A integração on-line de dados reais com ambientes de realidade virtual imersivos, criando sistemas híbridos, é um campo de pesquisa multidisciplinar, ainda pouco explorado. O alto nível de envolvimento do usuário proporcionado pela realidade virtual imersiva e a confiabilidade e precisão de informações provenientes da aquisição de dados reais, de maneira on-line, podem auxiliar o processo de tomada de decisão, em diversas áreas de aplicação. Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia de integração on-line de dados reais de manufatura com ambientes de realidade virtual imersivos, mais especificamente, com sistemas CAVE. A metodologia foi desenvolvida voltada para a área de manufatura virtual, com foco em máquinas-ferramenta. Foram criados e interligados dois métodos de aquisição de dados on-line, um deles específico para máquinas-ferramenta, através do protocolo MTConnect e outro, genérico, via imagens de câmeras. O trabalho foi desenvolvido, em geral, com base em bibliotecas e softwares livres, bem como com dispositivos de baixo custo. Por fim, avaliou-se a metodologia através de estudos de caso, baseados em dados reais on-line, provenientes de máquinas-ferramenta reais e de simuladores de dados de máquinas reais. Os resultados deste trabalho podem auxiliar o desenvolvimento de ferramentas que aumentem do nível de confiabilidade das tomadas de decisões baseadas em simulações virtuais da área de manufatura. E, devido à sua implementação modular, ao formato hierárquico e unificado de sua estrutura e à padronização de seus tipos de dados, comunicações e formas de utilização, pode ser adequada a quaisquer áreas de aplicação que utilizem integração de dados reais on-line com ambientes virtuais imersivos. / The on-line integration of real manufacturing data with immersive virtual reality environments, forming hybrid systems, is an underexplored multidisciplinary research field. The high level of users\' involvement provided by immersive virtual reality and the reliability and accuracy of information acquired on-line from real data, can assist the decision making process, in many research areas. This research presents a way to on-line integrate manufacturing real data with immersive virtual reality environments, more specifically, with CAVEs. This work was developed toward the area of virtual manufacturing, with focus on machine tools. Two data acquisition methods were created and placed to work together, one specific for machine tools, through the MTConnect protocol and the other, generic, through camera images acquisition. This work was based on free libraries and software, as well as low cost devices. Finally, this work was evaluated through case studies, based on on-line real data, from real machine tools and real machine data simulators. The results achieved with this research can contribute to the development of new tools to increase the reliability level of manufacturing virtual simulations. Moreover, due to its modular implementation, the hierarquical and unified structure format and the standardization of its communication methods and data types, it can be arranged to almost any research areas which use integration of real on-line data with immersive virtual environments.

Virtual teams often fail to achieve their objectives because virtual team leaders lack strategies for nurturing trust among dispersed team members. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies virtual team leaders in large corporate banks use to build trust among virtual team members. The population of this study included 6 virtual team leaders from a large corporate bank located in the northeast region of the United States. The interpersonal trust theory was the conceptual framework of this study. Data were collected via semistructured telephone interviews and review of company documents. The data analysis process included content analysis and thematic analysis for theme identification. Data analysis revealed four themes related to strategies that leaders of virtual teams can use to build trust among team members: reliable technology, effective communication, teamwork and participation, and respect for people and culture. A fifth theme emerged related to barriers to trust strategies. The implications for positive social change include the potential to improve work environments for virtual team members isolated because of the absence of a social context.

