Showing papers on "Laptop published in 2012"

Laptop initiative: Impact on instructional technology integration and student learning

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine how 1:1 laptop initiative affected student learning at a selected rural Midwestern high school. A total of 105 high school students enrolled in 10th---12th grades during the 2008---2009 school year participated in the study. A survey instrument created by the Mitchell Institute was modified and used to collect data on student perceptions and faculty perceptions of the impact of 1:1 laptop computing on student learning and instructional integration of technology in education. Study findings suggest that integration of 1:1 laptop computing positively impacts student academic engagement and student learning. Therefore, there is need for teachers to implement appropriate computing practices to enhance student learning. Additionally, teachers need to collaborate with their students to learn and understand various instructional technology applications beyond basic Internet browsing and word processing.

The impact of laptop-free zones on student performance and attitudes in large lectures

Abstract: The goal of this study was to determine if laptop use in lecture negatively impacts learning outcomes of surrounding students taking notes on paper. Two sections of a large introductory biology course (>400 students/section) were zoned into a laptop-permitted and a laptop-free area. Two sections in which laptop users could sit anywhere served as the Control. There was no difference in the attendance (~85%) or percentage of students using laptops (~29%) between Zoned and Control sections. Academic performance, based on exam points earned, was not significantly different for paper users in Zoned and Control sections indicating laptop use did not impair the overall achievement of surrounding students. However, there was a correlation between exam performance and note taking preference: paper note takers scored significantly higher and laptop users scored significantly lower than predicted by pre-class academic indicators (p < 0.01, paired t-test). The majority of both laptop (64%) and paper users (82%) in the Zoned sections supported a policy restricting laptop use to specific areas. Thus, while we further investigate whether the relationship between laptop use and performance is correlative or causative, zoning is an effective method for accommodating both laptop users and paper note takers in the same lecture hall.

The future of teaching programming is on mobile devices

Abstract: From paper to computers, the way that we have been writing down thoughts and performing symbolic computations has been constantly evolving. Teaching methods closely follow this trend, leveraging existing technology to make teaching more effective and preparing students for their later careers with the available technology. Right now, in 2012, we are in the middle of another technology shift: instead of using PCs and laptops, mobile devices are becoming more prevalent for most everyday computing tasks. In fact, never before in human history were incredibly powerful and versatile computing devices such as smartphones available and adopted so broadly. We propose that computer programming, and thus the teaching of programming, can and should be done directly on the mobile devices themselves, without the need for a separate PC or laptop to write code. Programming on smartphones that we carry around with us at all times means instant gratification for students, as they can show their games and applications to their friends, and it means that students can do their homework or additional practicing at all times. We describe TouchDevelop, a novel mobile programming environment, and call out challenges that need to be overcome and opportunities that it creates.

A secure chaotic maps-based key agreement protocol without using smart cards

Abstract: To guarantee secure communication, many maps-based key agreement protocols have been proposed. Due to inherent tamper-resistance, most of them are based on smart cards. Unfortunately, the cost of cards and readers makes these protocols costly. In the real world, common storage devices, such as universal serial bus (USB) thumb drives, portable HDDs, mobile phones, and laptop or desktop PCs, are widely used, and they are much cheaper or more convenient for storing user authentication information. These devices do not provide tamper-resistance; it is a challenge to design a secure authentication protocol using these kinds of memory devices. In this paper, we will propose a maps-based key agreement protocol without using smart cards. According to our analysis, the proposed protocol guarantees mutual authentication, and also resists different attacks. Therefore, our protocol is suitable even for practical applications.

Laptop usage affects abstract reasoning of children in the developing world

Abstract: There is a rising trend to provide low-cost laptops to children in developing countries. Notwithstanding strong claims about the educational effectiveness of these programs, there is very little systematic evidence. Given the level of modernization and the teacher-led learning environment in developing countries, the usage of laptops in such contexts may affect children in ways that are quite different to how they would affect children in developed countries. A field experiment was conducted to compare abstract reasoning of Ethiopian children equipped with a laptop (n = 203) with a matched control group (n = 210) after 6 months of usage. Children with a laptop had significantly higher scores on finding analogies and categories. Effects were significant among children in grade 6 and 7, but not in grade 5. Different laptop activities may boost children's abstract reasoning. Theoretical and practical implications and the implemention of laptops in developing countries are discussed.

