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This thesis is framed within the research area of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D), which is concerned with how ICT can make a difference to the lives of the poor. This study focuses primarily on mobile phones and how they can be used as part of an Agriculture Market Information Service (AMIS) in order to provide crucial information to farmers in Bangladesh. AMIS principally collect, manage and disseminate agricultural market prices and related information through various processes and media. These services are mainly used by farmers. The research question of how mobile phone-based AMIS can be designed and deployed in order to improve opportunities for farmers in Bangladesh is investigated through a design science research approach in four steps; understanding the scope and challenges related to AMIS in least developed countries; diagnosing the situational realities of farmers of Bangladesh; understanding the process of adopting mobile phones and investigating market information practices and preferences in a rural context; and finally designing and implementing a mobile phone based AMIS and evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of it for the farmers of Bangladesh. In this thesis, development is viewed in terms of bringing about an in-crease in farmers’ capability set directed towards the utilization of resources for the purpose of production and trade. Information and knowledge are important drivers of development and poverty reduction: ICT can create new opportunities to expand the availability, exchange, and impact of information and knowledge. This thesis contributes to ICT4D research and practice through empirical findings, the design of an AMIS, test results, and the development of analytical tools. Its major contributions include an increased understanding of farmers’ attitudes and preferences towards the use of technology in general, and mobile phones in particular, and a broader understanding of ICT for human development in the context of poor rural regions. / Informatics or ICT4D

The objectives of this work were to investigate, design and implement Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna arrays for mobile phones. Several MIMO antennas were developed and tested over various wireless-communication frequency bands. The radiation performance and channel capacity of these antennas were computed and measured: the results are discussed in the context of the frequency bands of interest. A comprehensive study of MIMO antenna configurations such as 2 × 1, 3 × 1, 2 × 2 and 3 × 3, using polarisation diversity as proposed for future mobile handsets, is presented. The channel capacity is investigated and discussed, as applying to Rayleigh fading channels with different power spectrum distributions with respect to azimuth and zenith angles. The channel capacity of 2 × 2 and 3 × 3 MIMO systems using spatial polarisation diversity is presented for different antenna designs. The presented results show that the maximum channel capacity for an antenna contained within a small volume can be reached with careful selection of the orthogonal spatial fields. The results are also compared against planar array MIMO antenna systems, in which the antenna size considered was much larger. A 50% antenna size reduction method is explored by applying magnetic wall concept on the symmetry reference of the antenna structure. Using this method, a triple dual-band inverted-F antenna system is presented and considered for MIMO application. Means of achieving minimum coupling between the three antennas are investigated over the 2.45 GHz and 5.2 GHz bands. A new 2 2 MIMO dual-band balanced antenna handset, intended to minimise the coupling with the handset and human body was proposed, developed and tested. The antenna coupling with the handset and human hand is reported in terms the radiation performance and the available channel capacity. In addition, a dual-polarisation dipole antenna is proposed, intended for use as one of three collocated orthogonal antennas in a polarisation-diversity MIMO communication system. The antenna actually consists of two overlaid electric and magnetic dipoles, such that their radiation patterns are nominally identical but they are cross-polarised and hence only interact minimally.

<p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur människor upplever att ständigt vara tillgänglig med sin mobiltelefon och/eller Internet. En kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer har använts, där tolv personer, sex gymnasieungdomar och sex vuxna personer, har intervjuats. Hälften av de intervjuade bor i södra Sverige, hälften i norra. För analysen har McQuails grupperingar inom Uses and gratifications-teorin använts, liksom cultural studies teorier. Resultatet visar att de intervjuade ser det både som en möjlighet och ett krav att vara tillgängliga och uppkopplade, att Internet och mobiltelefon verkar bidra till att arbete/skola och fritid flyter ihop samt att de äldre intervjuade i något högre grad än de yngre upplever negativa aspekter av att vara ständigt tillgänglig. Vi har inte kunnat urskilja några skillnader mellan de intervjupersoner som bor i södra Sverige och de som bor i norra. När vi med utgångspunkt från McQuails kategorier inom Uses and gratifications-teorin har grupperat de belöningar som de intervjuade kan tänkas uppnå, har vi funnit exempel på belöningar inom samtliga kategorier; avkoppling, personlig identitet, personliga relationer och bevakning.</p> / <p>The purpose of this essay is to examine how people experience always being available on their mobile phone and/or Internet. A qualitative method of semi structured interviews has been used, where twelve respondents, six students in upper secondary school and six adults, have been interviewed. Half of the respondents live in southern Sweden, half in northern. The clusters that McQuail developed within the uses and gratifications theory, as well as cultural studies theories, have been used for analyzing our findings. The results show that the respondents see it both as a possibility and a demand to always be available and online, that Internet and/or mobile phones seem to contribute to the merging of work/school  and leisure time, and that the adult respondents to a greater degree than the younger respondents experience negative effects of always being available. We have not been able to distinguish any differences between respondents living in southern Sweden and those living in the north. When grouping our respondents’ obtained gratifications according to McQuails clusters within the uses and gratifications theory, we have found examples in all the categories; entertainment, personal identity, integration and social interaction, and information.</p>