The impact of globalisation and advanced information technology on service and knowledgebased industries in South Africa contributes to these workplaces becoming increasingly virtual. Virtual teams can be seen as a mechanism that organisations could use to increase their orientation for change through enhancing and integrating key organisational resources such as people, space and information technology to deliver greater business value. The findings of several studies suggest that the implementation of virtual teams is associated with benefits such as cost and time saving, increased employee productivity and employee empowerment. There are however salient barriers to effective virtual teamwork that organisations need to address before engaging in the transformational process towards virtual teamwork. The literature review identified ineffective leadership practices, factors relating to virtual team development, inadequate use of information technology and a paucity of social and organisational cultural integration, as the most salient features that impede effective virtual teamwork. The objective of this research was to develop a basic theoretical framework for the implementation of virtual teams. Since virtual teams emanate from a relatively new area of research an inductive methodology, based on a literature review, was used to achieve the research objective. Several theoretical models on virtual teams and their effectiveness thereon were explored to conceptualise the dynamic nature of virtual teams and the requirements for implementing them in the workplace. The results of the study indicated that an emergent approach to change be followed and that the following factors be addressed to determine an organisation's readiness for the implementation of virtual teams, namely: the degree of interdependence between tasks, structural requirements, technological requirements, process redesign and the selection of appropriate people. A methodology for work transformation towards virtual teamwork was suggested based on an integration of these factors. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The impact of globalisation and advanced information technology on service and knowledgebased industries in South Africa contributes to these workplaces becoming increasingly virtual. Virtual teams can be seen as a mechanism that organisations could use to increase their orientation for change through enhancing and integrating key organisational resources such as people, space and information technology to deliver greater business value. The findings of several studies suggest that the implementation of virtual teams is associated with benefits such as cost and time saving, increased employee productivity and employee empowerment. There are however salient barriers to effective virtual teamwork that organisations need to address before engaging in the transformational process towards virtual teamwork. The literature review identified ineffective leadership practices, factors relating to virtual team development, inadequate use of information technology and a paucity of social and organisational cultural integration, as the most salient features that impede effective virtual teamwork. The objective of this research was to develop a basic theoretical framework for the implementation of virtual teams. Since virtual teams emanate from a relatively new area of research an inductive methodology, based on a literature review, was used to achieve the research objective. Several theoretical models on virtual teams and their effectiveness thereon were explored to conceptualise the dynamic nature of virtual teams and the requirements for implementing them in the workplace. The results of the study indicated that an emergent approach to change be followed and that the following factors be addressed to determine an organisation's readiness for the implementation of virtual teams, namely: the degree of interdependence between tasks, structural requirements, technological requirements, process redesign and the selection of appropriate people. A methodology for work transformation towards virtual teamwork was suggested based on an integration of these factors. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Virtual appliance is a new concept derived from the virtual machine monitors world. It is considered a data package that can be electronically distributed. Today, there area free and commercial virtual appliance repositories available on the market. These data packages are mostly composed by pre-configured and pre-optimized operating systems and applications joined to solve a specific computing problem. The growing virtual machine monitor market has lead to a wide virtual appliance variety available to end users. This diversity naturally results in heterogeneous virtual machines, ie, instances of virtual appliances that run on different virtual machine monitors. Thus, this work has as main goal propose and prototype a virtual appliance management solution for heterogeneous virtual machines, something less explored until now. The aim is to provide end users the ability of managing different environments, using virtual appliances, such as computer labs, clusters, networks and other kinds of computing environments. Virtual appliance creation and maintenance is more practical and effective for both system administrators and end users. Moreover, the sharing of different virtual appliances avoids the waste of time and disk space, as usually occurs with traditional approaches. In this work it is proposed, prototyped and evaluated a system for managing virtual appliances for heterogeneous virtual machines. This system has proved to be feasible for using VAP repositories to manage networked machines and systems, simplifying the work of end users and system administrators. / Com o desenvolvimento e a proliferação dos monitores de máquinas virtuais, surgiu um novo conceito, uma nova tendência na área de virtualização de sistemas: virtual appliance. Este, segundo a origem da definição, é um pacote de dados que pode ser distribuído eletronicamente. Hoje, existem repositórios livres e comerciais de virtual appliances no mercado. Esses pacotes são constituídos por um sistema operacional e aplicativos configurados e otimizados para resolver um determinado problema computacional. Há uma grande variedade de virtual appliances, para os mais diversos monitores de máquinas virtuais, disponíveis aos usuários finais. Essa diversidade leva a máquinas virtuais heterogêneas, ou seja, instâncias de virtual appliances que são executadas sobre diferentes monitores de máquinas virtuais. Sendo assim, o objeto deste trabalho é desenvolver uma solução para o gerenciamento de virtual appliances para máquinas virtuais heterogêneas, algo ainda pouco explorado. O objetivo é proporcionar aos usuários finais a possibilidade de gerenciar ambientes diversos, como laboratórios de informática, aglomerados de computadores, redes de computadores e ambientes de pesquisa e produção em geral, utilizando-se da diversidade, flexibilidade e disponibilidade dos virtual appliances. Criar e manter esses pacotes de dados é algo mais prático e eficaz, tanto para administradores de sistemas, quanto para usuários finais. Ademais, compartilhar os diferentes virtual appliances evita desperdícios de tempo e espaço, como costuma ocorrer com abordagens tradicionais. Neste trabalho é proposto, prototipado e avaliado um sistema de gerenciamento de virtual appliances para máquinas virtuais heterogêneas. Este sistema demonstrou-se viável para o gerenciamento de repositórios de VAPs em parques de máquinas, simplificando o trabalho dos usuários finais e dos administradores de sistemas.

