By the year 2050, about three quarters of the world’s population will live in cities. Most cities are developed by state or federal governments; however, some cities are developed for the purpose of private interests that plan the city. While the concept of private companies planning and sometimes even owning cities is not a new development, there seems to currently be a rise in this trend, with communication corporations such as IBM, Google, Intel, and Cisco now taking advantage of this growing market. Known as “smart” or “wired” cities, this new privatized way of planning communities allows major communication corporations to play an important role in shaping the future of our communities. Google, IBM, and Intel are all playing a role in planning the future of Portland, Oregon. By analyzing documents such as planning ordinances, financial reports, and government transcripts, as well as conducting interviews with city planners and corporate employees, this study found that many of the “smart” city efforts being undertaken by these communication corporations are intimately tied to their efforts to bring the Internet of Things (IoT) to fruition. Ultimately, the main goal of these efforts is to utilize urban communication technologies (UCTs) to gather data about community members by tracking their activities. In this emerging personal data economy, identities are the main commodity being fetishized.

Portable smart speakers with wireless connections have in recent years become more popular. These speakers are often moved to new locations and placed in different positions in different rooms, which affects the sound a listener is hearing from the speaker. These speakers usually have microphones on them, typically used for voice recording. This thesis aims to provide a way to compensate for the speaker position’s effect on the sound (so called room correction) using the microphones on the speaker and the speaker itself. Firstly, the room frequency response is estimated for several different speaker positions in a room. The room frequency response is the frequency response between the speaker and the listener. From these estimates, the relationship between the speaker’s position and the room frequency response is modeled. Secondly,an algorithm that estimates the speaker’s position is developed. The algorithm estimates the position by detecting reflections from nearby walls using the microphones on the speaker. The acquired position estimates are used as input for the room frequency response model, which makes it possible to automatically apply room correction when placing the speaker in new positions. The room correction is shown to correct the room frequency response so that the bass has the same power as the mid- and high frequency sounds from the speaker, which is according to the research aim. Also, the room correction is shown to make the room frequency response vary less with respect to the speaker’s position.

Brinquedos infantis tornaram-se sofisticados ao longo dos anos, evoluindo de produtos físicos simples a brinquedos que acoplam o mundo digital por meio de software e hardware. Com essa sofisticação, veio à tona potenciais problemas de segurança e privacidade infantil em relação ao uso de brinquedos inteligentes. Um brinquedo inteligente consiste de um componente de brinquedo físico conectado a um sistema computacional com serviços on-line para melhorar a funcionalidade de um brinquedo tradicional. Esse tipo de brinquedo ainda não é amplamente conhecido em países com economia em desenvolvimento, como o Brasil. Dessa forma, não se sabe a opinião de consumidores desse tipo de país em relação à aceitação dessa tecnologia quando ela estiver disponível. Esta dissertação de mestrado realizou um estudo comparativo entre países de diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento, avaliando a percepção sobre segurança e privacidade infantil em relação a brinquedos inteligentes. Aspectos como intenção de compra e percepção de inovação foram levados em consideração, pois essas duas percepções podem influenciar a percepção sobre segurança e privacidade infantil. Essas comparações de percepções ainda foram consideradas para variações de gênero e níveis de escolaridade, considerando pessoas de diferentes países de desenvolvimento. Com uma revisão sistemática, constatou-se que não há trabalhos que abordem a percepção sobre segurança e privacidade infantil relacionada a brinquedos inteligentes, comparando países de economia avançada e em desenvolvimento. Para a realização desta dissertação de mestrado, um survey com a aplicação de um questionário foi considerado. Antecedendo a aplicação do questionário, uma entrevista com 14 participantes foi realizada para refinar o questionário que estava em construção. Para analisar os resultados, os testes de estatística não paramétrica Mann Whitney e teste de Independência de Qui-quadrado foram usados para três hipóteses, considerando percepção sobre segurança e privacidade infantil, intenção de compra e percepção de inovação referente a brinquedos inteligentes em relação ao nível de desenvolvimento do país, tratando também de gênero e nível de escolaridade dos participantes. O primeiro resultado obtido, é que há diferença significativa entre os países de diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento em relação a segurança e privacidade infantil no uso a brinquedos inteligentes, sendo que, os países com economia avançada mostram maior preocupação. Em relação à intenção de compra e percepção de inovação, não foi detectada diferença significativa entre os países de diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento. Para co-variáveis como gênero e nível de escolaridade, há diferenças significativas de percepção em relação às três hipóteses se tratando de grupos específicos em relação ao nível de desenvolvimento de países. Por exemplo, testes realizados apenas com o gênero feminino, retornaram diferença significativa. Com os resultados deste mestrado, pesquisas maiores relacionadas podem ser consideradas. Além de que, estratégias de marketing podem ser melhoradas de acordo com as diferenças de percepções encontradas de pessoas que vivem em países de diferentes níveis de desenvolvimento / Children\'s toys have become sophisticated over the years, evolving from simple physical products to toys that engage the digital world through software and hardware. With such sophistication, potential child safety and privacy issues have surfaced concerning the use of smart toys. A smart toy consists of a physical toy component connected to a computer system with online services to enhance the functionality of a traditional toy. This type of toy is not yet widely known in economically developing countries such as Brazil. In this way, the opinion of consumers of this type of country is not known with respect to the acceptance of this technology when it is available. This master\'s research carried out a comparative study among countries with different levels of development, assessing the perception of child safety and privacy about intelligent toys. Aspects such as purchase intent and perception of innovation were taken into account, since these two perceptions may influence perceptions about child safety and privacy. These comparisons of perceptions were still considered for variations in gender and educational levels, considering people from different developing countries. With a systematic review, it was found that there are no studies that address the perception of children\'s safety and privacy related to intelligent toys, comparing countries of advanced and developing economies. For the accomplishment of this masters dissertation, a survey with the application of a structured questionnaire was considered. Before the application of the questionnaire, a interview with 14 participants was performed to refine the questionnaire that was under construction. In order to analyze the results, the non-parametric Mann Whitney test and the Chi-square Independence test were used for three hypotheses considering perceptions about child safety and privacy, purchase intention and perception of innovation regarding smart toys in relation to the level of the country\'s development, also dealing with the gender and level of schooling of the participants. The first result obtained is that there is a significant difference between countries of different levels of development regarding children\'s safety and privacy in the use of smart toys, and countries with advanced economies show greater concern. In relation to the purchase intention and perception of innovation, no significant difference was detected between the countries with different levels of development. For covariables such as gender and educational level, there are significant perceptual differences about the three hypotheses when dealing with specific groups about the level of development of countries. For example, tests performed only with the female gender, returned significant difference. With the results of this masters degree, major related research can be considered. In addition to that, marketing strategies can be improved according to the differences of perceptions found in people living in countries with different levels of development

