Running tests on Internet of Things (IoT) platforms can be challenging, yet of increasing practical importance. The potential complexity of IoT networks, especially for heterogeneous networks, is a challenge for testbeds. The laboriousness in setting up a large IoT network makes it harder to stress test systems and assess their performance and communication. This work systematizes the types and applicability of test approaches for IoT and proposes a virtualized platform based on containers for a leaner, intermediate step between development and deployment. To demonstrate this methodology, we use a swarm surveillance use case resulting in finding some improvements in the software tested. Also, a performance evaluation intends to assess the feasibility of our implementation by testing scalability properties to investigate if this approach is suited for testing in swarm platforms.

Current research on immersive technologies has widely described their application in K-12 settings, with evidence of their goals, approaches, and potential to enhance learning. However, there is a dearth of studies describing those technologies being used as authoring tools by students. This paper investigates how K-12 students apply virtual and augmented reality technologies as tools for designing experiments and solutions for their science and engineering projects. Study 1 analyzed 12 projects presented at a FEBRACE national science fair between 2015 and 2020 and Study 2 investigated, via an online questionnaire, the motivations and challenges from students who worked on those projects. Results include the context in which the projects were developed, motivation for using virtual and augmented reality technologies, fields in which they were applied, and types of software and hardware used. Findings inform how future research can build on those experiences to integrate immersive technologies in K-12 education.

While attribute-based access control (ABAC) is a promising technique to govern interactions in the Internet of Things (IoT), most existing ABAC models are designed to run on remote servers or gateway devices. This scenario is misaligned with recent trends toward IoT decentralization, such as the Swarm, which expects devices to autonomously share resources, making their own access decisions for enhanced privacy and reliability. In this article, we propose SmartABAC: a fast, concise, and expressive ABAC model that can be executed in constrained IoT devices. It combines the performance of policies based on attribute enumeration, with techniques that enhance policy expressiveness, such as typed and hierarchical attributes. We specified SmartABAC using first-order logic, designed a use case, and evaluated it in both constrained and nonconstrained IoT environments. Results show that our model can represent a variety of access policies, including nested multiattribute rules, while using less than 100 bytes per policy, on average, for a smart home use case. Our C-based SmartABAC implementation is at least 255 times faster than existing models and can evaluate 3000 policies under 5 ms on a 32-MHz MCU.

This is an experimental work presenting a study about usability experience of users in a cyber-archeology fully immersive 3D environment in Virtual Reality (VR). Particularly we research how users explore a realistic 3D environment with VR devices through archaeometry conventional techniques for archeology analysis and discoveries. Our main objective is to evaluate user’s experience with interactive archaeometry tools of a population called archeologists, not a VR expert, but expert on the context of the real experience of practicing archeology in remote site; and compare the results with another population called VR experts, in this case, not experts in archeology, but in VR technology and multimedia applications. Several standard metrics will be used to collect data about their interactions with the cyber system (efficacy, efficiency, satisfaction, level of presence and cyber-sickness). Two hypotheses will be tested with this experiment: a) it is possible to represent the virtual world as realistically as the real one, in such way that a person unfamiliar with this kind of technology, in this case the archaeologist, can develop analytical process of discoveries in the VR model; and b) if this VR model is passive of exploration, virtually it is possible to create analytical tools that will help the archaeologist to manipulate archaeometry tools. Both sample population had participated in usability tests and the results are promising.

We present an augmented virtuality system using low-cost or outdated devices as sensors, attached to tangible objects. Five interactions were implemented, featuring rotation, pressing, pulling, pushing and insertion movements, including passive mechanical resistance. Interactions were tied together by a puzzling narrative. Concerning storytelling, in contrast to AR, pure virtual reality offers unlimited visual possibilities and higher flexibility. Augmenting VR with physical objects allows ignoring most details of the physical environment and exploring ‘magical’ interactions. Precise registration was accomplished using wireless tracking system. The main challenge was the absent physical counterparts of the scenario, which was tackled by limiting user's reach to available interactions. Despite Leap Motion's erratic hand tracking, mouse and tablet sensors were precise enough and the augmented environment allowed a high sense of presence.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is steadily growing and migrating to decentralized architectures. In this context the Swarm approach, based on organic, edge-centric IoT networks, proposes one step further toward cooperation among devices, through the creation of a communication mediator called Swarm Broker. An important aspect in creating a cooperation network in the Swarm is the economical domain: the Swarm economy that guarantees fair rules to stimulate resource sharing among participants. This economic aspect is even more challenging in networks with distributed governance and motivates the adoption of a technology for a trustworthy and immutable public registry, such as blockchain, to store transaction information. In this paper, we aim to create an economic model that regulate the cooperation among the participants of the Swarm, by implementing strategies, to fulfill the restrictions posed by the decentralized network and the presence of resource-constrained devices that integrate the Swarm. We created a microeconomic model for resource sharing in the Swarm and a transaction model, based on the price and reputation of participants. We created a blockchain-based system for storing currency, contract, and reputation information in a distributed way. We included the resulting models and implementation into the Swarm network, by adding a module into the Swarm Broker.