É possível falar em identidade nacional em tempos de globalização? Tendo como problemática esta pergunta e a telenovela como narrativa da nação, buscamos perceber a interpretação e a construção de novos significados sociais do produto audiovisual no ciberespaço através dos tipos de comunidades existentes e das discussões promovidas por brasileiros residentes em Portugal, no ciberespaço, em relação à telenovela Caminho das Índias, de Gloria Perez, da Rede Globo, transmitida pela SIC. Para desenvolvermos este estudo, foi necessário à presente dissertação a revisão de conceitos e procedimentos metodológicos, uma vez que a pesquisa no espaço virtual traz novos desafios à metodologia da pesquisa em geral, e da Comunicação, em especial. / Is it possible to talk about national identity in times of globalization? With this question as the issue and also the telenovela as the nation narrative, we intend to perceive the interpretation and the shaping of new social meanings for the audiovisual product in cyberspace through existant communities and discussions promoted by brazilians living in Portugal about Gloria Perez\'s telenovela Caminho das Índias (Rede Globo) broadcasted by SIC. For us to develop this study, this dissertation highlights yetst the need to review concepts and methodological procedures, once the research on virtual space brings us new challeges to methodology of research and especially Comunication methodology.

The virtual worlds realms constitute a new space for exploration in which new forms of communication, production and consumption are generated. The presence of these platforms, based on social interaction, is becoming a focus of research for future social, educational and/or economic applications, but it is also a reflection in real time of an online cultural reality. In the diversity of the existing scenarios, the interest of this research is framed in the uniqueness of the Second Life metaverse. By means of a transverse perspective, in which the different conceptual nodes intersect, the principal sociocultural characteristics which nourish this virtual ecosystem have been selected. Meanwhile, a radius of symbolic and productive action by its users has been established, with the aim of defining and understanding its natural growth and of highlighting its specific features. Understanding this medium may lead us to consider new challenges and alternative virtual environments in a design which takes into account the cultural spectrum of the community that inhabits it. / Els mons virtuals constitueixen un nou espai d'exploració en el que s'hi generen noves formes de comunicació, producció i consum. La presència d'aquestes plataformes, fonamentades en la interacció social, esdevenen un focus d'investigació per a futures aplicacions socials, educatives i/o econòmiques, però també són un reflex en temps real d'una realitat cultural en línia. En la diversitat de propostes existents, l'interès d'aquesta recerca queda emmarcat en la singularitat del metavers Second Life. Mitjançant una perspectiva transversal, en la que diferents nodes conceptuals s'interseccionen, s'han seleccionat les principals característiques socioculturals que nodreixen aquest ecosistema virtual; alhora s'ha establert un radi d'acció simbòlic i productiu dels seus usuaris, amb la finalitat de delimitar i comprendre el seu creixement natural, així com destacar-ne els seus trets específics. L'enteniment d'aquest medi, pot acostar-nos a plantejar nous reptes i entorns virtuals alternatius en un disseny que tingui en compte l'espectre cultural de la comunitat que l'habita.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-01T19:18:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Danilo.pdf: 1730178 bytes, checksum: 9368a8c4699b8c6bcbcfdfb44da27ec0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Virtual Incubator (VI) is one of the newest types of business incubator. They render a great variety of services electronically, by the Internet. The concept of Virtual Organization (VO) is recent and it was introduced by Mowshowitz (1986), as a new organizational model, being composed by a net relatively stable of independent companies, that aim at to participate in business cooperations. The theme "Virtual Organizations" wins relevance as it is researched inside as a strategic alternative to increase the competitiveness and the earnings of a cooperation among organizations (CORRÊA 1999). The objective of the research seeks to define model to allow to create an applicable proposal of virtual incubator with the use of the theoretical reference of the theory of the virtual organizations - Model VIVO. Is that model the answer to the research question on how