A comunicação sem fio (wireless) vem sofrendo uma enorme expansão nos últimos anos. Para esse tipo de comunicação foram criados alguns padrões, destacando-se o Wi-Fi, o Bluetooth e mais recentemente o ZigBee. Este último, o ZigBee, engloba aplicações de monitoração e sensoriamento de sistemas, o que o torna adequado para aplicações residenciais. Essa característica do ZigBee motivou o desenvolvimento desse trabalho, cujo objetivo foi o de avaliar o padrão ZigBee através de uma aplicação de monitoração e sensoriamento para uso residencial, utilizando um kit de desenvolvimento da Microchip. Esse trabalho consiste em dois nós se comunicando via ZigBee, onde um nó possui um sensor de movimento, uma lâmpada e um LED (que simula um aparelho de ar condicionado) e um segundo nó, que pode ser conectado a um PC via USB utilizando um hardware externo desenvolvido. Esse nó ainda possui um sensor de temperatura, um sensor de luminosidade (LDR) e um sinalizador acústico. Os resultados obtidos mostram que o ZigBee é um padrão eficiente para aplicações de monitoração e sensoriamento de ambientes. / A huge expansion has occurred in wireless communication in the last few years. Some wireless standards were created, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more recently the ZigBee standard, that includes monitoring and sensing systems application. This characteristic makes the ZigBee standard appropriate for residencial applications. This ZigBee characteristic motivated the development of this work, which objective was evaluate the ZigBee standard through a monitoring and sensing application for residencial use, using a evelopment kit by Microchip. This application has two nodes communicating through ZigBee. One node has a motion sensor, a lamp and a LED (that simulates an air conditioner device) and the second one can be connected to a PC through USB using a developed external hardware. This node also has a temperature sensor, a light dependent resistor (LDR) and a beep. The reached results shows that ZigBee is an efficient standard for environment monitoring and sensing.