In this work, we present a hand-based natural interaction that allows performing fundamental actions such as moving or controlling objects and climbing ladders. The setup was restricted to available consumer VR technology, aiming to advance towards a practical unified framework for 3D interaction. The strategy was syncing the closest natural movement allowed by the device with primary task actions, either directly or indirectly, creating hypernatural UIs. The prototype allowed successful completion of the three challenges proposed by the 2018 3DUI Contest, as validated by a preliminary user study with participants from the target audience and also from the general public.

This demo presents a fully immersive and interactive virtual environment (VE) - the ArcheoVR, which represents Itapeva Rocky Shelter, a prehistoric archeological site in Brazil. W workflow started with a real world data capture - laser scanners, drones and photogrammetry. Captured information was transformed into a carefully designed realistic 3D scene and interactive features that allows users to experience the virtual archeological site in real-time. The main objective of this VR model is to allow the general public to feel and explore an otherwise restricted and ephemeral site and to assess prototype tools intended for future digital archaeological exploration.

This poster presents the conceptual process of developing Itapeva 3D, a Virtual Reality (VR) archeology experience. It describes the technical spectrum of cyber-archeology process applied to the creation of a fully immersive and interactive virtual environment (VE), which represents Itapeva Rocky Shelter, a prehistoric archeological site in Brazil. The workflow starts with a real world data capture - laser scanners, drones and photogrammetry, continues with the transposition of the captured information into a 3D surface model capable of real-time rendering to head-mounted displays (HMDs), and ends with the design of interactive features allowing users to experience the virtual archeological site. The main objective of this VR model is to make plausible to general public to feel what it means to explore an otherwise restricted and ephemeral place. As final thoughts it is reported on preliminary results from an initial user observation.

This poster presents an initial study about people experience with advertising messages in Virtual Reality (VR) that simulates the urban space. Besides looking to the plastic and textual factors perceived by the users in the Virtual Environment (VE), this work also reflects about effects of immersion provided by different technological devices and its possible influences in the advertising message reception process - a head-mounted display (Oculus Rift DK2), a cavern automatic virtual environment (CAVE) and a desktop monitor (PC). To carry this empirical experiment, a 3D scenario that simulates a real city urban space was created and several advertising image formats were inserted on its landscape. User navigation through the urban space was designed in a firstperson perspective. In short, we intend to accomplish two objectives: (a) to identify which factors lead people to pay attention to adverting in immersive VE; (b) to verify the immersion effects produced by different VR interfaces in the perception of advertising.

In this work we present the methodological approach applied to develop a fully immersive and interactive virtual environment that simulates an archaeological site located in Sao Paulo (Brazil). To create a realistic 3D space, which would be relevant for research through a cyber-archeology exploration, laser scanners and photometry were used for collecting 3D point clouds data from the physical. In consequence, the digital data acquired from these apparatus generated a huge density of point clouds, requiring a many gigabytes computer storage and a research work on design to compact all the information in an user friendly interactive virtual model, but realistic to archaeologists. Also to provide an immersive feeling when exploring the virtual reality we decided to allow the user to navigate through the scene using control devices (keyboard, mouse and joysticks) and a head-mounted display (Oculus Rift) to visualize the aesthetical and spatial elements of the archaeological site as if she/he was really in that place (forms, scales, proportions, perspective, textures, illumination, shadows). In resume, through a sophisticated digital simulation environment, which regards the playful of an electronic game in first-person field of vision, we created a telepresence sense to the user, as well providing archeologists a landscape (and objects) exploration through a non-destructive way.

In this work we present a simulator system for training operation and maintenance of power grids distribution lines with focus on workplace safety and risk control of fuse cutout activities. The student uses a VR goggles to visualize the virtual environment (Oculus Rift) and maneuver a real bat to interact with the 3D environment, both tracked by a high precision infrared camera system (OptiTrack). It all provides a high degree of immersion and realism to the user experience. The student arms, back and head are also tracked, and the movements are replicated in a virtual avatar, allowing the instructor to evaluate ergonomic aspects. The system consists of two modules: a) Instructor Interface, which helps her/him to create and to control different challenges in the scenario and, also, to follow the student reactions and behavior; and b) Simulation Interface, which is presented to the student through VR goggles. It is important to underline that the training session can also be viewed on a projected screen by other students, extending the learning process to the observation of mistakes and successes of their peers. The simulator features various risk scenarios such as: climate (sun, rain and wind), lighting (day and night), types of structures, transformer on fire and explosions, short-circuit and electric arc, defective equipment and many other obstacles (trees, cars, windows, swarm of bees, etc)

