Research Projects

.:see also project portfolio

The Infojector

Tagged:  


Title:
The Infojector: Maximizing Textual Information Assimilation Using An Enhanced Information Interface

Researcher:
Eldon Marks

Gestures Speak Louder Than Emoticons

Tagged:  


Title:
Gestures Speak Louder Than Emoticons: A Practical Implementation of Non-Verbal Communication Improvements on Text-Chat

Researchers:
Eldon Marks, Malcolm Williams

Digital Palmistry: An Exploration of Computer Vision to...

Tagged:  

Title:
Digital Palmistry: An Exploration of Computer Vision to Visually Analyse Palm Prints

Researchers:
Ronald Braithwaite, Eldon Marks

  • 1565 reads

Edu-Tracker

Tagged:  

Title:
Edu-Tracker: A Performance Tracking & Report Generating Application for Educational Institutions

Researchers:
Salima DosSantos, Eldon Marks

  • 1282 reads

Graphics & Multimedia Management

Tagged:  

Title:
Graphics & Multimedia Management: The Use of Graphical Components to Enhance the On-Screen Environment of Television Studios in Guyana.

Researchers:
Rovin Sarran, Eldon Marks

  • 1433 reads

Open Streaming

Tagged:  

Title:
Open Streaming: Development of a Platform Independent Streaming Server

Researchers:
Andre Kalamandeen, Eldon Marks

  • 1572 reads

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A Linear Ecological Simulation Application

Title:
A Linear Ecological Simulation Application

Researchers:
Phillip Israel, Eldon Marks

A Remote, Web-based Controller

Title: A Remote, Web-based Controller

Researchers:
Christopher Chan*, Eldon Marks

A Web-based Profile and Assessment Utility for Lecturers

Title:A Web-based Profile and Assessment Utility for Lecturers

Researchers:
Vanita Sukhram, Eldon Marks

An Intelligent Medical Data Archiving and Analysis System

Title: An Intelligent Medical Data Archiving and Analysis System

Researchers:
Gittangali Sookraj*, Eldon Marks

Digital Palmistry: An Exploration of Computer Vision to...

Title:
Digital Palmistry: An Exploration of Computer Vision to Visually Analyse Palm Prints

Researchers:
Ronald Braithwaite, Eldon Marks

Edu-Tracker

Title:
Edu-Tracker: A Performance Tracking & Report Generating Application for Educational Institutions

Researchers:
Salima DosSantos, Eldon Marks

Gestures Speak Louder Than Emoticons


Title:
Gestures Speak Louder Than Emoticons: A Practical Implementation of Non-Verbal Communication Improvements on Text-Chat

Researchers:
Eldon Marks, Malcolm Williams

Abstract


Instant messaging, also widely known as text chat, emerged shortly after the advent of the Internet. It is an attempt to support real-time communication between two or more individuals who are geographically dispersed. The separation of the participants and the plainness of the text dialogue they use to converse, cause instant messaging to be deficient in many essential elements of communication, such as facial expressions and body language. As a result, the chat experience is severely limited, and through these limitations users may become disoriented, misunderstood, or both. Previous researches have attempted to alleviate these limitations through the use of emoticons and expansive virtual 3-D environments with avatars. To date, none has adequately satisfied the expressiveness, usability requirements or expectations of the common end-user. Our research strategically combines many of the essential elements of face-to-face communication with the typed message of text chat by means of 2-D impersonations called agents. The resulting implementation conveys as much expression through the restricted medium of cyberspace, and thus, greatly advances from the restraints of simple emoticons, but also safely avoids the threshold of usability complexities encountered in virtual environments. User evaluations carried out reveal a high degree of satisfaction and low orders of disorientation and miscommunication.

Keywords: Computer-supported collaborative works, gesture, non-verbal communication, instant messaging, virtual environments, agent.

Prose from the Pros

You don't need non-verbal communication in online banking. Without gestures or eye-contact, instead instant messaging your bank agent can help you get a creditcard. Virtual environments resembling bank desks are one fun way of getting credit cards online. If a bad credit loan is not helping then get effective help through debt management. A loan like a pay day loan could be a good suggestion for buy to let mortgages.

Graphics & Multimedia Management

Title:
Graphics & Multimedia Management: The Use of Graphical Components to Enhance the On-Screen Environment of Television Studios in Guyana.

