Science (Universidade Europeia)
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Identification of real and imaginary movements in EEG using machine learning models
No full textThe neural activity of the brain may be observed by means of an electroencephalogram (EEG) whose analysis and/or interpretation may lead to the recognition of human activities and behaviors. However, on imagined body movements the brain produces the same EEG patterns as the action performed. This study aims to differentiate real movements from imagined ones, through EEG signals. Three different models; Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, and K-Nearest neighbour were implemented to classify these events. The preliminary results, obtained from 15 participants, revealed that the Logistic Regression was the best classifier into the proposed model with accuracy rates varying from 36.8 to 90%. Finally, complementary studies should be addressed to optimize not only the accuracy but also to assure uniform accuracy among the different participants
Entrepreneurial cultural affinity spaces (ECAS): Design of inclusive local learning ecosystems for social change, innovation and entrepreneurship
No full textThe ECAS framework seeks to transform social design theory and practice through an emergent instructional paradigm of heritage-led, local learning ecosystem approaches, to leverage on diverse assets of people in community settings. This includes the cultural, social, sexual and religious diversity of locals. Such reconfiguration of design for social change, and our collective mindset, will create the conditions for more dynamic and powerful collaborations that stimulate and enable social innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusion. The conceptual backdrop draws on the concepts of affinity spaces and embodied learning, incorporated into local learning ecosystem ideas that support viable, integrated and participative urban regeneration. This paper addresses the theoretical backdrop of how such ecosystems can be co-designed, implemented and evaluated, to include disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, such as minorities, women, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, to empower them as lifelong learners and change-makers. We introduce the ECAS framework and how it can present an inclusive and open instructional paradigm that improves design for social change, innovation and entrepreneurship in practice through the framework, conditions, and support mechanisms developed
The cork thread, a sustainable material: Branding and marketing implications from a cultural perspective
No full textThe present study addresses the textile technological innovation developed by Cork-a-Tex in terms of the cork thread, which presents itself as a sustainable object that answers to sociocultural changes and current mindsets, underlining a positive perception from the consumer’s point of view. The development of a thread using a natural and noble material, cork, allows for the creation of solutions that meet the growing need for sustainable production. Something that is clearly visible in today’s market and demands greater attention. This encourages and stimulates the development of new products based on this material, which plays an important role in the Portuguese context. Our paper will articulate the context and potential of this innovation with the main public access socio-cultural trend listings/descriptions that are the result of both empirical/business and academic research. Content and textual analysis of these texts and results will guide the critical approach and process to reach a justification and framework for the development of proposals and insights. This in terms of a cultural strategy that articulates the branding and marketing actions of this Portuguese company. Also, the result of the bibliographic review and systematization of this project aims to stimulate technological research and development for a new approach to this material in the context of fashion design
Sketch-based interaction for planning-based interactive storytelling
No full textDrawings have been used for thousands of years as a visual complement to oral and written storytelling. The evolution of technology and the advent of interactive narratives brings the possibility of exploring drawings and storytelling in new ways. This paper presents a new sketch-based interaction method for planning-based interactive storytelling systems, which uses a deep learning model based on a Convolutional Neural Network to recognize digital hand-drawn sketches. By combining real time sketch recognition with a planning-based plot generation algorithm, the proposed system allows users to interact with narratives by sketching objects on smartphones or tablet computers, which are then recognized by the system and converted into virtual objects in the story world, thereby affecting the plot of the narrative. Preliminary results show that the sketch recognition model has a remarkable accuracy for small sets of sketch classes (accuracy of 95.1% for 14 classes), which are sufficient to provide a good variety of interaction options. In addition, it can also be extended to more complex scenarios while maintaining a considerable accuracy (87.4% for 172 classes and 71.6% for 345 classes)
Contributions to brand systems in Lisbon tailoring brands
No full textThe present article intends to articulate the subject of Branding and brand language synthesis contributing to a cross-cultural analysis in the areas of Branding, Graphic Design and Fashion. The perspectives approached here attribute a multidisciplinary method for the advantageous outcome of insights benefiting a more effective brand management. The articulation of the matters sought the comprehension of the current panorama of fashion brands in the tailoring section, with metaphorical names, in Lisbon, as well as its visual patterns. On the context of the analysis undertaken on this research, the model for the representation of visual identity systems (Oliveira 2015) occupied a centre spot on the concept of diagrams expressing the visual languages of brands here studied, contributing to a bigger understanding of the subjects here referred. For the development of this research, a qualitative methodology was utilized, which based itself on case studies complemented by a deep literary revision intertwined between the subjects. It allowed the conclusion of the importance of the brand language synthesis on the process of brand language analysis and cultural expression of their DNAs. On visual trends, it is concluded that there are similarities in structure and ways of communication between the brands
