Tag: Brainstorm

Mendeley Brainstorm: Hacking – How Secure Are We?

Christian DeFeo15 Comments
Our lives are more networked than ever before; does that make them more vulnerable?
Our lives are more networked than ever before; how vulnerable are we?

Recently, a nuclear power plant was hacked. According to Reuters, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency said the attack “caused some problems” and the plant had to “take some precautionary measures.”  Given the increased prevalence of internet-enabled applications, how vulnerable are we to cyber-attacks and what can be done to prevent them? We are looking for the most well thought out answer to this question in up to 150 words: use the comment feature below the blog and please feel free to promote your research!  The winner will receive an Amazon gift certificate worth £50 and a bag full of Mendeley items; competition closes November 23.

Hacking – Not Just for PCs Anymore

The arrival of the Internet of Things has meant that our lives are more networked than ever before; the internet isn’t merely on a computer stuck in the corner, it’s connected to our phones (which track our every movement), it’s embedded into our appliances and vehicles, it’s wired up to security cameras and to life support machines.  However, this widespread connectivity also is indicative of a just as widespread vulnerability: our personal data, our public services, and even our cars could be hacked.

New Dangers

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said a nuclear plant had been hacked. While he didn’t fully spell out the risks, he noted that the security breach had “caused some problems” and “some precautionary measures” were required.

And Continuing Vulnerabilities

On October 11, Symantec revealed that hackers had attacked users of the SWIFT financial transfer network.  The goal was to use “malware to hide customers’ own records of Swift messages relating to fraudulent transactions”.

What Can Be Done?

It’s been projected that “$1 trillion will be spent globally on cybersecurity from 2017 to 2021”; but is this expenditure in vain?  Can our data, our banks, and our public services be truly protected? What can be done enhance security?  Tell us!

About Mendeley Brainstorms

Our Brainstorms are challenges so we can engage with you, our users, on the hottest topics in the world of research.  We look for the most in-depth and well thought through responses; the best response as judged by the Mendeley team will earn a prize.

References

Cybersecurity Ventures. (2016). The Cybersecurity Market Report covers the business of cybersecurity, including market sizing and industry forecasts, spending, notable M&A and IPO activity, and more. [online] Available at: http://cybersecurityventures.com/cybersecurity-market-report/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016].

PEYTON, A. (2016). Symantec reveals more hack attempts on Swift network.  Banking Technology. [online] Available at: http://www.bankingtech.com/606802/symantec-reveals-more-hack-attempts-on-swift-network/ [Accessed 13 Oct. 2016].

SHARWOOD, S. (2016). Nuke plant has been hacked, says Atomic Energy Agency director The Register. [online] Available at: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/10/11/nuke_plant_has_been_hacked_says_atomic_energy_agency_director/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2016].

Mendeley Brainstorm: Climate Change – Too Little, Too Late?

Christian DeFeo50 Comments
Difficult decisions lay ahead if our planet is to avoid environmental catastrophe
Difficult decisions lay ahead if our planet is to avoid environmental catastrophe

2016 is set to be the hottest year on record. Rising sea levels have already forced out entire communities; melting permafrost may have unleashed an anthrax epidemic in Russia.  In response, the United States and China have promised to curb their carbon emissions.  However, is this a case of too little, too late? We are looking for the most well thought out answer to this question in up to 150 words: use the comment feature below the blog and please feel free to promote your research!  The winner will receive an Amazon gift certificate worth £50 and a bag full of Mendeley items; competition closes October 19.

2016: The Hottest Year on Record?

According to NASA and the United Nations, 2016 promises to be the hottest year on record.  This past June was, according to the UN, the “14th month for record heat” on land and sea.  This change represents a 1.3 degrees Celsius increase on the temperatures of the pre-industrial era.

The consequences of climate change have already been severe.  In August, the coastal village of Shishmaref, Alaska voted to relocate itself due to rising sea levels.  Elevated temperatures have been linked to melting of the permafrost in Russia, which may have sparked an outbreak of anthrax.  More extreme weather events and their follow on consequences have been widely predicted.

The World Responds

At the recent G20 summit, the two nations which emit the most carbon, China and the United States, agreed to make significant reductions.  In August, the Netherlands discussed banning petrol and diesel fueled cars. President Obama also promised $40 million to island nations in order to help them cope with the effects of climate change.

Too Little, Too Late?

The nations of the world are finally grappling with the reality of climate change, but are these efforts too little, too late?  Tell us!

Try Mendeley Data!

mendeleydata-climatechange

Climatologists already use Mendeley Data to store their findings; it’s handy, easy to use and offers a broad variety of licensing schema so that your data can be distributed, embargoed and utilised in any way you choose.  It also interlocks with the wider Mendeley ecosystem for added convenience.  Visit http://data.mendeley.com

About Mendeley Brainstorms

Our Brainstorms are challenges so we can engage with you, our users, on the hottest topics in the world of research.  We look for the most in-depth and well thought through responses; the best response as judged by the Mendeley team will earn a prize.

References

Bogado, A. (2016) Alaska native village votes to relocate in the face of rising sea levels. Climate Desk. Available at: http://climatedesk.org/2016/08/alaska-native-village-votes-to-relocate-in-the-face-of-rising-sea-levels/ (Accessed: 6 September 2016).

Luhn, A. (2016) Did climate change cause Russia’s deadly anthrax outbreak? Climate Desk. Available at: http://climatedesk.org/2016/08/did-climate-change-cause-russias-deadly-anthrax-outbreak/ (Accessed: 6 September 2016).