How might the iPad change healthcare

Abstract: Mainly conceived as tools to support the consumption rather than the production of information, wireless ‘media tablets’ such as Apple's iPad provide a delivery and visualization medium for stored and online documents, images and video, as well as a portal to a vast array of downloadable ‘Apps’ serving a variety of purposes. They share characteristics with both mobile phones and laptop computers, but typically offer a larger and more intuitive interface than the former whilst being more portable and simpler to operate than the latter. Although e-health applications are not unique to wireless media tablets, there are unique reasons why they may be well placed to facilitate e-health. On a general level, these are technologies, which have attained almost unprecedented levels of diffusion and adoption since the iPad was launched in early 2010 (around 18 million units by the end of that year alone, Figure 1A). Apps are being developed to suit a range of operating systems, notably Apple's iOS, Google's Android and Blackberry's QNX.1–4 The controlled ecosystem that prevents non-authorized code to be run on the platform and the greater availability of controlled Apps for the iPad seems to secure Apple's dominant position for at least the next two years, although other providers are gaining market share (Figure 1B). The Apple Store so far contains around nine thousand examples of software in the ‘medicine’ category and fifteen thousands in the ‘wellness’ category.5 The ‘appidemiology’ of this market suggests that health maintenance is of interest to more users than illness management, arguably reflecting both the needs of an affluent user demographic and a more widespread desire for eHealth applications that support healthy lifestyles and wellbeing, although, as yet, it remains a luxury accessory, rather than a core technology.6,7 (Figure 2) Figure 1A Media tablet market forecasts: number of devices sold. (Source: adapted from Gartner: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1626414) Figure 1B Media tablet market forecasts: market share. (Source: adapted from Gartner: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1626414) Figure 2 iPad App for diagnosis of skin diseases. (Source: http://www.knowabouthealth.com/ipad-version-of-visualdx-mobile-app-released/5538/) Whereas the potential of iPads for supporting clinicians has been clear from an early stage,8–10 their use by consumers for health purposes was anticipated to a lesser degree and warrants further exploration. As such technologies become mainstream, we may soon face a situation in which patients and their physicians have the same mobile personal computing device, offering access to the same sets of information and tools for healthcare decision-making and leading to a more horizontal alignment of knowledge between the two. Greater synchronization across personal computing and media devices (e.g. iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV) will increasingly enable users to interact with their eHealth applications in a flexible way and as part of a holistic ‘ecosystem’ for self-management that includes financial transactions, entertainment, gaming, social networking and video telephony. This also offers a cost-effective alternative to bespoke hardware devices for health; for example the iPad includes an option to connect biomonitoring devices via USB. (Figure 3) In addition, the emergence of Cloud Computing presents future opportunities for these devices to act as mobile platforms for personal information management and virtual desktop computing, whilst avoiding the need for mobile storage of software or data.11 Figure 3 A blood pressure monitoring device now available for the iPad. (Source: http://www.ihealth99.com/) We now offer a few examples in order to illustrate the various ways in which such technologies may support different actors in healthcare and to give a pointer to possible future scenarios. Table 1 describes a selection of medical Apps that have attracted particular attention in recent months. However it is important to note that there is, as yet, no consensus on methods for classifying the quality of medical Apps and sources claiming to highlight the ‘best’ medical Apps are largely based on popularity (numbers of downloads) and anecdotal user reviews, rather than formal evaluation of usability, utility or applicability.12 Table 1 Selection of medical Apps that have attracted particular attention in recent months.

Exposure to electromagnetic fields from laptop use of "laptop" computers.

Abstract: Portable computers are often used at tight contact with the body and therefore are called "laptop." The authors measured electromagnetic fields (EMFs) laptop computers produce and estimated the induced currents in the body, to assess the safety of laptop computers. The authors evaluated 5 commonly used laptop of different brands. They measured EMF exposure produced and, using validated computerized models, the authors exploited the data of one of the laptop computers (LTCs) to estimate the magnetic flux exposure of the user and of the fetus in the womb, when the laptop is used at close contact with the woman's womb. In the LTCs analyzed, EMF values (range 1.8-6 μT) are within International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation (NIR) Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines, but are considerably higher than the values recommended by 2 recent guidelines for computer monitors magnetic field emissions, MPR II (Swedish Board for Technical Accreditation) and TCO (Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees), and those considered risky for tumor development. When close to the body, the laptop induces currents that are within 34.2% to 49.8% ICNIRP recommendations, but not negligible, to the adult's body and to the fetus (in pregnant women). On the contrary, the power supply induces strong intracorporal electric current densities in the fetus and in the adult subject, which are respectively 182-263% and 71-483% higher than ICNIRP 98 basic restriction recommended to prevent adverse health effects. Laptop is paradoxically an improper site for the use of a LTC, which consequently should be renamed to not induce customers towards an improper use.

