The Amsterdam Sensor Lab is part of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) and its goal is to develop application specific sensor systems for applied research. In order to (anonymously) measure, for instance, traffic without influencing people’s behaviour, a pressure sensing sub-tile is under development. It can be placed under a regular (0.3*0.3 m) tile in the pavement and, hence, cannot be seen by the public. Applications may range from evaluating the behaviour of pedestrians in crowds or on large open areas, to measuring the mechanical stress on bridges due to lorry traffic. The resulting data may be valuable to social scientists and municipal decision makers.A preliminary demonstration model has been realized that can detect: weight (pressure), direction, and a speed estimate of pedestrians and cyclists, by measuring the direction and velocity of pressure changes. Data communication is wireless, e.g., via Bluetooth™, to a Raspberry Pi™ or computer for calibration and visualization of the data. The demonstration model has been working satisfactorily for about half a year in the corridors of the AUAS.Pressure changes are measured with strain gauges using low-noise analogue instrumentation amplifiers and digitized with a 16 bit effective resolution. Current consumption is about 50 mA, the minimal detectable pressure is ca. 10 N and the maximal pressure ca. 1500 N. The data is refreshed every 2 ms.New electronics for a second version of the sub-tile (under development) make it possible to detect the tiny signal of a 0.3 gram rubber object falling from a 10 cm height. Investigations and development are going on to increase the measurement range from this low-level (impulse) pressure up to a pressure of about 500 kN, and configuring multiple sub-tiles to a wireless sensor network, thus paving the way to a (smart) sensing pavement. Apart from that, possibilities to give an estimate of the kind of traffic using artificial intelligence will be investigated.
The cloud has become an essential part of our daily lives. We use it to store our documents (Dropbox), to stream our music and films (Spotify and Netflix) and without giving it any thought, we use it to work on documents in the cloud (Google Docs).
‘Creating the Difference’ is the theme of the 2014 edition of the Chi Sparks conference. It is also the challenge that the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community is facing today. HCI is a creative field where practitioners engage in design, production, and evaluation of interactions between people and digital technology. Creating excellent interfaces for people, they make a difference in media and systems that people are eager to use. Usability and user experience are fundamental for achieving this, as are abilities at the forefront of technology, but key to a successful difference is getting the right concepts, addressing genuine, intrinsic, human needs. Researchers and practitioners contribute to this area from theory as well as practice by sharing, discussing, and demonstrating new ideas and developments. This is how HCI creates a difference for society, for individuals, businesses, education, and organizations. The difference that an interactive product or service makes might lie in the concept of it but also in the making, the creation of details and the realisation. It is through powerful concepts and exceptional quality of realisation that innovation is truly achieved. At the Chi Sparks 2014 conference, researchers and practitioners in the HCI community convene to share and discuss their efforts on researching and developing methods, techniques, products, and services that enable people to have better interactions with systems and other people. The conference is hosted at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and proudly built upon the previous conferences in Arnhem (2011) and Leiden (2009). Copyright van de individuele papers ligt bij de betreffende auteurs.