Mobile technologies are emerging as one way to help address health challenges in many countries, including in Least Developed Countries. Mobile technology can reach a large share of the population but in order to provide effective support to healthcare services, technology, information collection and dissemination, and work processes need to be well aligned. The thesis uses a design science methodological approach and mixes qualitative and quantitative data analysis to address the question of, How can mobile technologies be effectively integrated with routine healthcare services? The study concerns the design, implementation, and evaluation of a mobile technology-based system, called SMSaúde, with the aim of improving the care of patients with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in Mozambique. The work started with the elicitation of functional and user requirements, based on focus group discussions. An important challenge, as in many mHealth interventions, was the integration with routine healthcare services and the existing IT systems, as well as developing a scalable technical structure. The system has now been in routine use since 2013 in more than 16 healthcare clinics in Mozambique. Evaluation was done by a randomised controlled study. Analysis of patient records showed that retention in care in urban areas was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. In a user study both patients and health professionals were very positive to the system. The thesis contributes to research by demonstrating how information system artefacts can be constructed and successfully implemented in resource-constrained settings. The practical contributions include the designed artefact itself as well as improved healthcare practices and mHealth policy recommendations.

L’évolution technologique et l'accroissement de la population vieillissante sont deux tendances majeures de la dernière décennie. Durant cette période, la prolifération ubiquitaire de la téléphonie mobile a changé les habitudes de communication des gens. Le changement constant des appareils téléphoniques portatifs, l'augmentation des fonctions, la diversité iconographique, la variété des interfaces et la complexité de navigation exigent aujourd’hui non seulement plus de temps d'adaptation et d’apprentissage, mais représentent aussi un effort cognitif important. Les technologies d'information et de communication (TIC) sont devenues des outils incontournables de la vie moderne. Pour les personnes âgées, cet univers en perpétuelle mutation avec ces nouveaux appareils représente un obstacle à l’accès à l’information et contribue ainsi au gap générationnel. Le manque de référence et de soutien et les déficiences physiques ou cognitives, que certaines personnes développent en vieillissant, rendent l'usage de ce type d’objet souvent impossible. Pourtant, les produits intelligents plus accessibles, tant au niveau physique que cognitif sont une réelle nécessité au sein de notre société moderne permettant aux personnes âgées de vivre de manière plus autonome et « connectée ». Cette recherche a pour but d'exposer les défis d'usage des téléphones portables existants et d'identifier en particulier les problèmes d’usage que les personnes âgées manifestent. L’étude vise la tranche de population qui est peu habituée aux technologies de communications qui ne ciblent le plus souvent que les plus jeunes et les professionnels. C’est en regardant les habitudes d’usage, que la recherche qualitative nous permettra d’établir un profil des personnes âgées par rapport au TIC et de mieux comprendre les défis liés à la perception, compréhension et l’usage des interfaces de téléphones portables. / Technological progress and the growing aging population are two major trends of the last decade. The ubiquitous proliferation of mobile communication devices during this period has significantly altered people’s communication habits. The constantly changing mobile phones, their increasing features, the numerous icon designs, the variety of user interfaces and its complex navigation require nowadays not only more time for adaptation and learning but also a significant cognitive effort. Information technology and communication (ICT) have become essential tools of modern life. For seniors, this constantly mutating universe with its new digital devices makes information accessible to many thus contributing to a generational divide. The lack of reference and support and the physical or cognitive impairment that some people often develop while aging makes the use of such products very difficult. Both, a physically and cognitively accessible system becomes a real necessity in our modern society since it could help seniors live more autonomously and« connected ». This research aims to identify the challenges related to mobile phone use and reveal specific problems that older people encounter. The study focuses on the population that is little familiar with these devices especially since communication technologies seem aimed at the younger generations and professionnels. Through qualitative research seniors’ usage pattern will be studied allowing us not only to establish different user profiles with respect to ICT but also to better understand the challenges related to the perception, comprehension and manipulation of mobile phone user interfaces.