Researchers:
Rovin Sarran, Eldon Marks

Introducing Ecommerce In Guyana

Title:
Introducing Ecommerce In Guyana: A Deployable, Secure & Cost Effective Framework

Researchers:
Gomattie Dubaria, Eldon Marks

MeSched: An Smart Scheduler for Organisations

Title: SmartFrog: An Interactive Learning Utility

Researchers:
Nichelle Layne, Nakema Deonauth, Eldon Marks

Prose from the Pros

When AT&T was bought by cingular wireless, email marketing had increased in great numbers. The phone company felt email marketing was the fastest way to retain their customers. For such organizations, a smart scheduler like MeSched could make their online advertising organized even better. So far the company has advertised itself through search engine marketing. These companies have fixed a cost per click cpc agreement with websites. Therefore we recommend search engine marketing since it seems to be by far the most effective type of marketing there is.

NOBRAC LA Afis: An Investigation into the Use of Biometrics...

Title:
NOBRAC LA Afis: An Investigation into the Use of Biometrics, AI, & Computer Vision to Ensure Security & Authenticity of Identifying an Individual

Researchers:
Lokeshwar Persaud, Anand Parmanand, Eldon Marks

Prose from the Pros

For 156-215 exams, you would need a very comprehensive study guide. The 220-601 exam is one of two exams to complete the A+ 2006 certification. Find training which is recommended for these Cisco exams like 640-801. The exam preparation material is provided by Cisco for the 642-432 exam. PMI-001 exams consist of "Question and Answer" questions. You will need to be ready to solve 40 questions in 2 1/2 hours for the 70-431 exams. The exams which support troubleshoot problems for users is 70-272. The For investigation into business accounts, the exam 650-173 is just right for account managers.

Open Streaming

Title:
Open Streaming: Development of a Platform Independent Streaming Server

Researchers:
Andre Kalamandeen, Eldon Marks

SAHABA: Smart Answer Helper Animated Bot Application

Title:
SAHABA: Smart Answer Helper Animated Bot Application

Researchers:
Safeeya Pandor, Eldon Marks

SmartFrog: An Interactive Learning Utility

Title: SmartFrog: An Interactive Learning Utility

Researchers:
Nichelle Layne, Nakema Deonauth, Eldon Marks

Prose from the Pros

If selling buy to let mortgages seems difficult, turn towards other business options. Working for an insurance company is a great home based business opportunity. A home business means a flexible and relaxing atmosphere. With the help of internet, send insurance quote instantly right from your desk. When low on cash and the kids are on your back to get a SmartFrog interactive learning utility, then apply for a quick credit card. Don't worry about incurring bad credit because debt relief is right around the corner.

Smarty Pants: An Interactive Learning Software for Children

Title:
Smarty Pants: An Interactive Learning Software for Children

Researchers:
Abdool Azeez, Vidyawattie Koobare, Eldon Marks

The Infojector


Title:
The Infojector: Maximizing Textual Information Assimilation Using An Enhanced Information Interface

Researcher:
Eldon Marks

Abstract:

Text is widely accepted as the most efficient and portable form of human-level information. Whether printed or electronic, the average literate person reads for roughly one hour a day and may peruse trillions of lines in their lifetime. Given the preceding and the adage that practice makes perfect, it is expected that reading aptitude will improve with time. However, previous researches report that we rarely improve beyond an average of 200 words per minute, even though our documented potential is five times this rate through reading techniques. Speed reading techniques arose as a response to the time-critical nature of industry, training us to read more in less time; however, these techniques themselves require time and dedication to be perfected and properly utilized. The challenge appears to be devising a rapid but natural means of heightening the average reading efficiency. I posit that existing textual information interfaces are less than ideal for optimal information assimilation; as a result, reading efficiency is stymied. This project represents an altered approach in improving reading efficiency without time-consuming training or conditioning encountered in existing techniques. Instead, through the use of an enhanced information interface that strategically reduces the cognitive overhead incurred in the common reading experience, a natural and immediate improvement is achieved. The enhanced interface, called the Infojector, is the culmination of research in areas of informatics, cognitive science and usability. Evaluation results show heightened reading performances of up to 208 percent efficiency with no recorded degradation in comprehension levels.

Infojector Incremental Evaluation ex001

This incremental evaluation relates to the infojector prototype as of June 19 2007.