In this work we present an interactive and collaborative 3D object manipulation system using the shelf mobile devices coupled with Augmented Reality (AR) technology that allows multiple users to collaborate concurrently on a scene. Each user interested in participating in this collaboration uses both a mobile device running android and a desktop (or laptop) working in tandem. The 3D scene was visualized by the user in the desktop system. The changes in the scene viewpoint changes and the object manipulations were performed using a mobile device through the AR. The system leverages user's knowledge of common tasks performed on current mobile devices such as pinching for zooming in and out; swiping with one or two fingers for object rotation and press-and-hold for 2 seconds for object translation. As you will see in this video, we built a prototype system (in a maze style) and applied an informal user study with three experienced VR researchers. Users had to carry a 3D cube through three square rings along the maze. In resume, we diagnosed that working in a collaborative way (users A and B) was better and easier than individual one (user C). We registered more than 2 minutes late for the individual experience comparing to the teamwork. It may happen because the two player team shared information, functions and had a multi-perspective view during the task.

In this poster we present Portable-Spheree, an interactive spherical rear-projected 3D-content-display that provides perspective-corrected views according to the user's head position, to provide parallax, shading and occlusion depth cues. Portable-Spheree is an evolution of the Spheree and it is developed in a smaller form factor, using more projectors and a dark-translucent screen with increased contrast. We present some preliminary results of this new configuration as well as applications with spatial interaction that might benefit from this new form factor.

New technologies are slowly changing the shared experience of watching TV. In the case of educational applications, the interactive use of a second screen, such as mobile devices synchronized with digital TV contents using data connection, offers promising new possibilities. However, populations from some regions in the world are not part of this trend due to their lack of data connection or other technological infrastructures. This paper focuses on possible technical solutions to provide applications using mobile devices and digital TV, applied to an educational context. It also describes a user test carried out with students, exploring interaction with TV content through a second screen device. As a preliminary trial, it was very fruitful in providing information about Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) requirements for future next steps of this research. The focus was the educational toolset prototype “Buddy Learning”, and alternative options for providing the second screen experience were explored. Three research aims were considered: 1) developing a technical solution for transmitting data content for regions where data connection is inexistent or intermittent; 2) obtaining preliminary information about HCI requirements for learner interaction with the proposed system through a user test with the prototype; 3) stimulating and motivating undergraduate and graduate engineer students to develop solutions involving a digital TV infrastructure that would be workable in remote areas.

In Brazil, a country of continental proportions, law requires that health institutions directly involved in the cancer treatment in the country have to register and consolidate cancer patients' data. This information is important for the management and evaluation of the cancer treatment, and for the definition of public policies. In this work we propose the use of a high-performance computational infrastructure, based on grid computing, to ease and accelerate the consolidation of the remotely distributed patients' records in these institutions. In particular, we present a case study of implementation of a tool for patients' survival estimation based on the Kaplan-Meier method. We also discuss the issues related to architecture, implementation and integration, as well as the benefits and prospects for the use of this infrastructure on the establishment of a national health information system.

The fine needle biopsy is an important procedure for investigations in tumors, low-cost considered, minimally invasive and ideal for supplying an accurate diagnosis in cases of thyroid gland nodules. This work investigated the possibility of the development of a virtual reality simulator for the training of the ultrasound guided needle biopsy of thyroid gland nodules, using 3D models and haptic devices. The developed system is also an educative tool, because besides practicing the procedure, the user can visualize a thyroid 3D model and touch it to feel its texture, as well as rotate a complete model of the neck with transparancy in order to study all its internal organs.

Multiprojection Immersive Environments are used in many applications ranging fromscience, engineering and art. Such VR-oriented systems have traditionally been powered byhigh-end graphics workstations or supercomputers, but, recently, clusters of commoditycomputers (such as PCs, Macs, and low cost workstations) have become a practical alternative.The advantages of a commodity cluster include low cost, flexibility, access to technology, andperformance scalability. The workshop will be divided in three parts. An introductory tutorialon VR clustering technologies will cover hardware and software issues and will emphasize freesoftware solutions. The second part will consist of 20-minute presentations on specificcommodity technologies as applied to virtual reality. An open panel discussion will close theworkshop.

We propose the definition and evaluation of an instruction set designed and tuned for multimedia applications on a digital set-top-box. The proposed instruction set had its performance evaluated in software and hardware to obtain the best cost/benefit relationship referring to performance and silicon chip area. An instruction set was obtained enhancing the performance of iDCT algorithms to achieve the needs of real time MPEG-2 video decompression and to have an extra processing power available for future more complex algorithms (e.g., MPEG-4). A RISC basic core was modeled in VHDL and the defined instruction set was added into this core. In this way, the evaluations were made through out logical simulations by implementing over FPGAs, and the results of the added instructions over the algorithm performance were evaluated using high-level synthesis tools and infield tests.