the theory of the virtual organizations can contribute with the model of incubators, in order to render to the companies and places, appropriate support services to the challenges of the global competitive scenery in the century XXI? The adopted methodology was theoretical-empiric, in the which, besides the revision of the literature on the subject, it tried to verify the coherence with the practical reality, through case study in the market. The study of chosen case is the Park of the Lakes, a project of territorial economical development with several organizations in cooperation, among them two consultancy companies that develop a business alliance together to supply services to the market. The analysis elaborated dimensions and research categories on strategic alliance, characteristics of VO and core competence, in order to produce relevant considerations to the research work on the model VIVO. Some were used instruments of collection of data as bibliographical and documental research, questionnaire and participant observation. At the end, starting from the elaborated theoretical-empiric research and of the case study used as example, it is possible to present the consolidated proposal of the model VIVO, tends like this, a body of solid work to subsidize the final conclusions and the futures studies on the theme / A Incubadora Virtual (IV) é um dos mais novos tipos de incubadora de negócios. Prestam uma grande variedade de serviços eletronicamente, pela Internet. O conceito de Organização Virtual (OV) é recente e foi introduzido por Mowshowitz (1986), como um novo modelo organizacional, sendo composta por uma rede relativamente estável de empresas independentes, que objetivam participar de cooperações de negócio. O tema "Organizações Virtuais" ganha relevância à medida que é pesquisado como uma alternativa estratégica para aumentar a competitividade e os ganhos dentro de uma cooperação entre organizações (CORRÊA, 1999). O objetivo da pesquisa visa definir modelo que permita criar uma proposta aplicável de incubadora virtual com o uso dos referenciais teóricos da teoria das organizações virtuais - Modelo IVOV. Esse modelo é a resposta à pergunta de pesquisa sobre como a teoria das organizações virtuais pode contribuir com o modelo de incubadoras, a fim de prestar às empresas e localidades, serviços de apoio adequados aos desafios do cenário competitivo global no século XXI? A metodologia adotada foi teórico-empírica, na qual, além da revisão da literatura sobre o assunto, procurou-se verificar a coerência com a realidade prática, através de estudo de caso no mercado. O estudo de caso escolhido é o Projeto Parque dos Lagos, um projeto de desenvolvimento econômico territorial com diversas organizações em cooperação, dentre elas duas empresas de consultoria que desenvolvem uma aliança empresarial para fornecer serviços em conjunto ao mercado. A análise elaborou dimensões e categorias de pesquisa sobre aliança estratégica, características de OV e competência essencial, a fim de produzir considerações relevantes ao trabalho de pesquisa sobre o modelo IVOV. Foram utilizados alguns instrumentos de coleta de dados como pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, questionário e observação participante. Ao final, a partir da pesquisa teóricoempírica elaborada e do estudo de caso utilizado como exemplo, é possível apresentar a proposta consolidada do modelo IVOV, tendo assim, um corpo de trabalho consistente para subsidiar as conclusões finais e os futuros estudos sobre o tema

<p><!--[if !mso]> <object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><mce:style><! st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } --></p><p>Traditional education have for long been remaining without major changes made to the actual system. Up until very recently, there has been reluctance towards making fundamental and dramatic changes to the system, but as societies change and develop by mirroring on past experiences, new minds and new ways of thinking emerge suggesting changes and new developments. Consequently, new educational approaches such as e-learning and virtual learning have emerged.</p><p>Lately, technology has been transforming and developing than ever before and the demand for modifying accordingly to new technology has become a prerequisite for all industries and institutions. Already with e-learning, a derived concept is worthy of notice. Authenticity, meaning validity and accuracy, has been imposed as one major issue when it comes to e-learning, and also v-learning.</p><p>The main goal of this thesis is to present answers and suggestions to the following research questions:</p><p>Ø  What value does a virtual education method create for the students?