The thesis deals with severe speech impairments, which require using assistive verbal devices as the means of everyday communication. Its main objective was to create an augmentive communication appplication for a mobile phone. The thesis specifies some severe communication disorders, mentions available communication applications for mobile phones and gives a description of developing and trial testing of the application. The appliaction is primarily intended for children of pre-school and younger school age who suffer from sever communication disorders. Its main purpose is to support the target groupe in communication with other people.

O uso de dispositivos móveis ou handheld devices na implementação de um sistema de Realidade Aumentada (RA) é denominado Handheld Augmented Reality ou simplesmente Handheld AR. Aplicações do tipo Handheld AR utilizam a câmera integrada no dispositivo móvel para reconhecer marcadores (inseridos no ambiente), o que permite a entrada de dados para o sistema de RA. As informações geradas nestas aplicações são apresentadas como imagens virtuais (gráficos 3D) nas telas dos dispositivos móveis. Já aplicações do tipo Handheld AR mais complexas e recentes, utilizam dispositivos sensores (com interfaces de comunicação sem fio) como RFID tags, Redes de Sensores Sem Fio (RSSF) e sistemas de GPS (Global Positioning System), como fontes de entrada de dados dinâmicos para o sistema de RA, junto à câmera e os marcadores. Aplicações deste tipo apresentam características interessantes para áreas de aplicação como: sensoriamento, monitoramento, visualização e interação em ambientes inteligentes e ubíquos. Porém, a carência de documentação e a complexidade no desenvolvimento destas aplicações geram a necessidade de metodologias e ferramentas que colaborem para um rápido e simples processo de desenvolvimento. Neste sentido, esta dissertação apresenta uma Metodologia de Desenvolvimento para aplicações de realidade aumentada em dispositivos móveis, a qual visa ajudar no projeto e facilitar o processo de desenvolvimento de aplicações do tipo Handheld AR, em especial as que utilizem telefones celulares e dispositivos sensores com interfaces de comunicação sem fio, apresentando uma documentação bem definida e um roteiro claro sobre os requisitos e características no desenvolvimento de aplicações deste tipo. Já a nossa metodologia proposta apresenta um cenário geral de aplicação, uma arquitetura e orientações (guidelines) de desenvolvimento para aplicações do tipo Handheld AR. Além disso, são apresentados detalhes de implementação relativos: à aquisição dos dados gerados pelos dispositivos sensores (neste caso uma RSSF), a uma modelagem semântica destes dados (como parte da solução para facilitar a aquisição, armazenamento e gerenciamento de dados), à criação de perfis de usuário (para prover interfaces de interação intuitivas) e à disponibilização destas informações utilizando técnicas de RA, apresentando as informações geradas como objetos virtuais (imagens virtuais, efeitos de vibração e efeitos sonoros), os quais são sobrepostos em um cenário real utilizando o telefone celular como dispositivo de interação com o usuário. Finalmente, nós apresentamos um estudo de caso que desenvolve uma aplicação do tipo Handheld AR (protótipo) para o monitoramento da temperatura na sala de servidores do PAD (Grupo de Sistemas Pervasivos e de Alto Desempenho). Neste estudo de caso, são descritos os materiais, o cenário, os serviços oferecidos, o fluxo de desenvolvimento e as avaliações do protótipo. / Handheld Augmented Reality or Handheld AR is the implementation of Augmented Reality (AR) systems into handheld devices. Handheld AR applications use the handheld device\'s camera to recognize markers (inserted into the environment). This process enables data entry into AR system. The response generated for these applications are presented as virtual images (3D graphics) on the handheld device\'s display. New Handheld AR applications use a mobile phone camera, markers and wireless sensors (inserted into the environment) as elements for dynamic data entry into the AR system. These applications show interesting characteristics for: sensing, visualization and interaction in ambient intelligence (AmI) and ubiquitous environments. But, the lack of documentation and complexity development process produce the need for methodologies and tools for a fast and simple development model. For these reason, this work presents a Methodology for Design and development Handheld AR applications, which present an especial support for mobile phones and wireless sensor networks, making a description and clear roadmap of the requirements and characteristics in the Handheld AR development process model. Our methodology proposed presents a general scenario of application, a software architecture and application development guidelines. Moreover, we present implementation details over: acquisition data process, semantic modeling data, development of user profiles and visualization of the information using AR techniques, showing these information as virtual objects (virtual images, vibration effects and sound effects). These virtual objects use the handheld device as interaction interface between the user and real world. Finally, we present a case study that develops a Handheld AR application (prototype) to monitoring the temperature in the PAD (Pervasive and Distributed Computing Group) server\'s room. In this case study, we describe the materials, the scenario, the services offered, the development process and prototype evaluations.

