The numerous surveillance videos recorded by a single stationary wide-angle-view camera persuade the use of a moving point as the representation of each small-size object in wide video scene. The sequence of the positions of each moving point can be used to generate a trajectory containing both spatial and temporal information of object's movement. In this study, we investigate how the relationship between two trajectories can be used to recognize multi-agent interactions. For this purpose, we present a simple set of qualitative atomic disjoint trajectory-segment relations which can be utilized to represent the relationships between two trajectories. Given a pair of adjacent concurrent trajectories, we segment the trajectory pair to get the ordered sequence of related trajectory-segments. Each pair of corresponding trajectory-segments then is assigned a token associated with the trajectory-segment relation, which leads to the generation of a string called a pairwise trajectory-segment relationship sequence. From a group of pairwise trajectory-segment relationship sequences, we utilize an unsupervised learning algorithm, particularly the k-medians clustering, to detect interesting patterns that can be used to classify lower-level multi-agent activities. We evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach by comparing the activity classes predicted by our method to the actual classes from the ground-truth set obtained using the crowdsourcing technique. The results show that the relationships between a pair of trajectories can signify the low-level multi-agent activities.

<p>Cumulon is a system aimed at simplifying the development and deployment of statistical analysis of big data in public clouds. Cumulon allows users to program in their familiar language of matrices and linear algebra, without worrying about how to map data and computation to specific hardware and cloud software platforms. Given user-specified requirements in terms of time, monetary cost, and risk tolerance, Cumulon automatically makes intelligent decisions on implementation alternatives, execution parameters, as well as hardware provisioning and configuration settings -- such as what type of machines and how many of them to acquire. Cumulon also supports clouds with auction-based markets: it effectively utilizes computing resources whose availability varies according to market conditions, and suggests best bidding strategies for them. Cumulon explores two alternative approaches toward supporting such markets, with different trade-offs between system and optimization complexity. Experimental study is conducted to show the efficiency of Cumulon's execution engine, as well as the optimizer's effectiveness in finding the optimal plan in the vast plan space.</p> / Dissertation

Unfortunately, cyber-attacks, which are the consequence of our increasing dependence on digital technology, is a phenomenon that we have to live with today. As technology becomes more advanced and complex, so have the types of malware that are used in these cyber-attacks. Currently, targeted cyber-attacks directed at CIIs such as financial institutions and telecom companies are on the rise. A particular group of malware known as APTs, which are used for targeted attacks, are very difficult to detect and prevent due to their sophisticated and stealthy nature. These malwares are able to attack and wreak havoc (in the targeted system) within a matter of seconds; this is very worrying because traditional cyber security defence systems cannot handle these attacks. The solution, as proposed by some in the industry, is the use of BDA systems. However, whilst it appears that BDA has achieved greater success at large companies, little is known about success at smaller companies. Also, there is scarcity of research addressing how BDA is deployed for the purpose of detecting and preventing cyber-attacks on CII. This research examines and discusses the effectiveness of the use of BDA for detecting cyber-attacks and also describes how such a system is deployed. To establish the effectiveness of using a BDA, a survey by questionnaire was conducted. The target audience of the survey were large corporations that were likely to use such systems for cyber security. The research concludes that a BDA system is indeed a powerful and effective tool, and currently the best method for protecting CIIs against the range of stealthy cyber-attacks. Also, a description of how such a system is deployed is abstracted into a model of meaningful practice.

<p>This paper explores the effect of credit rating agency’s (CRA) reputation on the discretionary disclosures of corporate bond issuers. Academics, practitioners, and regulators disagree on the informational role played by major CRAs and the usefulness of credit ratings in influencing investors’ perception of the credit risk of bond issuers. Using management earnings forecasts as a measure of discretionary disclosure, I find that investors demand more (less) disclosure from bond issuers when the ratings become less (more) credible. In addition, using content analytics, I find that bond issuers disclose more qualitative information during periods of low CRA reputation to aid investors better assess credit risk. That the corporate managers alter their voluntary disclosure in response to CRA reputation shocks is consistent with credit ratings providing incremental information to investors and reducing adverse selection in lending markets. Overall, my findings suggest that managers rely on voluntary disclosure as a credible mechanism to reduce information asymmetry in bond markets.</p> / Dissertation

The aim of this work is the analysis of current practices and techniques of Internet marketing. The work is divided into two parts. The theoretical part presents the current internet marketing tools, the optimal utilization is reflected in the practical part, which is carried out a comprehensive plan for internet marketing strategy with emphasis on SEO for start-up company in the field of accommodation and hospitable service. This is a company Penzion U Lišky, which offers accommodation in Southern Bohemia. The work will serve as a guide for small and medium organizations in the development of marketing projects. The practical part of the evidence considered in developing websites and methods to optimize site for search engines. The next section provides recommendations for use of PPC campaigns and presentation of the company's social networking site Facebook. The analysis methods for increasing traffic through social networking, PR articles, blogging and other tools.