A first look at 802.11n power consumption in smartphones

Abstract: We report the first measurement study of 802.11n power consumption in smartphones. Using a popular 802.11n-enabled smartphone and an 802.11n wireless testbed, we evaluate the power and energy consumption on the phone for a variety of configurations including different MAC bitrates, frame sizes, and channel conditions. We contrast our results against recent studies using 802.11n wireless cards for desktop/laptop computers. Our findings have significant implications in the design of energy efficient rate adaptation algorithms for the next generation of 802.11n-enabled smartphones.

Synchronizing Interactive Digital Advertisements displayed on client devices with television commercials

Abstract: A system for the real time detection of an advertisement on a particular television channel or in a video stream, the development of a probability that the user of a client device such as a laptop, tablet or mobile phone (other than the device displaying the television channel or video stream, e.g. a Television) is viewing that particular television channel or video stream and the real time provision of an associated interactive digital advertisement to the user's client device, such as a laptop, tablet or smart phone. The system is composed of a series of software processes running on computer servers. Such servers comprising a microprocessor, data base, input device and output device wherein said data base comprises computer readable instructions stored in fixed memory or other digital storage system and executable by said microprocessor.

802.11n: A Survival Guide

Abstract: Author Interview with Matthew Gast What made you write the book? When I first started writing about 802.11, wireless networks were cool and promising. The first time I held a Wi-Fi LAN party, the equipment cost several thousand dollars, and we all needed to spend time installing the right software and drivers. Fast forward a decade, and 802.11n has come along. Wi-Fi has grown up. Every computing device you want to interact with just has Wi-Fi built in and some devices, like the iPad, don't even give you the option not to use it. In the middle of the '00s, I would talk about Wi-Fi and say that everybody was going to have two Wi-Fi devices: A laptop and a phone. I was wrong. It's a laptop, tablet, smartphone, and maybe another device or two. Supporting all these devices requires a fast network, and right now, that means 802.11n. Why is your book especially important now? It's only a slight joke to say that there are only two kinds of users. There are those who have iPads, and there are those who want them. Building a robust network to support tablet computing and its rich interactive experience blending text, audio, and video is a challenge. This book teaches you how to do that. What is the single most important thing readers will be able to do after reading your book? Readers will understand the trade-offs involved in building a large-scale wireless network, and how 802.11n's protocol features help them build the network they want. What do you think is on the horizon for your readers? Wireless LANs touch everything in networking. A key enabler of the mobile computing revolution is that small devices can access data and applications stored elsewhere on the network. Providing a solid network connection is the first step towards enabling any network service, whether it is hosted applications, videoconferencing and screen sharing, or electronic learning.

Systems and methods for a multimedia social networking system

Abstract: The present application is directed to methods and systems for a social networking media system. Users may record brief media messages comprising video and/or audio, via a desktop computing machine, portable computing machine, laptop, tablet, smart phone, or other computing device, and upload the media message to a web provider. Although sometimes referred to as multimedia, in many embodiments, the messages may comprise only audio or only video. Other users of the system may view the media message and record reply media messages, which are similarly uploaded to the web provider. In some embodiments, the message and reply messages may be linked, providing an interactive media-based asynchronous dialogue.

Intelligent communication with contact lists

Abstract: A telecommunication device (e.g., mobile phone, smart phone, tablet, laptop computer, personal computer) and method are described herein that utilize multiple communication applications (e.g., phone call, SMS, email, social networking applications (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn . . . )) and a smart address book device (e.g., master contact list, user approved contact lists) to enable a user to send a communication event (e.g., voice call, SMS, email, social networking communication, multimedia session, web based real time communication session) to one or more recipients.

Unified desktop laptop dock software operation

Abstract: Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface or desktop across two devices are provided. More particularly, a unified desktop is presented across a device and a computer system that comprise a unified system. The unified desktop acts as a single user interface that presents data and receives user interaction in a seamless environment that emulates a personal computing environment. To function within the personal computing environment, the unified desktop includes a process for docking and undocking the device with the computer system. The unified desktop presents desktops or windows based on a set of pre-determined rules.

