DOAB - Directory of Open Access Books
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Infrastructures of Reality: Metaverse Stories, Spaces, Bodies
No full textThis open access book focuses on two dimensions of the development of the metaverse that are crucial to ‘reality’, namely spatiality and embodiment. Metaversal technologies are thought to fundamentally affect both our spaces and bodies, which are two central aspects of the constitution of social reality. Both spatiality and embodiment are core elements of world-making that are being pulled into the ambit of metaversal projects. On the one hand, metaversal technologies are profoundly spatial in the sense that they render space in virtual form or overlay digital layers onto pre-existing physical spaces. On the other hand, metaversal technologies are directly geared towards the body in that they not only seek to extend or expand our embodied senses and emplace our bodies in virtual spaces, but they also seek to capture their behaviours and actions on a far more granular level. This can create new opportunities in terms of work, social interaction, and leisure, but can also open our bodies up to new, tech-driven interventions and control. Whether in the form of VR or AR, such technologies not only reproduce space but also rely on making spaces more legible and open to automated interventions. Taken together, the ‘metaversification’ of spaces and bodies gives rise to crucial questions about the goals and implications of metaversal developments by large technology companies and about the relationship between the developments of the metaverse and AI systems. Drawing on our combined background and expertise in Science and Technology Studies and the History of Media and Communication, we critically analyse the development of metaversal technologies and platforms by discussing a broad set of developments and examples from a wide range of technology and gaming companies. Written in clear, concise, and accessible language, and combining and applying novel theoretical frameworks and concepts to a currently emergent phenomenon, this book will find a large audience not only within academic and professional circles but also in popular culture
Videogames and Metareference
No full textVideogames and Metareference is the first edited collection to investigate the rise of metareference in videogames from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Bringing together a group of distinguished scholars from various geographic and disciplinary backgrounds, the book combines in-depth theoretical reflection with a diverse selection of case studies in order to explore how metareference manifests itself in and around a broad range of videogames (from indie to AAA), while also asking what cultural work the videogames in question accomplish in the process. The carefully curated chapters not only provide much-needed expansions and revisions of a concept that was at least initially derived mainly from literary studies but also cover a broad range of videogame genres, discuss the evolution of metareference across videogame history as well as the functions it fulfills in different sociocultural contexts, and scrutinize metareferential elements and examples that have hitherto received little attention.
This book with its interdisciplinary scope will appeal to scholars and students within game studies and game design as well as, more broadly, scholars and students within literary studies, media studies, popular culture studies, and digital culture studies
Innovatiekracht
No full textThe Netherlands faces enormous challenges: climate change, our national security is at stake and maintaining prosperity and welfare requires our time, effort and innovative thoughts. Innovation power, the ability to actually realise innovations, is the key to a better future. But what exactly does this mean? How do we ensure that innovation delivers concrete results? And who is responsible?
This innovation handbook offers clear answers to complex questions about the world of private-public partnerships, placed in a historical and international perspective. Full of examples and practical tips, it offers essential tools for anyone active in innovation programs who is looking for new possibilities. With seven suggestions for action, Innovation Power is the essential guide for strengthening the innovation capacity of the Netherlands.
Get inspired and discover how you can contribute to an innovative, sustainable and safe future for the Netherlands
Together Again for Geodesy
No full textThis open access volume contains 46 selected papers from the symposia organised or co-organised by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) in the framework of the 28th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG). The conference was held in Berlin, Germany, from 11 to 20 July under the theme "Together again in the geosciences". It marked a return to face-to-face meetings after the pandemic restrictions. A total of 4,884 participants from 100 countries attended, of whom 607 registered for the IAG. The Assembly featured a total of 3,200 oral presentations and 1,300 poster presentations, of which 661 were related to the IAG
Interconnected Traditions: Semitic Languages, Literatures, Cultures—A Festschrift for Geoffrey Khan
No full textGeoffrey Khan’s pioneering scholarship has transformed the study of Semitic languages, literatures, and cultures, leaving an indelible mark on fields ranging from Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic dialectology to medieval manuscript traditions and linguistic typology. This Festschrift, celebrating a distinguished career that culminated in his tenure (2012–2025) as Regius Professor of Hebrew in the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge, brings together contributions from a vast and representative array of scholars—retired, established, and up and coming—whose work has been influenced by his vast intellectual legacy. Reflecting the interconnected traditions that Khan has illuminated throughout his career, this volume presents cutting-edge research on Hebrew and Aramaic linguistics, historical syntax, manuscript studies, and the transmission of textual traditions across centuries and cultures. Contributors engage with topics central to Khan’s scholarship, including the evolution of the Biblical Hebrew verbal system, the intricacies of Masoretic notation, Geniza discoveries, Samaritan and medieval Judaeo-Arabic texts, and computational approaches to linguistic analysis. As Khan retires from his role as Regius Professor, this collection stands as both a tribute and a continuation of his work, honouring his lifelong dedication to understanding and preserving the linguistic and literary heritage of the Semitic world