</p><p>Ø  What implications are there for an education through Second Life and what is the significance of such an environment?</p><p>Ø  What are the main auxiliary instruments or tools that enhance authenticity and the achievement of high presence in a virtual environment?</p><p>This research adopted an inductive approach using a qualitative research. The characterizations of knowledge used were descriptive knowledge, normative knowledge, explanatory research and evaluating research for the respective research questions. As a result of collaborating with Kalmar University, Sweden’s first Second Life course <em>“Oral Production” </em>was observed and to intensify the results, an interview was held with the course’s lecturer. The results were thereon analyzed and scrutinized based on the Empirical Findings, Theoretical Framework – consisting of mainly pedagogical theories and of articles concerning virtual learning environments.</p><p>The conclusion of this research entails the answers for the research questions. An education via a virtual environment is a development of e-learning, which is an enhancement of a traditional physical education. All students are persuaded to be active and participate in learning, which also promotes interconnectedness between students and teacher. Students can do role-playing and do presentations without feeling embarrassed about their “real” identities being represented. Main auxiliary instruments include virtual presentation boards, audio to communicate with each other and the avatar to direct the speech. Additionally, to enhance high presence in a virtual environment, involving all students with creative exercises seems to be another means in achieving high presence in a virtual environment.</p><p> </p>

[pt] A interação em ambientes virtuais de engenharia se caracteriza pelo alto grau de precisão necessário para a realização de tarefas típicas desse ipo de ambiente. Para isso, normalmente são utilizados dispositivos de interação específícos que possuem 4 graus de liberdade ou mais. As atuais aplicações envolvendo interação 3D utilizam dispositivos de interação para a modelagem de objetos ou para a implementação de técnicas de navegação, seleção e manipulação de objetos em um ambiente virtual. Um problema relacionado é a necessidade de controlar tarefas naturalmente não-imersivas, como a entrada de símbolos (e.g., texto, fotos).Outro problema é a grande curva de aprendizado necessária para manusear tais dispositivos não convencionais. A adição de sensores popularização os smartphones e tablets possibilitaram a utilização desses dispositivos em ambientes virtuais de engenharia. Esses dispostitivos se diferenciam, além da popularidade e presença de sensores, pela possibilidade de inclusão de informações adicionais e a realização de tarefas naturalmente não-imersivas. Neste trabalho é apresentada uma ferramenta de interação 3D para tablets, que permite agregar todas as principais técnicas de interação 3D como navegação, seleção, manipulação, controle de sistema e entrada simbólica. Para avaliar a ferramenta proposta foi utilizada aplicação SimUEOP-Ambsim, um simulador de treinamento em plataformas de óleo e guias que tem a complexidade necessária e permite o uso de todas as técnicas implementadas. / [en] Interaction in engineering virtual environments is characterized by the necessity of the high precision level needed for the execution of specic tasks for this kind of environment. Generally this kind of task uses specicinteraction devices with 4 or more degrees of freedom (DOF). Current applications involving 3D interaction use interaction devices for object modelling or for the implementation of navigation, selection and manipulation tecniques in a virtual environment. A related problem is the necessity of controlling tasks that are naturally non-immersive, such as symbolic input (e.g., text, photos). Another problem is the large learning curve to handle such non-conventional devices. The addition of sensors and the popularization of smartphones and tablets, allowed the use of such devices in virtual engineering environments. These devices, besides their popularity and sensors, dier by the possibility of including additional information and performing naturally non-immersive tasks. This work presents a 3D interaction tablet-based tool, which allows the aggregation of all major 3D interaction tasks, such as navigation, selection, manipulation, system control and symbolic input. To evaluate the proposed tool we used the SimUEP-Ambsim application, a training simulator for oil and gas platforms that has the complexity needed and allows the use of all techniques implemented.