Thesis advisor: Marc L. Snapper / Chapter 1: The design of a novel first aid smart fabric that is linked to a biologically active molecule through an event specific cleavable linker is described. Successful functionalization of a cellulose filter paper fabric mimic and the synthesis of a linker which is potentially selectively cleavable in the presence of blood have been achieved. Chapter 2: Synthetic studies towards the total synthesis of Torilin, a sesquiterpene guaiane natural product with interesting biological activities are described. The synthesis of the hydroazulene core of Torilin is accomplished through a cyclopropanation/ Lewis acid mediated fragmentation of a highly functionalized polycyclic system which is rapidly accessed through the intramolecular cycloaddition of cyclobutadiene. / Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

O presente trabalho visa propor metodologia inovadora e abrangente que permita a avaliação sistêmica das diversas funcionalidades envolvidas no conceito de Redes Elétricas Inteligentes Smart Grids - (REI). Tal metodologia possibilita a avaliação de políticas de implementação destas funcionalidades de acordo com as características atuais das empresas, tendo como balizador central o benefício social fundamentado na visão dicotômica entre Concessionária e Consumidor. A metodologia proposta parte de modelagem inovadora de representação da rede e das funcionalidades emergentes de REIs, culminando em modelo de otimização que visa propor roadmaps tecnológicos fundamentados em avaliações de custos e benefícios de implantação. A importância das contribuições contidas na presente tese reside no fato de que o conceito de REI vem ganhando destaque nos cenários nacional e internacional, sendo apontado por especialistas do mundo todo como uma possível quebra de paradigma no setor elétrico. O referido conceito traz consigo uma série de funcionalidades e novas formas de integração e relacionamento entre os diversos agentes do setor. Tais funcionalidades necessitam de conceituação clara e objetiva, assim como metodologias de análise dos benefícios e dos custos decorrentes de sua aplicação nos respectivos segmentos do sistema de distribuição. Funcionalidades de REIs impactam tanto os processos de gestão do sistema de distribuição como os procedimentos de planejamento, operação e engenharia, além de permitirem ao consumidor, com possível papel adicional de produtor, maior gerência sobre seu consumo de energia. Diante de um cenário com diversos agentes, com alternância de papéis e com intensa interação entre si, somado às funcionalidades sistêmicas e de rede propiciadas pelos avanços tecnológicos crescentes, é fundamental uma análise global que estabeleça políticas ótimas de implantação das funcionalidades de REI, buscando a maximização do benefício social associado. Destarte, o produto principal desta tese, qual seja o modelo de proposição de plano ótimo de implantação de funcionalidades de REI, considerando os custos de implantação e os benefícios associados, não só ao setor elétrico, mas à sociedade como um todo, consiste em ferramenta valiosa para o planejamento de empresas concessionárias de distribuição na definição de roadmaps tecnológicos. Além disso, tal ferramenta permitirá a realização de estudos nacionais que fundamentem o balizamento de políticas públicas para o tema. / This thesis proposes an innovative and comprehensive methodology that allows the systematic evaluation of various functionalities involved in the concept of Smart Grids. Such methodology enables the proposition and evaluation of different policies for the implementation of smart grid functionalities according to the current characteristics of the utilities. Furthermore, the methodology is basically centered on the social benefits that consider a dichotomy view regarding Utility and Customer. This methodology considers an innovative model for network representation and Smart Grid emerging functionalities. Based on that, it leads to an optimization model that produces technologic roadmaps that take into account the evaluation of costs and benefits for the policies implementation. The importance of the contributions in this thesis lay in the fact that the concept of smart grids has been gaining attention in the national and international scenes, being pointed out by experts around the world as a possible paradigm break for the electricity sector. This concept brings a number of functionalities and new forms of integration and relationships amongst the various agents. These functionalities require clear and objective concepts, as well as methods for cost-benefit analysis regarding their implementation on the various segments of the distribution system. Smart grid functionalities impact most of the management processes in a distribution company as well as planning, operation and engineering procedures. Besides that customers are enabled to better manage their energy consumption, especially when playing the role of producers as well. Facing a scenario with several agents playing different roles with intense interaction, as well as systemic functionalities propitiated by advances in technology, one should devise a global analysis in order to establish optimal policies to implement Smart Grid functionalities, pursuing maximization of associated social benefits. In such a context, the main product of this thesis is an innovative model that produces optimal cost effective plans regarding the deployment of Smart Grid functionalities. Such a product is to be applied not only in the electricity sector but in society as a whole, consisting in a valuable planning tool for distribution utilities to define technological roadmaps as well as countrywide studies for the proposition of new public policies for smart grid implementation.

The master thesis is focused on processes of distribution of goods in urban areas which are generally called city logistics. The aim of the thesis is to fing out the potential of the application of city logistics in Ceske Budejovice.