Federated Learning
No full textFederated Learning (FL) represents a transformative leap in distributed machine learning by enabling multiple clients to collaboratively solve complex tasks without compromising data privacy. This innovative approach eliminates the need for centralized cloud storage, ensuring privacy-preserving data handling while offering smarter models, reduced latency, and enhanced power efficiency. This book serves as a comprehensive guide to the evolving field of Federated Learning, providing in-depth insights into its definition, architecture, and classification. It examines the distinctions between FL and traditional distributed learning paradigms through a comparative lens. The chapters explore key concepts, algorithmic advancements, and computational strategies that underpin the development of FL, with a particular focus on deep learning applications. Readers will find detailed discussions on critical topics such as horizontal and vertical FL, federated neural networks, federated reinforcement learning, and specialized algorithms like Federated LSTM and CNNs. By bridging theoretical foundations with practical implementations, the book also addresses common challenges in FL and presents potential pathways for future advancements. Aimed at researchers, academics, and practitioners, this book is valuable for understanding Federated Learning's role in shaping the future of privacy-conscious, intelligent machine learning systems
Approaching Ancient Greek Coastal and Inland Poleis in the Northern Peloponnese
No full textThis volume presents an interdisciplinary discourse on recent archaeological investigations at the ancient sites of Sikyon, Aigeira and Lousoi. These three Northern Peloponnesian poleis represent microregions which from the Geometric and Archaic periods onward participated in similar networks of exchange, albeit with different roles.Dieser Band präsentiert einen interdisziplinären Diskurs über die jüngsten archäologischen Untersuchungen an den antiken Stätten von Sikyon, Aigeira und Lousoi. Die nordpeloponnesischen Poleis fungierten als Zentralorte dreier Mikroregionen, die seit der geometrischen und archaischen Zeit an ähnlichen Austauschnetzwerken partizipierten, wenn auch mit ganz unterschiedlichen Rollen
Credit Networks in The Preindustrial World
No full textThis open access book examines the formation and sustainability of private credit networks in past societies, gathering a global range of case studies from Europe and the Americas. The book represents a fi rst attempt to coordinate the work of different scholars working on credit networks and aims to explore the possibilities offered by social network analysis for the study of past fi nancial markets and networks. Each contribution offers new perspectives for the comprehension of past fi nancial networks, with a broad chronological and geographical scope. The chapters are arranged thematically and study both rural and urban networks, each employing a network perspective to facilitate an increased understanding of the relational dynamics of preindustrial credit transactions. This book models the various ways that SNA can be utilized by economic and fi nancial historians, as well as discusses its limitations and ways in which it can be combined with qualitative archival research. The book is of interest to a broad audience of scholars in the fi elds of economic, fi nancial and social history
Konzepte der Professionalisierungsforschung im Dialog
No full textPädagogisch-psychologische und fachspezifische Überzeugungen von Lehrkräften sind entscheidende Faktoren bei der Gestaltung von unterrichtlichen Lehr- Lern-Prozessen und rücken insbesondere seit den 1990er Jahren in den Fokus bildungswissenschaftlicher und fachdidaktischer Forschung und Lehre. Weil Überzeugungen in vielfältigen Zusammenhängen der (fachdidaktischen) Profession(alisierung)sforschung untersucht werden, sind die zugrundeliegenden Konstrukte und deren Bezeichnungen trotz gemeinsamer Schnittmengen unterschiedlich: Vorstellungen, Orientierungen, Deutungsmuster, subjektive Theorien, Beliefs oder Concepts sind nur einige gängige Bezeichnungen. Die Beiträge des vorliegenden Bandes zielen darauf, je eine genaue Bestimmung und theoretische Einordnung der Konstrukte vorzunehmen sowie Forschungsbefunde aus verschiedenen Disziplinen (unterschiedliche Fachdidaktiken sowie Bildungswissenschaften) zu versammeln
Zastosowanie uczenia maszynowego do obrazowania stanu zawilgocenia murów z wykorzystaniem tomografii impedancyjnej
No full textThe subject of the considerations contained in this study is the comparison and verification of
the effectiveness of selected methods of transforming tomographic measurements into images.
The research centers on the application of electrical impedance tomography (ETI) as a technique
for imaging moisture distributions within building walls. Both deterministic methods and modern
methods based on machine learning were used in the research. The research was conducted in laboratory conditions and in the historical building of the Golden Gate in Gdańsk. A hybrid, multi-branch
neural network model was developed, which was used to transform moisture measurements taken
at three research stations. The research showed that the use of the multi-branch LSTM+CNN neural
network model in combination with the ETI tomography technique is characterized by high effectiveness. Validation measurements confirmed the high accuracy of tomographic reconstructions,
which is proof of the effectiveness and utilitarian potential of the described methodPublishedPrzedmiotem rozważań zawartych w niniejszym opracowaniu jest porównanie i weryfikacja skuteczności wybranych metod transformacji pomiarów tomograficznych na obrazy. Badania koncentrują się
na elektrycznej tomografii impedancyjnej (ETI) wykorzystanej jako metoda obrazowania rozkładów
wilgoci wewnątrz ścian budynków. Zastosowano w nich zarówno metody deterministyczne, jak
również nowoczesne metody oparte na uczeniu maszynowym. Badania prowadzone były w warunkach laboratoryjnych oraz w obiekcie historycznym Złota Brama w Gdańsku. Opracowano model
hybrydowej, wielogałęziowej sieci neuronowej, za której pomocą dokonano transformacji pomiarów
wilgotności zrealizowanych na trzech stanowiskach badawczych. Wykazano, że zastosowanie modelu
wielogałęziowej sieci neuronowej LSTM+CNN w połączeniu z techniką tomografii ETI cechuje wysoka
skuteczność. Pomiary walidacyjne potwierdziły dokładność rekonstrukcji tomograficznych, co jest
dowodem efektywności i potencjału utylitarnego opisywanej metody