områdena distribuerad databehandling (Distributed Computing), blandad realitet (Mixed Reality), kontextmedveten databehandling, geografiska informationssystem och IoT. Dataspel har funnits i decennier, ofta med en återanvändbar spelmotor för att driva dem. Om verklighetsspel kan förstås som dataspel med gränssnitt mot den fysiska världen, kan då dataspelsmotorer användas för att iscensätta verklighetsspel? Med tanke på användningen av ickestandardiserade inmatningsenheter i verklighetsspel och den tilltagande mängde IoT tillämpningar, hur kommer detta att påverka arkitekturen som stöder verklighetsspel? Användningen av en konventionell spelmotor kan återfinnas i vissa befintliga verklighetsspelsprojekt, men mer generell forskning om hur verklighetsspel överlappar med konventionella dataspel saknas. När en konventionell dataspelsmotor används, är en diskussion om vilken typ av motor som är mest lämplig och vilka egenskaper uppfylls av motorn ofta inte en del av diskursen. Denna avhandling använder flera iterationer av metodramverket för design vetenskap (method framework for Design Science) för konstruktion och utveckling av tre mjukvarusystemarkitekturer. Med tanke på IoT utarbetas problemet att utvidga verklighetsspel till en fjärde mjukvaruarkitektur som kan tillmötesgå en bredare uppsättning av verklighetsapplikationer. Kraven för teknikförmedlade verklighetsspel verifieras genom design, utveckling och demonstration av tre mjukvarusystemarkitekturer. Uppskalning av arkitekturen för att stödja distribuerade verklighetsspel är baserad på forskning inom området för virtuella världar och IoT. Resultaten från avhandlingen är: anpassning av forskningsområdet verklighetsspel med forskningsområdet virtuella världar, metod för matchning av virtuell tid och utrymme till fysiska motsvarigheter, uppskalning av verklighetsspel till distribuerade system, och utarbetning av problemen med att införliva IoT in verklighetsapplikationer. Innebörden av denna avhandling är att se till att implementeringen av verklighetsspel inte leder till att man återuppfinner redan existerande teknik. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Submitted. Paper 6: Submitted. Paper 7: Submitted.</p>

This Thesis presents several approaches through art making to deal with light and space and other things, and the relations that their interaction may generate

This thesis focuses on securing data exchanged between highly constrained IoT devices and the internet. This thesis builds on existing research by combining elements of different research solutions to create a more secure solution. This solution helps to solve gaps in security left behind by existing solutions through the use of symmetric cryptography in data objects and IoT security gateways which act as intermediaries between devices and the internet. The goal of this research is to provide a security solution for devices which do not have the resources necessary to effectively implement the recommended TLS based protocols for secure communication over the internet. The solution provides confidentiality to data traveling between device and gateway while also providing confidentiality, integrity and authenticity to data traveling across the internet. The solution works by delegating demanding security processes to an IoT security gateway which securely processes communications to and from the internet using HTTPS (SSL/TLS). Security of data being passed between device and gateway is provided with AES symmetric encryption at the Data Link and Data Object layers. The performance of the solution is measured by timing the security process of the IoT device while also measuring the resource requirements of applying the solution to the device. / <p>Validerat; 20150622 (global_studentproject_submitter)</p>

Master of Science / Department of Computing and Information Sciences / Venkatesh P. Ranganath / As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow, the need for services that span multiple application domains will continue to increase to realise the numerous possibilities enabled by IoT. Today, however, heterogeneity among devices leads to interoperability issues while building a system of systems and often give rise to closed ecosystems. The issues with interoperability are driven by the inability of devices and apps from different vendors to communicate with each other. The interoperability problem forces the users to stick to one particular vendor, leading to vendor lock-in. To achieve interoperability, the users have to do the heavy lifting (at times impossible) of connecting heterogeneous devices. As we slowly move towards system-of-systems and IoT, there is a real need to support heterogeneity and interoperability. A recent effort in Santos Lab developed Medical Device Coordination Framework (MDCF), which was a step to address these issues in the space of human medical systems. Subsequently, we have been wondering if a similar solution can be employed in the area of animal science. In this effort, by borrowing observations from MDCF and knowledge from on-field experience, we have created a demonstration showcasing how a combination of precise component descriptions (via DSL) and communication patterns can be used in software development and deployment to overcome barriers due to heterogeneity, interoperability and to enable an open ecosystem of apps and devices in the space of animal telemetry.

My art explores my attraction and repulsion to a commodity driven society. Paint Thing and Saint Thing are characters that I created to push my boundaries as a painter and question my process within painting. Working through my agitation, feeling of loss and confusion, I find that two parts need to be present: a belief in the process and the fear of it coming undone. I use painting, sculpture and video to question the materiality of canvas and paint. I incorporate plastic objects, glittery materials, and things that have ephemeral qualities. I am attracted to synthetic forms and objects when arranging them in my compositions. In my work I look closely at the social constructs and systems that bind us to the commodity driven market. I feel if we are to understand our current conditions, we must also include the impact and importance of things in our material world.

The purpose of this report is to review the current conditions exsisting for the implementation of Internet of Things in apartment buildings and how insight can be accomplished for these conditions in real estate companies. Internet of Things is a technology which has increased in popularity in later years and builds on objects connecting to each other or the internet. In conjunction with the reduction of implementation costs for the technology and the increase of possible applications, an interest has grown in many different business sectors. This study concerns the real estate company FinaHem, where the conditions for measurement of different values using connected sensors is analyzed. To answer the formulated questions regarding technological efficiency, financial factors and how a potential solution using Internet of Things would be recieved by tenants, this paper is designed as a case study. The case study evaluates the operations of FinaHem and utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as a business case method. The result and the analysis from the study indicates important factors for the company’s conditions to implement Internet of Things. Technological solutions regarding energy savings, detections of water damage, and visualisation has exhibited business value. Furthermore, the importance of evaluating opinions from residents, and creating a positive experience for them, is established.