"Considering the mechanics of the reading experience, it is observed that the reception process of reading has been naturally adapted to the appearance of textual information. This is evident in the rhythmic, scan-like movements of one’s eyes to receive lines of text as it traditionally appears. All established speed reading techniques focus on optimizing the reception process as it is identified as the prime reason for low reading efficiency. However, it is posited that reading efficiency can be drastically and immediately improved in the average person, not by a reader’s further adaptation (through techniques) of receiving textual information but by the adaptation of the traditional appearance of textual information itself. "

The idea behind this research project is to develop a computer-supported interface that projects as much textual information as possible in a form that is naturally and readily assimilated by readers.

MAKE SURE YOU USE ONLY INTERNET EXPLORER for this exercise.

Click on Phase 1 to begin evaluation.

Thank you for your participation.

Phase 1 - Background information

Kindly complete the form below and click submit to proceed to the next section of the exercise.

Phase 2 - Reading Rate Evaluation (ex001)

The hardest language

People often ask which is the most difficult language to learn, and it is not easy to answer because there are many factors to take into consideration. Firstly, the question of how hard a language is to learn is only relevant when learning a second language.
A native speaker of Spanish, for example, will find Portuguese much easier to learn than a native speaker of Chinese, for example, because Portuguese is very similar to Spanish, while Chinese is very different, so first language can affect learning a second language. The greater the differences between the second language and our first, the harder it will be for most people to learn. Many people answer that Chinese is the hardest language to learn. However, for Japanese speakers, who already use Chinese characters in their own language, learning writing will be less difficult than for speakers of languages using the Roman alphabet.
Some people seem to learn languages readily, while others find it very difficult. Teachers and the circumstances in which the language is learned also play an important role, as well as each learner's motivation for learning. If people learn a language because they need to use it professionally, they often learn it faster than people studying a language that has no direct use in their day to day life.
Apparently, British diplomats and other embassy staff have found that the second hardest language is Japanese, which will probably come as no surprise to many, but the language that they have found to be the most problematic is Hungarian, which has 35 cases (forms of a noun). This does not mean that Hungarian is the hardest language to learn for everyone, but it causes British diplomatic personnel, who are generally used to learning languages, the most difficulty. However, Tabassaran, a Caucasian language has 48 cases, so it might cause more difficulty if British diplomats had to learn it.
Different cultures and individuals from those cultures will find different languages more difficult. In the case of Hungarian for British learners, it is not a question of the writing system, which uses a similar alphabet, but the grammatical complexity, though native speakers of related languages may find it easier, while struggling with languages that the British find relatively easy.

Phase 3 - Comprehension Test - part 1 (ex001)

Please answer the questions below as they relate to the passage just read.

  1. The question of how hard a language is to learn is relevant to both first and second language acquisition:
    True
    False

  2. Portuguese is definitely easier than Chinese.
    True
    False

  3. A Japanese speaker may well find the Chinese writing system easier than a speaker of a European language.
    True
    False

  4. The Hungarian alphabet causes problems for British speakers.
    True
    False

  5. Hungarian is the hardest language in the world
    True
    False

  6. Hungarian has as many cases as Tabassaran.
    True
    False

  7. Many British diplomats learn Tabassaran.
    True
    False

  8. writer thinks that learning new writing systems is easy.
    True
    False

Phase 4 - Infojector Prototype Test (ex001)


Here are the instructions:

  • Step 1. View the infojector utility (it will load in its own window)


  • Step 2. After viewing, kindly proceed to the next phase (PHASE 5) using the link below.


Phase 5 - Comprehension Test - part 2 (ex001)

  1. Reality television has always been this popular:
    True
    False

  2. Japan has produced demeaning TV shows copied elsewhere.
    True
    False

  3. People have criticised reality television because the name is inaccurate.
    True
    False

  4. Reality TV appeals to some because it uses exotic locations.
    True
    False

  5. Pop Idol is more likely to turn its participants into celebrities than Big Brother.
    True
    False

  6. The term 'Reality Television' is inaccurate just for Big Brother and Survivor.
    True
    False

  7. Paul Burnette is a critic of reality TV.
    True
    False

  8. Producers choose the participants to create conflict among other things.
    True
    False

Phase 6 - Infojector Prototype Evaluation (ex001)

Kindly answer the questions below and provide comments based on the Infojector Experience.

You may review the Infojector prototype if you wish

Voice Chat in Sign Language

Title:
Voice Chat in Sign Language: The Development of a Voice Chat that Allows the Hearing Impaired to Communicate Effectively Through “Signing”

Researchers:
Mario Ramotar, Eldon Marks

WordSync: A Collaborative Word Processing Application

Title: WordSync: A Collaborative Word Processing Application

Researchers:
Claude Henry, Eldon Marks