Higher College of Technology

About: Higher College of Technology is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Higher education & Tourism. The organization has 369 authors who have published 379 publications receiving 729 citations.

A Survey on Internet of Things (IoT): Communication Model, Open Challenges, Security and Privacy Issues

Abstract: In recent years, the Internet of things is an emerging research topic, where the Internet devices like computers, everyday objects, sensors, and actuators are being linked through wired and wireless networks in the world and its computing capabilities allowing the data exchanges and consumption with very minimal human interaction. The IoT incorporates many multifarious end devices to provide open access to digital data services over the Internet. In the meantime, security and privacy are two inseparable areas of this technology. It has been observed that there are several potential risks that exist in ensuring confidentiality, authentication, and integrity among the IoT applications. In this paper, the authors begin with the brief introduction of IoT protocol stack along with the security models supported by each layer. Later, this survey analysis the security and privacy risk of the IoT model and its open challenges. Finally, the authors discussed the approaches and a few recommendations to ensure the fundamental securities of IoT applications.

Perceived needs versus actual needs: Humanitarian Emergency Settings Perceived Needs (HESPER) adaptation in post-flood need assessment in Pakistan

Abstract: The post-flood relief and recovery activities in the Punjab region of Pakistan provide an informative case to reflect on the need for realistic need assessment in humanitarian fields. Humanitarian Emergency Settings Perceived Needs (HESPER) survey tool, designed by the World Health Organization for low-income countries, was administered in the three most flood-prone cities of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Social network analysis was conducted to assess the needs perceived as the most critical needs of the affected populations in the post-flood fields. Two types of centrality figures are reported, degree centrality to depict the most critical needs and betweenness centrality to depict the needs that have the potential to impede people's attention to other needs. The results indicate that there are no formal needs assessments conducted by the government. The administration of HESPER revealed that the actual needs of the affected population are significantly different from the ones perceived as necessary by relief agencies. The affected populations reported needs that were very different and unique to their contextual requirements. The adapted HESPER version is proposed as a more suitable version for the South Asian countries based on geographical and demographic similarities.

Context Oriented Functions of Strategies

Abstract: This chapter investigates the function of communication strategies to deal with the lack of interactive satiations in EFL contexts. Thematic analysis of qualitative data gathered from a series of group discussions among 13 EFL learners shows that participants employed some CSs to construct a supportive and cooperative context for L2 oral communication, and some for keeping the conversation going. They give more time to their partner to complete their turn, invite and encourage each other to continue the interaction in order to construct a supportive context for L2 oral interactions. Participants employed some CSs for assisting each other in completing or repairing the unfinished utterances, ignore the mistakes when they can use the let-it-pass strategy, use fillers and the shared L1 as their own resources to keep the conversation channel open. In this study, participants often do succeed in their L2 communication, even with their limited communicative resources, when they employ a series of CSs in L2 oral communication.