DSpace community: 全球發展學院

宜蘭縣環境教育行動方案3.0

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:11:06 GMT

title: 宜蘭縣環境教育行動方案3.0

宜蘭縣環境教育行動方案2.0

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:11:03 GMT

title: 宜蘭縣環境教育行動方案2.0

Dreams of Another World: A Review of Por Heong Hong and Victor Chin’s Five Tigers

Tue, 11 May 2021 04:10:46 GMT

title: Dreams of Another World: A Review of Por Heong Hong and Victor Chin’s Five Tigers abstract: When entering a home objects such pictures, photographs, memorabilia often reveal ‘traces’ of a person, made up of his or her past. As a reflection of the owner, these objects project not only what has passed but what could have been, bearing on the possibilities of paths chosen or unchosen. If we were to enlarge this house, expand it to a grander scale to mimic that of a nation, we could then perhaps think about how these objects could then be placed into documents, archives and museums to showcase the importance of the past to the present as well as the future of any particular nation. But as many scholars would point out—the case being made most effectively by Haitian historian, Michel R. Trouillot—history is made of several layers, with some being made more apparent and visible than others. History in other words is malleable and therefore can be made to serve certain interests through emphasis or by silencing certain events.2 As such the struggle over the soul of a nation often lies in the tension between revelation and oblivion.

China's Impact on the European Union's Arctic Policy: Critical Junctures, Crossovers, and Geographic Shifts

Wed, 05 May 2021 04:11:23 GMT

title: China's Impact on the European Union's Arctic Policy: Critical Junctures, Crossovers, and Geographic Shifts abstract: In 2008, the European Commission perceived the European Union (EU) in an excellent position to collaborate with the five Euro-Arctic states and its strategic partners Canada, Russia and the United States to shape Arctic governance in the fast-changing environment. However, the Arctic coastal states rejected the EU's multilateral governance approach, while China has emerged as a significant factor in the Arctic. In 2018, China announced the Polar Silk Road to connect East Asia with Europe via shipping and railroads. In 2019, the EU started to perceive China as a systemic rival concerning the Belt and Road Initiative. What is the impact of China on the EU's Arctic policies in the Euro-Arctic environment? What are the prospects for collaboration between the EU and China on joint issues? This paper applies process-tracing to analyze China's and the EU's Arctic socialization in the early 21st century at three critical junctures of Arctic politics. At these junctures, the paper introduces the Arctic situation, and emerging problems, development in agenda-setting, the policy processes, and the outcomes of the EU's and China's Arctic approaches. It argues that China's rise as a maritime and Arctic power and its close relations with Russia along the Northern Sea Route shaped the EU's Arctic policies and their shift towards the Barents sub-Arctic region. Implications are more interaction among both there, as China's Polar Silk Road might also challenge the EU's regulatory approach in the Euro-Arctic.

Exploring Sino-Russian-Nordics triangular relations: Complex balancing along the Polar Silk Road

Wed, 05 May 2021 04:11:20 GMT

title: Exploring Sino-Russian-Nordics triangular relations: Complex balancing along the Polar Silk Road abstract: The megatrends of climate change, China's Belt and Road Initiative, and the Western sanctions against Russia have made the once calm Arctic an arena of geopolitical competition. Before the Crimea crisis of 2014, the Nordics were the primary advocates for a Chinese role in the Arctic when Russia was still hesitant. In 2017 Russia and China agreed to build a Polar Silk Road along the Northern Sea Route, which complements China's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road plans. Russia financially depends on China for its aspirational Arctic plans. Meanwhile, China increasingly perceives the five Nordic states as a unit to negotiate projects under the Belt and Road Initiative and suggested a 5+1 format. Thus, China's rising Arctic presence made the age-old Nordics-Russia relations triangular. What does the Sino-Russian strategic partnership mean for the Nordics' preference formation concerning the Polar Silk Road? This paper traces the triangular ties before and after the Crimea crisis and finds that the actors switched from liberal towards defensive neorealist perspectives. The Nordics have become worried about the Sino-Russian Arctic honeymoon, Russia's Arctic military assertiveness and China's intentions. As the triangular links are out-of-balance, the Nordics might apply complex balancing to achieve collective goods along the NSR.