Vulnerability of laptop computers to volcanic ash and gas

Abstract: Laptop computers are vital components of critical infrastructure sectors and a common tool in broader society. As they become more widely used, their exposure to volcanic hazards will increase. Therefore, understanding how laptops will function in volcanic environments is necessary to provide suitable mitigation options. In this study, laptop computers were subjected to volcanic ash and gas in both laboratory and field settings. None of the laptops sustained permanent damage in laboratory experiments; however, ash contamination did reduce the functionality of keyboards, CD drives, and cooling fans. Several laptops shut down temporarily due to overheating following ash contamination. In field experiments, laptops were exposed to high concentrations of volcanic gases at White Island, New Zealand. These laptops did not sustain permanent damage as only a small amount of gas was able to enter the laptops. However, metal components on the outside of the laptop did sustain minor corrosion. Re-examination of the laptops after 6 months indicated they were in full working order. Printed circuit boards suffered significant corrosion damage and ceased working only when in direct and sustained contact with volcanic gases. Simple mitigation techniques such as isolating laptops inside heavy duty polyethylene bags were effective. Overall, our experiments demonstrate that laptops have a relatively low risk of damage from volcanic ash and gas exposure, but have a low-medium risk of loss of functionality in ash environments. We think this has implications for other electronic equipment used extensively in critical infrastructure services.

Laptops as Instructional Tools: Student Perceptions

Abstract: For six years, a college of health professions at a southern medical university has made student computing an integral component of its academic environment by requiring all residential students to own laptops. While most faculty members have acknowledged that access to a computer is necessary for most students to complete coursework, both faculty members and students have commented that a laptop requirement has its drawbacks. Focus groups, survey, and classroom observation were conducted involving students to examine how laptops have been employed as instructional tools. Results revealed student perceptions of uses, benefits, drawbacks, and ways to improve, and important policy implications are discussed.

Multi-radio medium-agnostic access architecture

Abstract: A multi-radio medium-agnostic access architecture is proposed The multi-radio medium-agnostic architecture features a medium-agnostic MAC that interfaces between the TCP/IP and the physical layers of user equipment, such as a laptop computer or cellular phone having multiple radios, so that the radios in the user equipment may operate simultaneously, seamlessly, and transparently to higher layers

Low-cost audience polling using computer vision

Abstract: Electronic response systems known as "clickers" have demonstrated educational benefits in well-resourced classrooms, but remain out-of-reach for most schools due to their prohibitive cost. We propose a new, low-cost technique that utilizes computer vision for real-time polling of a classroom. Our approach allows teachers to ask a multiple-choice question. Students respond by holding up a qCard: a sheet of paper that contains a printed code, similar to a QR code, encoding their student IDs. Students indicate their answers (A, B, C or D) by holding the card in one of four orientations. Using a laptop and an off-the-shelf webcam, our software automatically recognizes and aggregates the students' responses and displays them to the teacher. We built this system and performed initial trials in secondary schools in Bangalore, India. In a 25-student classroom, our system offers 99.8% recognition accuracy, captures 97% of responses within 10 seconds, and costs 15 times less than existing electronic solutions.

Modular cell phone for laptop computers

Abstract: A communication system including a wireless communicator including a baseband modem for connecting to the Internet via a cellular network, and a connector for physically connecting the wireless communicator to a laptop computer port, and a laptop computer including a wireless modem for communicating in a wireless mode with the wireless communicator, a port for physically connecting the wireless communicator to the laptop computer and for communicating in a wired mode with the wireless communicator, and a connection wedge, wherein the laptop computer connects to the Internet via a link between the laptop computer and the wireless communicator, and wherein the connection wedge selectively uses the wired mode or the wireless mode for the link according to whether or not the wireless communicator is physically connected to the laptop computer, respectively. A method is also described and claimed.

Consumers' Psychological Factors Association with Brand Equity of High-Involvement Product: Case of Laptop

Abstract: The paper reports on a study of Consumers’ psychological factors association with brand equity of high-involvement product, laptop. In the light of increasing popularity of laptop in Bangladesh, this paper focuses on the matter how choice of brand be affected by consumers’ psychological factors. To find out the relationship four hypotheses are developed and a structured questionnaire is distributed among 47 professionals and 45 students for collecting primary data between August, 2011 and September, 2011. Survey results are further tested through statistical tools (chi-square, paired sample t-test). The result shows that the needs that motivate people to use laptop most are associated with their day today purposes (office or class assignment, internet). They consider battery lifetime as important feature while satisfying those purposes. In addition, Family plays the most significant role in constructing their attitude. Respondents show a positive association between their attitudes with one of the highest ranking laptop Apple. Though newspaper and websites play the vital role for organizing, evaluating information, they rarely help them to choose the brand.