The goal of the thesis is to analyze the behaviour of Faculty of Management website users and to formulate on its grounds the recommendations leading to increase of website usability and conversion statistics. The tool used in the thesis for this purpose are the heatmaps, in particular these two variants - mouse-tracking heatmaps and predictive heatmaps. The theoretical part describes the different types of heatmaps, their position within the framework of the web analytics and the principles of working with them. The content of the practical part is formed by the analysis of seven specific web pages and a recommendation for their optimization.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第23315号 / 情博第751号 / 新制||情||128(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科社会情報学専攻 / (主査)教授 緒方 広明, 教授 黒田 知宏, 教授 楠見 孝 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM

The purpose of this project is to work as an interdisciplinary team whose primary role is to mentor a team of WPI undergraduate students completing their Major Qualifying Project (MQP) in collaboration with Vestigo Ventures, LLC. (“Vestigo Ventures�) and Cogo Labs. We worked closely with the project sponsors at Vestigo Ventures and Cogo Labs to understand each sponsor’s goals and desires, and then translated those thoughts into actionable items and concrete deliverables to be completed by the undergraduate student team. As a graduate student team with a diverse set of educational backgrounds and a range of academic and professional experiences, we provided two primary functions throughout the duration of this project. The first function was to develop a roadmap for each individual project, with concrete steps, justification, goals and deliverables. The second function was to provide the undergraduate team with clarification and assistance throughout the implementation and completion of each project, as well as provide our opinions and thoughts on any proposed changes. The two teams worked together in lock-step in order to provide the project sponsors with a complete set of deliverables, with the undergraduate team primarily responsible for implementation and final delivery of each completed project.

The purpose of this project is to work as an interdisciplinary team whose primary role is to mentor a team of WPI undergraduate students completing their Major Qualifying Project (MQP) in collaboration with Vestigo Ventures, LLC. (“Vestigo Ventures�) and Cogo Labs. We worked closely with the project sponsors at Vestigo Ventures and Cogo Labs to understand each sponsor’s goals and desires, and then translated those thoughts into actionable items and concrete deliverables to be completed by the undergraduate student team. As a graduate student team with a diverse set of educational backgrounds and a range of academic and professional experiences, we provided two primary functions throughout the duration of this project. The first function was to develop a roadmap for each individual project, with concrete steps, justification, goals and deliverables. The second function was to provide the undergraduate team with clarification and assistance throughout the implementation and completion of each project, as well as provide our opinions and thoughts on any proposed changes. The two teams worked together in lock-step in order to provide the project sponsors with a complete set of deliverables, with the undergraduate team primarily responsible for implementation and final delivery of each completed project.

The idea of a Future Internet platform is to deliver reusable and common functionalities to facilitate making wide ranges of software products and services.  The Future Internet platform, introduced by the Future Internet Public Private Partnership (FI-PPP) project, makes the common functionalities available through so-called Enablers to be instantly integrated into software products and services with less cost and complexity rather than a development from scratch. Quality assessment of software products and services and gaining insights into whether the quality fulfills users’ expectations within the platform are challenging. The challenges are due to the propagation of quality in the heterogeneous composite software that uses Enablers and infrastructure developed by third parties. The practical problem is how to assess the quality of such composite software as well as the impacts of the quality on users’ Quality of Experience (QoE). The research objective is to study an analytics-driven Quality-Impact approach identifying how software quality analytics together with their impact on QoE of users can be used for the assessment of software products and services in a Future Internet platform. The research was conducted with one systematic mapping study, two solution proposals, and one empirical study. The systematic mapping study is contributed to produce a map overviewing important analytics for managing a software ecosystem. The thesis also proposes a solution to introduce a holistic software-human analytics approach in a Future Internet platform. As the core of the solution, it proposes a Quality-Impact inquiry approach exemplified with a real practice. In the early validation of the proposals, a mixed qualitative-quantitative empirical research is conducted with the aim of designing a tool for the inquiry of user feedback. This research studies the effect of the instrumented feedback tool on QoE of a software product. The findings of the licentiate thesis show that satisfaction, performance, and freedom from risks analytics are important groups of analytics for assessing software products and services.  The proposed holistic solution takes up the results by describing how to measure the analytics and how to assess them practically using a composition model during the lifecycle of products and services in a Future Internet platform. As the core of the holistic approach, the Quality-Impact assessment approach could elicit relationships between software quality and impacts of the quality on stakeholders. Moreover, the early validation of the Quality-Impact approach parameterized suitable characteristics of a feedback tool. We found that disturbing feedback tools have negligible impacts on the perceived QoE of software products. The Quality-Impact approach is helpful to acquire insight into the success of software products and services contributing to the health and sustainability of the platform. This approach was adopted as a part of the validation of FI-PPP project. Future works will address the validation of the Quality-Impact approach in the FI-PPP or other real practices.