This study investigates how ambiguous qualities in a tangible user interface can generate collaboration between the users of the artifact. The goal of the ambiguous qualities is to not have an interface with a generally accepted way of interaction. In this manner the participants are challenged in their own perception of what a tangible user interface consists of. Interactions with physical objects instead of a standard mouse/keyboard input can explore new techniques of interaction.

Manipulating 3D objects on a tabletop computer is inherently problematic. The flat surface of tabletop computers enable natural 2D interaction, but lack the additional dimension needed to intuitively facilitate 3D object manipulation. In this thesis I present TZee, a passive tangible widget that enables natural interactions with 3D objects by exploiting the lighting properties of diffuse illumination (DI) multi-touch tabletops. The Tangible User Interface (TUI), TZee is constructed from several pieces of stacked acrylic glass. The stacked glass enables TZee to channel the light emitted from the tabletop slightly higher above the surface without major light loss. This technique allows the tangible interface to transmit touches on the device to the tabletop without any supplementary power. TZee enables simple translation, rotation and scaling along the x, y, or z axes. This thesis discusses several important design considerations of TZee, demonstrated TZee’s value though several applications and a gesture design study.

Manipulating 3D objects on a tabletop computer is inherently problematic. The flat surface of tabletop computers enable natural 2D interaction, but lack the additional dimension needed to intuitively facilitate 3D object manipulation. In this thesis I present TZee, a passive tangible widget that enables natural interactions with 3D objects by exploiting the lighting properties of diffuse illumination (DI) multi-touch tabletops. The Tangible User Interface (TUI), TZee is constructed from several pieces of stacked acrylic glass. The stacked glass enables TZee to channel the light emitted from the tabletop slightly higher above the surface without major light loss. This technique allows the tangible interface to transmit touches on the device to the tabletop without any supplementary power. TZee enables simple translation, rotation and scaling along the x, y, or z axes. This thesis discusses several important design considerations of TZee, demonstrated TZee’s value though several applications and a gesture design study.

Baigiamojo darbo tikslas išanalizuoti užsienio investicijų pritraukimą į nekilnojamąjį turtą Lietuvoje. • Apibrėžti tiesioginių užsienio investicijų sampratą ir jų svarbą ekonomikai; • Išanalizuoti investavimo teorijas ir modelius; • Išanalizuoti investavimo į nekilnojamąjį turtą procesą, pateikti užsienio investicijų į nekilnojamąjį turtą skatinimo modelį; • Išanalizuoti tiesioginių užsienio investicijų ir užsienio investicijų į nekilnojamąjį turtą dinamiką Lietuvoje, poveikį valstybės ekonomikai, ištirti jų pritraukimą sąlygojančius veiksnius; • Apibūdinti ir pasiūlyti veiksnius ir priemones, kuriomis galima pritraukti tiesiogines užsienio investicijas į Lietuvos nekilnojamojo turto rinką. Darbo metodas. Darbe naudojami mokslinės literatūros loginės, sisteminės, lyginamosios analizės metodai, statistinės informacijos tekstinės, grafinės, lyginamosios analizės metodas, kitos antrinės informacijos šaltinių analizės metodas, anketinės apklausos metodas, Darbo struktūra. Darbą sudaro trys dalys. Pirmojoje darbo dalyje analizuojami teoriniai tiesioginių užsienio investicijų į nekilnojamąjį turtą pritraukimo aspektai. Šioje dalyje nagrinėjama investicijų, tiesioginių investicijų samprata, reikšmė valstybės ekonomikai, veiksniai, lemiantys tiesioginių užsienio investicijų pritraukimą. Analizuojama tiesioginių užsienio investicijų į nekilnojamąjį turtą funkcija, formos, išanalizuojamos tiesioginių užsienio investicijų į nekilnojamąjį turtą teorijos; remiantis atliktais teoriniais... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The Goal of the Final work of Master is to analyze the attraction of foreign investment into Real estate in Lithuania. The objects of The Final work of Master are: a) to analyze theoretical importance of foreign direct investment, its concept and forms; b) to analyze theories of foreign direct investment and its attraction; c) to analyze process of investment to immovable, to generalize the model of attraction foreign direct investment to immovable; d) to analyze dynamics and results of foreign investment and foreign direct investment to immovable in Lithuania, its factors and influence; e) to propose means how to raise attraction of foreign direct investment to immovable in Lithuania. The Final work of Master contains three main parts. The first part discusses theoretical aspects of foreign direct investment: the concept, its importance to the state’s economy, its factors. The function, forms and processes of foreign direct investment to immovable were analyzed in this part. The model of attraction foreign direct investment to immovable was proposed. The second part of The Final work of Master presents the analysis of foreign direct investment and foreign direct investment to immovable results in Lithuania in 2003-2007, and its factors. The aspects of influence of foreign direct investment to immovable was analyzed, as well as the factors influencing it. The results of empirical questionnaire research were discussed. The third part of The Final work of Master presented the... [to full text]