Do tablets really support discussion?: comparison between paper, tablet, and laptop PC used as discussion tools

Abstract: Touch-based tablet devices are starting to be used frequently in meetings and places of discussion. However, are tablets really ideal as discussion tools? Or do they actually obstruct communication? To answer these questions, this paper quantitatively compares discussion processes involving paper, an iPad2, and a laptop PC. We performed an experiment where 12 groups of two participants each (24 participants in total) worked collaboratively by referring to documents and using paper, an iPad2, or a laptop PC as presentation media. We observed verbal and non-verbal interaction between participants. First, we investigated the total amount of speech between two participants and found they spoke more when using paper than when using the electronic media. Next, we observed that participants used more demonstrative pronouns when using paper than when using the iPad2 but used more demonstrative pronouns when using the iPad2 than when using the laptop PC. Also, they made more eye contact when using paper than when using the other media. These results suggest that tablets may not currently be the best media to use when ideas should be actively exchanged, sensitivity is required toward other participants in the discussion, or work progress needs to be shared.

Systems and methods for social tagging and location-based resume-related and networking applications

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for managing a talent network. According to one embodiment, an application may be used by both job applicants and human resources and recruiting managers to create tag endorsements, conduct on-the-go networking, and to apply for jobs directly from the mobile device. The application may be run on either a mobile device or a desktop or a networked computer. While the disclosed application may be run on a desktop computer, mobile devices may allow a user to fully utilize all of the features of the application. Mobile devices may include smart phones, tablet computers, or laptop computers. Each user's mobile devices may connect to one or more centralized servers for the application that store the user's personal profile, tags, and location.

Learning to change the world : the social impact of one laptop per child

Abstract: Introduction Summary Impact of OLpC The Cambodia Epiphany Organizing for Impact: The Emergence of OLpC Designing for Impact Producing the '$100 Laptop' Fueling Interactive Learning with Sugar Selling the Green Banana Running the Last Mile The Future Appendix A: Background Information on Authors

Live demonstration: A mobile ECG healthcare platform

Abstract: A mobile ECG healthcare platform is developed The wireless prototype, which consists of the single lead electrode, is developed with commercial discrete components and can demo a patient centric medical environment The platform uses an Android phone as a gateway to transmit the recorded ECG data back to the cloud server: Bluetooth for ECG sensor to the Android phone, while 3G/WiFi for the Android phone to the cloud server With wireless technology on the platform, patient can go outside for common life, instead of being tied at home or hospital Another advantage to use an Android phone as a hub is its computing power We can put several light-weighted monitoring functions in the phone to provide important services such as emergency alarm and location information After the mobile hub, we transmit the data onto our cloud server The server in the cloud can analyze recorded ECG signal in more details with accurate algorithms and advanced analysis Therefore, cloud server plays an important role in the platform that let the whole system has diagnostic grade The demonstration can show how the whole platform works On one hand, an Android phone/ tablet will be used to monitor the ECG waveform in real time In addition, the application on the Android device can provide some valuable services we mentioned above On the other hand, a Windows laptop will be use to show the analyzed results of the cloud server Further more, we also plan to demo the cloud server by using browsers (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera) This can reveal that, our platform can apply to every operation system (Windows, Linux, Mac OS, iOS and Android) Incidentally, the sensor and the application program are very low power Hence users can monitor their ECG continuously for 24 hours by a wearable sensor (half of the credit card size) and their general Android phones

Application of Core Science Concepts Using Digital Video: A "Hands-On" Laptop Approach

Abstract: Today’s undergraduates are highly engaged in a variety of social media outlets. Given their comfort with technology, we wondered if we could use this phenomenon to teach science-related material. We asked students to use freeware to make a short video with text, images, and music as a way to explain scientific concepts that are traditionally difficult for them to apply. Students demonstrated proficiency with the new technology, despite limited prior experiences. The process of making a video seemed very personal and meaningful to them as many used life experiences to demonstrate the concepts. They engaged in science conversation with friends outside of the classroom and wanted their videos utilized in future classes as a teaching tool. Our data underscore the impact social media has on student engagement and learning of scientific concepts that goes beyond the traditional means of writing or reporting. This article describes our approach, its impact on student learning, and its applicability for teaching a variety of scientific concepts. Application of Core Science Concepts Using Digital Video: A “Hands-On” Laptop Approach

A new cooperative architecture for sharing services managed by secure elements controlled by android phones with IP objects

Abstract: In this paper we present a new cooperative architecture that aims at sharing services managed by secure elements. Smartphones such as Android mobiles include IP resources and support several kinds of secure elements (SIM module, removable SD memory, external NFC smartcard…). These devices typically host payment or access control services. Because users often own multiple IP objects such as laptops or tablets, we have designed a new protocol named MobileSE whose goal is to remotely and securely use these services via the intranet communication (typically Wi-Fi) means. We present a use case in which, an OPENID service hosted in a contactless smartcard, feed and controlled by an Android phone, is exported towards a laptop.