Cette thèse examine la façon dont les villageois de la lagune de Lau rurale, dans la province de Malaita, aux îles Salomon, font l'expérience de l'usage des téléphones portables. J'examine l'impact réciproque exercé par la technologie de téléphonie mobile récemment adoptée vis-à-vis des technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC) déjà en vigueur localement. Je m'interroge également sur l'incidence que la place marginale de Lau dans l'économie capitaliste peut avoir sur l'adoption et l'usage des téléphones portables. En outre, j'analyse les principales controverses locales autour de l'adoption et de l'utilisation des téléphones portables, la conceptualisation par les indigènes du fonctionnement des technologies numériques, la moralité associée aux téléphones portables ; j'explore enfin ce pour quoi ils sont et/ou ne sont pas destinés à être utilisés. Je me concentre ainsi sur les deux fonctions principales des téléphones portables à Gwou'ulu : d'un côté, on les emploie comme des téléphones, et de l'autre comme des dispositifs pour visionner des films. En 2014, sur environ 250 adultes habitant à Gwou'ulu, 100 possédaient un téléphone portable à titre individuel, et un plus grand nombre de villageois partageait l'usage de téléphones portables avec d'autres.Mon approche théorique approfondit l'analyse technographique permettant d'étudier les technologies numériques et la consommation des médias numériques. La technographie (c'est-à-dire l'ethnographie des technologies) est une approche pluridisciplinaire qui combine l'étude des conditions historiques, économiques, politiques, religieuses, environnementales et matérielles constituant les possibilités qui à la fois limitent et facilitent les choix des individus lors de l'adoption de nouvelles technologies, y compris les téléphones portables. Mon analyse se fonde sur l'observation participante et sur des entretiens semi-directifs menés avec les locaux et centrés sur la question de leur utilisation des téléphones portables.Les conclusions de ma recherche démontrent que la vie au village se situe dans une période de transition sociale et s'achemine vers une nouvelle forme de numérisation technologique. Ma thèse souligne comment, dans la lagune de Lau, les téléphones portables transforment les TIC d'un secteur public à un secteur privé. Elle démontre aussi qu'un usage largement individualisé des téléphones portables nourrit les incertitudes locales relatives à la façon dont les téléphones portables, en tant que téléphones et que dispositifs permettant de visionner des films, contribuent à transformer les relations sociales à la fois au sein du village et entre les villageois et leurs proches installés en ville. J'avance l'idée que les téléphones portables et leurs diverses fonctions (de la télévision à la calculatrice de poche) sont mieux décrits comme des objets super-composés, parce que les téléphones portables embrassent et troublent un grand nombre de relations sociales et de valeurs culturelles qui sont les caractéristiques déterminantes d'un groupe donné dans un lieu donné. / This thesis explores the experiences of villagers in the rural Lau Lagoon, Malaita Province, Solomon Islands, as they adopt mobile phones. I discuss how the adoption of mobile phone technology affects and is affected by existing information-communication technologies; how and to what extent Lau adoption of mobile phones is circumscribed by the marginal place of the Lau in globalized capitalist economies; and I elaborate on the main controversies that surround the adoption and use of mobile phones, local conceptualizations of how digital technologies work, their morality, what they are meant to be used for and for what they are not to be used. Specifically, I focus on the two primary functions of mobile phones in Gwou’ulu: the mobile phone as (1) telephone and (2) as movie-watching device. Theoretically, I rework approaches to technography for an investigation of digital technology and media consumption with a focus on mobile phones—in 2014 of the approximate 250 adults living in Gwou’ulu, 100 owned a personal mobile phone and many more shared a mobile phone. Technography, or ethnographies of technology, offers a strategic multi-disciplinary combination that examines the historical, economic, political, religious, environmental and material conditions that constitute the realm of possibilities that constrain but also facilitate particular sets of choices made by individuals in response to the adoption of new technologies such as mobile phones. My methods for data collection are a combination of participant observation and open ended interviews on individual mobile phone usage. My findings show village life in a transition period of technological and social digitization. They highlight how, in the Lau Lagoon, mobile phones shift information-communication technologies (ICTs) from the public to the private realm and how an individualized consumption of mobile phones fuels uncertainties as to if and how mobile phones, as telephone or as movie-watching devices, transform social relationships among village residents as well as relationships between villagers and their urban relatives. I argue that mobile phones and their diverse functions—from telephony to movie player to calculator—are best described as super-compositional objects because they encompass and agitate so many of the social relationships and cultural values that are otherwise the defining features of a particular group of peoples in a particular place.