Recently, young children’s educational behavior has become a popular topic for researchers seeking to help develop their skills and abilities in a pleasurable manner. Lately, we have seen the emergence of several communicational units that include powerful and advanced technologies, such as mobile devices. In fact, according to a CISCO report, ‘in 2012 the numbers of mobile-connected devices in circulation are greater than the number of people on earth. By 2016 there will be 1.4 mobile devices per capita, and there will be over 10 billion mobile-connected devices, including (M2M) modules, exceeding the world's population at that time (7.3 billion)’ [1]. In this thesis, we introduce a mobile-based edutainment system called ‘Tap and Learn’ that targets young children and aim to assist them in developing their learning abilities and social communication skills. The Tap and Learn system allows children to learn about new objects and entities in their environments by simply tapping over them with a RFID-mounted smart phone which responds by producing a set of multimedia feedback that aims to foster their learning skills in an entertaining manner. The M-learning system does not require y special tools or environments to be operated and required minimal literacy levels. In addition,, the system enable the parents to participate in their children's learning by allowing them to personalize the learning material and the media content of the games so they suit their children's cognitive level and their learning wants.

Zugl.: Berlin, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2005

Recently, young children’s educational behavior has become a popular topic for researchers seeking to help develop their skills and abilities in a pleasurable manner. Lately, we have seen the emergence of several communicational units that include powerful and advanced technologies, such as mobile devices. In fact, according to a CISCO report, ‘in 2012 the numbers of mobile-connected devices in circulation are greater than the number of people on earth. By 2016 there will be 1.4 mobile devices per capita, and there will be over 10 billion mobile-connected devices, including (M2M) modules, exceeding the world's population at that time (7.3 billion)’ [1]. In this thesis, we introduce a mobile-based edutainment system called ‘Tap and Learn’ that targets young children and aim to assist them in developing their learning abilities and social communication skills. The Tap and Learn system allows children to learn about new objects and entities in their environments by simply tapping over them with a RFID-mounted smart phone which responds by producing a set of multimedia feedback that aims to foster their learning skills in an entertaining manner. The M-learning system does not require y special tools or environments to be operated and required minimal literacy levels. In addition,, the system enable the parents to participate in their children's learning by allowing them to personalize the learning material and the media content of the games so they suit their children's cognitive level and their learning wants.