Parkinson, J. (2016) Obama, Chinese president ratify landmark climate deal ‘to save our planet’. ABC News. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/International/obama-chinese-president-xi-ratify-climate-change-agreement/story?id=41842303 (Accessed: 6 September 2016).

The Guardian. (2016). 2016 set to be world’s hottest year on record, says UN. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/21/2016-worlds-hottest-year-on-record-un-wmo [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016].

Sheppard, K. (2016) Obama to announce new climate change help for island nations. Huffington Post. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-climate-change_us_57c855dee4b0e60d31dda9bd (Accessed: 6 September 2016).

Staufenberg, J. (2016) Climate change: Netherlands on brink of banning sale of petrol-fuelled cars. The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/netherlands-petrol-car-ban-law-bill-to-be-passed-reduce-climate-change-emissions-a7197136.html (Accessed: 6 September 2016).

Mendeley Brainstorm – Augmented Reality – We Have a Winner!

Christian DeFeo3 Comments
Augmented Reality helps us see the world and each other in new ways.
Augmented Reality helps us see the world and each other in new ways.

Many thanks to all those who entered the Mendeley Brainstorm related to Augmented Reality; picking a winner given all the well thought out answers was not a straightforward matter, however in the end, we selected Carol from the University of Manitoba’s response:

I think a really obvious app for AR would be an emotion recognition app. There are already emotion recognition apps that allow people to look at photos and select which emotion the person is expressing and there is software that analyzes the emotion in video content. Augmented reality would be the next logical step. For those individuals with Social Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorders or certain types of Traumatic Brain injury and others who have a difficult time recognizing social cues and/or emotions. They could simply check a “message” and learn if the person is stressed/calm/indifferent. It wouldn’t hurt for single people doing the dating thing either!

We asked her what inspired her. She responded:

…I know several people with difficulty recognizing emotions/social cues for a variety of reasons and it seemed to me to be a natural fit for an augmented reality app. Could you imagine the sheer processing power that it would require to do real-time emotional recognition?

That sounds like a challenge. Carol also told us:

By the way love the Mendeley product and am having a blast teaching it to my library clients at the University of Manitoba. It makes me look like a guru. 😉 Thanks for making it easy.

You’re welcome, Carol!

Those who didn’t win this time are encouraged to respond to the latest Mendeley Brainstorm, regarding Assistive Technology. Thanks again to all our participants.

Mendeley Brainstorm: Assistive Technology – Powerful and Pervasive

Christian DeFeo1 Comment
Thanks to assistive technologies, impaired no longer means disabled.
Thanks to assistive technologies, impaired no longer means disabled.

The Paralympic Games open on September 7th; they are a visible example of how powerful and pervasive assistive technology has become. This month, we’re asking: what is the most innovative assistive technology application you’ve seen?  We are looking for the most well thought out answer to this question in up to 150 words: use the comment feature below the blog and please feel free to promote your research!  The winner will receive an Amazon gift certificate worth $50 and a bag full of Mendeley items; competition closes September 28th.

Powerful and Pervasive Technologies

Assistive technologies are diminishing physical limitations.  During the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the delegates were addressed by Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.  She strode to and from the podium, fully mobile, despite having lost her legs while serving in the military.

The forthcoming Paralympic Games are another powerful illustration that impairment does not mean disabled: competition is conducted at the highest level.  New materials (such as carbon fibre) combined with engineering nous have created products such as the “Flex-Foot Cheetah” which enable athletes to run who could not otherwise have walked. Other technologies compensate for the absence or impairment of senses.

For the Elderly Too

These technologies also assist the elderly. A “Smart Walker”, for example, can have a range of functionality including an “Advanced human–machine interface” in addition to providing physical support. (Martins et al., 2012, p. 555) One type of “Smart Walker” is the “SIMBIOSIS”: “This walker presents a multisensory biomechanical platform for predictive human–machine cooperation….the forces that are applied by the user on each forearm-support while walking are measured and the guidance information can be inferred. This turns out to be a natural and transparent interface that does not need previous training by the user.” (Martins et al., 2012, p. 558)

The Future?

It’s clear that assistive technology is enhancing lives, but what is the most innovative application you’ve encountered?  Tell us!

Try Elsevier DataSearch!

DataSearch results
Partial results for DataSearch lookup for “Flex-foot Cheetah”

Note: much more information for researchers can be found via Elsevier Datasearch (https://datasearch.elsevier.com/):  DataSearch works with reputable repositories across the Internet to help researchers readily find the data sets they need to accelerate their work. DataSearch offers a new and innovative approach.  Most search engines don’t actively involve their users in making them better; we invite you, the user, to join our User Panel and advise how we can improve the results.  We are looking for researchers in a variety of fields, no technical expertise is required (though welcomed).  In order to join us, visit https://datasearch.elsevier.com and click on the button marked “Join Our User Panel”.

About Mendeley Brainstorms

Our Brainstorms are challenges so we can engage with you, our users, on the hottest topics in the world of research.  We look for the most in-depth and well thought through responses; the best response as judged by the Mendeley team will earn a prize.

References

MARTINS, M., SANTOS, C., FRIZERA-NETO, A. and CERES, R. (2012). Assistive mobility devices focusing on Smart Walkers: Classification and review. Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 60(4), pp.548-562.

Össur Americas. (2016) Flex-Foot Cheetah. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ossur.com/prosthetic-solutions/products/sport-solutions/cheetah. [Accessed 10 August 2016].