A comunicação sem fio (wireless) vem sofrendo uma enorme expansão nos últimos anos. Para esse tipo de comunicação foram criados alguns padrões, destacando-se o Wi-Fi, o Bluetooth e mais recentemente o ZigBee. Este último, o ZigBee, engloba aplicações de monitoração e sensoriamento de sistemas, o que o torna adequado para aplicações residenciais. Essa característica do ZigBee motivou o desenvolvimento desse trabalho, cujo objetivo foi o de avaliar o padrão ZigBee através de uma aplicação de monitoração e sensoriamento para uso residencial, utilizando um kit de desenvolvimento da Microchip. Esse trabalho consiste em dois nós se comunicando via ZigBee, onde um nó possui um sensor de movimento, uma lâmpada e um LED (que simula um aparelho de ar condicionado) e um segundo nó, que pode ser conectado a um PC via USB utilizando um hardware externo desenvolvido. Esse nó ainda possui um sensor de temperatura, um sensor de luminosidade (LDR) e um sinalizador acústico. Os resultados obtidos mostram que o ZigBee é um padrão eficiente para aplicações de monitoração e sensoriamento de ambientes. / A huge expansion has occurred in wireless communication in the last few years. Some wireless standards were created, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more recently the ZigBee standard, that includes monitoring and sensing systems application. This characteristic makes the ZigBee standard appropriate for residencial applications. This ZigBee characteristic motivated the development of this work, which objective was evaluate the ZigBee standard through a monitoring and sensing application for residencial use, using a evelopment kit by Microchip. This application has two nodes communicating through ZigBee. One node has a motion sensor, a lamp and a LED (that simulates an air conditioner device) and the second one can be connected to a PC through USB using a developed external hardware. This node also has a temperature sensor, a light dependent resistor (LDR) and a beep. The reached results shows that ZigBee is an efficient standard for environment monitoring and sensing.

Polymeric hydrogels were used to create bio-smart hydrogels serving multifunctional roles interfacing with cells and enzyme substrates. Their value lies in their use as: i) Stimuli- responsive membranes that directly transmute chemical potential energy into proportionate electrical signals, ii) as biomimetically inspired biocompatible coatings on stents and other implantable bionic devices, iii) as bio receptor hosting membranes for enzyme-based implantable biosensors. Biosensors use oxidoreductase enzymes such as glucose oxidase (GOx) and lactate oxidase (LOx) to confer specificity. Such enzymes may initiate more complex in vivo inflammatory response. In this thesis individual and combined effects of different enzymes (GOx, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase) were studied to achieve hydrogelenzyme systems, which in theory may mitigate against adverse cell outcomes. The incorporation of enzymes into bioactive hydrogels was investigated, and revealed effects on the growth, viability and attachment of surface dependant RMS13 human muscle fibroblasts and B50 rat neuronal cells. Agarose and p(HEMA)-based hydrogels were prepared with fibrinogen 5% (w/v) to promote integrin-mediated cellular attachment and also with different combinations of glucose oxidase (GOx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Cell viability was maintained best on catalase hydrogels. The presence of GOx within hydrogels membrane compromised cell viability in both hydrogel types, presumably due to accumulation of H2O2 confirmed by amperometric detection using fabricated platinum needle electrodes. Hydrogels prepared with GOx and CAT showed improved cell viability, further suggesting the negative influence of H2O2. High temperature treatment of the enzyme-hydrogel membranes, resulting in enzyme denaturation, returned all constructs to control levels of viability, confirming the relationship of cell viability with enzyme activity. An additional study was undertaken into the viability and growth of B50 cells on crosslinked protein membranes of fibrinogen and albumin as a potential bioreactor surface. The use of crosslinked fibrinogen to facilitate cell growth within microfluidic channels appears to have been realized. Fabrication and use of miniaturized gold-filled silica recess and inlaid disc electrodes, compared with the use of agarose gels in the recesses was investigated to improve stabilization of an amperometric H2O2 electrode. From this, a microfluidic device with an integrated inner diameter working and counter / reference electrode was fabricated which showed feasibility of more rapid amperometric detection of H2O2 in miniature flow channels.

System identification (SI) for constructed structural systems has received a lot of attention with the continuous development of modern technologies. This thesis proposes a new nonlinear time series model for use in system identification (SI) of smart structures. The proposed model is implemented by the integration of a wavelet transform (WT) and nonlinear autoregressive moving average (NARMA) time series model. The approach demonstrates the efficient and accurate nonlinear SI of smart structures subjected to both ambient excitation and high impact load. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the wavelet-based NARMA modeling (WNARMA), smart structures equipped with magnetorheological (MR) dampers are investigated. The simulation results show that the computation of the WNARMA model is faster than that of the NARMA model without sacrificing the modeling accuracy. In addition, the WNARMA model is robust against noise in the data since it inherently has a denoising capacity.