Darbe nagrinėjamos tiesioginės užsienio investicijos (TUI) Lietuvoje, analizuojama investicijų dinamika Lietuvoje 2000-2006 m.: aptariami investicijų srautų, pasiskirstymo pagal sektorius, užsienio šalis kitimas, regioniniai aspektai. Taip pat analizuojamas TUI efektyvumas šalies ekonomikos augimui analizuojant TUI ir BVP, eksporto ir importo priklausomybes. Apžvelgiami užsienio ir Lietuvos autorių pateikiami TUI teoriniai aspektai- struktūra, funkcijos, aptariama ekonominė TUI reikšmė šalies ūkiui. Pateikiama TUI reglamentuojančios teisinės bazės analizė. Apžvelgiami TUI įtakojančių sąlygų bei veiksnių apibudinimai, o taip pat ir skatinimo modeliai. Darbe taip pat aptariamos TUI tendencijos ir skatinimo perspektyvos ateityje. Apibendrinami įvairių tyrimų duomenys, nurodantys trukdžius, kurie stabdo TUI atėjimą į Lietuvą, o taip pat išryškinami šalies privalumai. / This paper examines foreign direct investment (FDI) in Lithuania, analyze the structure and range of investment during period 2000-2006 in the country. Discusses the inflows of investment, distribution of the sectors, main investors, and regions. The paper analyse the efficiency of FDI on the development of national economy, based on relationship between FDI into the main branches of economics and GDP, import and export flows. The main descriptions and classifications of foreign and Lithuanian authors about the conditions and factors that effect FDI are overlooked here. The low regulations for FDI are presented in paper also. Analyses concrete conditions and inducement for FDI in Lithuania, discusses possible alternative factors wich settle investment and stimulate it in the country. Discusses FDI changing perspectives and incentive programs in the future. Generalize results of various researches that indicate the interferences for FDI inflows. And also note the fortes which effect FDI inflows in the country. The author provides recommendations and proposals for strengthening Lithuania’s position as an FDI destination.

Pastaruoju metu, vis daugiau Lietuvos įmonių pradeda veiklą užsienio šalyse. Siekiant išsiaiškinti, kokie motyvai skatina jų tarptautinę plėtrą, buvo atliktas tyrimas, kuriame dalyvavo 60 Lietuvos įmonių, kurios vykdo veiklą tiek savo šalyje, tiek ir užsienyje. Tyrimo metu buvo suformuluotos 4 hipotezės: 1) pagrindinis Lietuvos įmonių tarptautinės plėtros veiksnys yra ribota gimtosios šalies rinka; 2) Lietuvos įmonių tarptautinę plėtrą sąlygoja padidėjęs jų finansinis pajėgumas; 3) dėl žemos perkamosios galios Lietuvoje, šalies įmonės priverstos plėstis į kitų šalių rinkas, siekiant uždirbti didesnes pajamas; 4) Lietuvos įmonių tarptautinę plėtrą skatina jų vykdomai ekonominės veiklos rūšiai internacionalizacijos teikiami privalumai. Įvertinus gautus rezultatus, paaiškėjo, jog pirmoji hipotezė nepasitvirtino, antroji – pasitvirtino tik iš dalies, o trečioji bei ketvirtoji – pasitvirtino. Analizuojant Lietuvos įmonių, tiesiogiai investuojančių užsienio šalyse, veiklą, buvo nustatyti pagrindiniai jų plėtros motyvai: galimybė pasiekti didesnę perkamąją galią turinčius vartotojus; gamybinio potencialo išnaudojimas; gaunama didesnė ekonominė grąža bei gamybos masto efektas veikiant iš karto keliose rinkose. / At the present time, more and more Lithuanian companies starting they activities in foreign countries. To achieve the explanation of what motivates their international expansion, there was made a research, where participated 60 Lithuanian firms, which operates in Lithuania and in other foreign countries as well. During research, 4 hypotheses were developed: 1) the main motivating factor of foreign expansion of Lithuanian firms is limited native market; 2) the international expansion of Lithuanian firms occur because of their better financial status; 3) due to low purchasing power among Lithuanian customers, Lithuanian firms must expand abroad to gain more profits; 4) the international expansion of Lithuanian firms occur because of internationalization privileges, which emerge in a certain economic activity where they participate. During investigation, according to participant’s opinion, the first hypothesis was rejected, the second – partially supported, and the third and fourth – supported. It was estimated, that the main motives, which stimulate Lithuanian firms to expand abroad, are: ability to reach the customers with higher purchasing power; full exploitation of production potentials; higher gains and better production economy due to simultaneous operation in several countries.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2007. / "August 2007." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-44). Online version available on the World Wide Web.