Collaborative practices through design and engineering: The phases of a pilot project to improve the human condition of vulnerable communities
No full textThis paper presents a pilot project, developed under a research Ph.D. framework, showing that the multiplicity of actors from different branches allow the construction of innovative and framed projects. This dynamic and open process result in knowledge, skills and competences construction among themselves and, above all, their applicability in the context of social intervention. This reality emerges the need for integrated multidisciplinary social agents that are an added value for society, analyzing the capacity of cooperation between two different but complementary scientific areas of projectual nature, although with different methods and the practices, Design, and Engineering. The developed prototypes were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively allowing the researchers to perceive some restrictions when assembling the different materials tested, for a solution more focused on the usability/mobility bearing in mind issues such as budgetary matters and product symbolic character, its main characteristic, related to the thermal efficacy
Sustainable human environment: Mouraria, local color and sense of place of a historical Lisbon neighbourhood
No full textAt present time, many urban centres of European cities are losing their historical and socio-cultural identity due to ageing populations and a significant increase in tourism. If, on the one hand, there are many cases of revitalisation of the economic activity of these contexts, all very service focused, on the other hand, the network of human relations has become very fragile or non-existent. This has a significant impact on the wellbeing of remaining residents. For the new generation of dwellers and tourists, as a result, these neighbourhoods are less significant from a cultural and symbolic perspective. Adding to these arguments, in rehabilitation processes, chromatic proposals for neighbourhoods often are aimed at establishing or maintaining the architectural identity of the place. This type of colour research suggests that heterogeneity and unity of colours can contribute to cultural identity. Colour proposals often aim at increasing actual liveability and wellbeing of the users of the public space of the area under scrutiny. Yet, relatively little is known about how residents can use the colours of their neighbourhood to strengthen their own sense of place particularly when the area is under pressure from the tourism industry. This paper will address this research topic and present, in an initial phase, the methodology, some collected data and conclusions of a case study in Mouraria, a historical Lisbon neighbourhood
Social art – “Echoes of machim”
No full textTaking the project “Echoes of Machim” by RIGO 23 as a starting point, I will attempt here to reflect on the meaning of the emergence of practices which aim to do social good, in both art and design, and on their potential as agents for the remodelling of society and for social emancipation. “Echoes of Machim” is a social interaction project directed by RIGO 23 under the orientation of curator Michelle Kasprzak, in the neighbourhood of Palmeira, also known as Malvinas, a much-degraded district of the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, on the island of Madeira. The project attempts to improve the self-esteem of members of the community through a number of initiatives with a group of 12 young people with learning difficulties. RIGO 23’s creative process has in common with social design the fact that it attempts to tackle social injustice by activating social creativity, thereby feeding the public sphere and fostering the necessary debate to create new visions of the future
Assessing the determinants of millennials’ online protective behavior: How their protection motivation translates into actual use behavior
No full textThis research assesses the determinants of Millennials protection motivation (or security intentions) on their actual use behavior when navigating online, considering the protective measures they adopt. Accordingly, we propose a model integrating variables from two widely accepted behavioral theories, the Protection Motivation Theory and the Reasoned Action Approach. An online survey was conducted, relying on the responses of 236 participants from different nationalities, which were analyzed through hierarchical multiple regression. Results show a gap between security intentions and use behavior and indicate safety habit strength and actual control as significant predictors of Millennials’ use behavior. By focusing not only on the users’ behavioral intentions but also on their actual use behavior, this research seeks to extend the previous literature on the topic
Social design, innovation and ergonomics: Reflections on education, transdisciplinarity and new blurred models for sustainable social change
No full textSocial innovation is not a new fact, but it has grown in importance over the last years as a driver for social change [1]. Although there is no universal definition of it, one widely-used is ‘ideas that are social in their ends and in their means’ [2] and concerns the process of developing and deploying new solutions to often systemic and complex social and environmental issues. On the other hand, social art is seen as any artistic expression that aims at inspiring social impact and change effectively society through emotionally captivating experiences [3]. Also, social ergonomics is understood as responses to social aspects of system use, envisioning, among others, socially proactive design and discussing the possibilities for embedding new paradigms for communication and problem-solving in specialized information systems [4]. Based on these ideas, this paper will elaborate on the above concepts, confronting and correlating them as complementary human actions and domains. Some considerations and challenges on the theme, as outputs of a post-doc research, will be also offered. It will be shown transdisciplinary approaches, methods, social actors, and complementary and blurred practices to an effective and meaningful design and implementation of new products, services, and systems. Its social, cultural and, educational relevance or holistic understanding will be underlined as strategies to achieve the sustainability of social systems, to share social value and promote resilience and wellbeing in a highly complex and changing world