O uso de dispositivos móveis ou handheld devices na implementação de um sistema de Realidade Aumentada (RA) é denominado Handheld Augmented Reality ou simplesmente Handheld AR. Aplicações do tipo Handheld AR utilizam a câmera integrada no dispositivo móvel para reconhecer marcadores (inseridos no ambiente), o que permite a entrada de dados para o sistema de RA. As informações geradas nestas aplicações são apresentadas como imagens virtuais (gráficos 3D) nas telas dos dispositivos móveis. Já aplicações do tipo Handheld AR mais complexas e recentes, utilizam dispositivos sensores (com interfaces de comunicação sem fio) como RFID tags, Redes de Sensores Sem Fio (RSSF) e sistemas de GPS (Global Positioning System), como fontes de entrada de dados dinâmicos para o sistema de RA, junto à câmera e os marcadores. Aplicações deste tipo apresentam características interessantes para áreas de aplicação como: sensoriamento, monitoramento, visualização e interação em ambientes inteligentes e ubíquos. Porém, a carência de documentação e a complexidade no desenvolvimento destas aplicações geram a necessidade de metodologias e ferramentas que colaborem para um rápido e simples processo de desenvolvimento. Neste sentido, esta dissertação apresenta uma Metodologia de Desenvolvimento para aplicações de realidade aumentada em dispositivos móveis, a qual visa ajudar no projeto e facilitar o processo de desenvolvimento de aplicações do tipo Handheld AR, em especial as que utilizem telefones celulares e dispositivos sensores com interfaces de comunicação sem fio, apresentando uma documentação bem definida e um roteiro claro sobre os requisitos e características no desenvolvimento de aplicações deste tipo. Já a nossa metodologia proposta apresenta um cenário geral de aplicação, uma arquitetura e orientações (guidelines) de desenvolvimento para aplicações do tipo Handheld AR. Além disso, são apresentados detalhes de implementação relativos: à aquisição dos dados gerados pelos dispositivos sensores (neste caso uma RSSF), a uma modelagem semântica destes dados (como parte da solução para facilitar a aquisição, armazenamento e gerenciamento de dados), à criação de perfis de usuário (para prover interfaces de interação intuitivas) e à disponibilização destas informações utilizando técnicas de RA, apresentando as informações geradas como objetos virtuais (imagens virtuais, efeitos de vibração e efeitos sonoros), os quais são sobrepostos em um cenário real utilizando o telefone celular como dispositivo de interação com o usuário. Finalmente, nós apresentamos um estudo de caso que desenvolve uma aplicação do tipo Handheld AR (protótipo) para o monitoramento da temperatura na sala de servidores do PAD (Grupo de Sistemas Pervasivos e de Alto Desempenho). Neste estudo de caso, são descritos os materiais, o cenário, os serviços oferecidos, o fluxo de desenvolvimento e as avaliações do protótipo. / Handheld Augmented Reality or Handheld AR is the implementation of Augmented Reality (AR) systems into handheld devices. Handheld AR applications use the handheld device\'s camera to recognize markers (inserted into the environment). This process enables data entry into AR system. The response generated for these applications are presented as virtual images (3D graphics) on the handheld device\'s display. New Handheld AR applications use a mobile phone camera, markers and wireless sensors (inserted into the environment) as elements for dynamic data entry into the AR system. These applications show interesting characteristics for: sensing, visualization and interaction in ambient intelligence (AmI) and ubiquitous environments. But, the lack of documentation and complexity development process produce the need for methodologies and tools for a fast and simple development model. For these reason, this work presents a Methodology for Design and development Handheld AR applications, which present an especial support for mobile phones and wireless sensor networks, making a description and clear roadmap of the requirements and characteristics in the Handheld AR development process model. Our methodology proposed presents a general scenario of application, a software architecture and application development guidelines. Moreover, we present implementation details over: acquisition data process, semantic modeling data, development of user profiles and visualization of the information using AR techniques, showing these information as virtual objects (virtual images, vibration effects and sound effects). These virtual objects use the handheld device as interaction interface between the user and real world. Finally, we present a case study that develops a Handheld AR application (prototype) to monitoring the temperature in the PAD (Pervasive and Distributed Computing Group) server\'s room. In this case study, we describe the materials, the scenario, the services offered, the development process and prototype evaluations.