非政府援外組織的問責性：臺灣「印尼亞齊數位學習計畫」個案研究

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 04:10:16 GMT

title: 非政府援外組織的問責性：臺灣「印尼亞齊數位學習計畫」個案研究 abstract: 本文關注全球化時代各國總體發展及數位落差日益擴大，非政府組織(Non-Government Organization, NGO)如何介入東南亞社會發展進程，特別是後進國家的非政府組織所遭遇到的困境及迷思。本研究呈現台灣援外NGO跨國運作的實際情況，以接受台北市政府印尼海嘯善款補助的「印尼亞齊數位學習計畫」為分析個案，探討NGO從事跨國援助過程中的問責性議題。本文研究台灣的NGO組織如何在受海嘯重創的印尼亞齊本那央(Peunayong)地區成立數位學習中心，嘗試串聯台灣與亞齊間的人際網絡以動員社會資本(social capital)投入推廣數位學習，促進當地的社區發展。然而，這樣的努力雖有助於當地對外資訊的取得，卻未全面完成促進社區發展的目標。這與亞齊特殊的社會條件有關，但關鍵仍在於援外組織的治理與協調。我們指出內部治理不良，才是亞齊數位學習計畫無法完全達到預期成效的主因。除了整理相關文獻，本研究同時採用直接觀察、訪談等質性研究資料，加上作者曾參與研究對象之實際運作，有利於事件脈絡的掌握。本文依據上述資料分析NGO的運作及問責形式，對援外發展實務及當前流行的「社會資本論」提出若干反思。

結合長短期記憶模型與近端策略優化為基礎之策略增強式學習

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 04:11:37 GMT

title: 結合長短期記憶模型與近端策略優化為基礎之策略增強式學習

基於合作賽局理論的LED 照明調控機制

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 04:11:35 GMT

title: 基於合作賽局理論的LED 照明調控機制 abstract: 有鑑於物聯網技術的蓬勃發展，越來越多日常物品透過網際網路連線到雲端，例如智慧農場、智慧家庭和智慧電錶等，這些例子透過物聯網技術監測環境的變化，不僅達到節約能源的效果，也降低了人力與時間成本。在本論文的研究過程中，我們模擬智慧農場的能源管理情境，結合賽局理論與物聯網技術，設計了一套智慧能源分配調光系統。為了使調光系統更加準確並增加智慧農場節約能源的效率，此系統另外導入並整合低功耗通訊技術傳輸、合作賽局理論 Shapley value 計量方法、能源監控裝置等。利用本論文所發展的物聯網技術與系統整合的實驗設計，我們希望能讓管理者隨時隨地監控實驗環境，並讓系統即時偵測室內外部環境光源，同時達到給予植物所需光照及節約能源，實現最低成本能源消耗的理想。

An Algorithm based on Efficient Influence Maximization applied to Social Network

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 04:11:31 GMT

title: An Algorithm based on Efficient Influence Maximization applied to Social Network

A R routine to analyze Global Research Networks at the Individual Level

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 04:11:54 GMT

title: A R routine to analyze Global Research Networks at the Individual Level

A Routine in R to Extract Essential Fields from Patent Documents for Scientometric Analyses

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 04:11:53 GMT

title: A Routine in R to Extract Essential Fields from Patent Documents for Scientometric Analyses

A R Routine to Visualize Global IPC Code Maps

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 04:11:52 GMT

title: A R Routine to Visualize Global IPC Code Maps

Emergence of Global AIOT innovation ecosystem (2000-2019)

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 04:11:50 GMT

title: Emergence of Global AIOT innovation ecosystem (2000-2019)

Campus climate: College students' attitude towards homosexuality in Taiwan

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 04:14:39 GMT

title: Campus climate: College students' attitude towards homosexuality in Taiwan abstract: All people should have equal rights. Educators must make sure that everyone is included and is treated fairly. Higher education institutions are considered more liberal and tolerant, yet there are marginalized students, such as those from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. In November 2018, the Taiwanese electorate passed referendums to prevent recognition of same-sex marriages in the Civil Code and to restrict teaching about LGBT issues. We witnessed the heartbreaking results of a referendum on the question, in which a majority of Taiwanese people voted against same-sex marriage. This study is to investigate to understand people's attitudes toward the LGBT community on campus, analyze the attitudinal factors and seek to make the campus environment more LGBT friendly in a College in Taiwan.

Attitudes Toward Homosexuality at a Private College in Taiwan

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 04:14:37 GMT

title: Attitudes Toward Homosexuality at a Private College in Taiwan

馬匹輔助教育中心小志工方案-以充權觀點分析

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 04:14:34 GMT

title: 馬匹輔助教育中心小志工方案-以充權觀點分析

以生成對抗網路為基礎的動態社群網路預測

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 04:11:49 GMT

title: 以生成對抗網路為基礎的動態社群網路預測

基於融合長短期記憶及深度類神經網路的股票預測

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 04:11:44 GMT

title: 基於融合長短期記憶及深度類神經網路的股票預測

A collaborative filtering recommendation system with dynamic time decay

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 04:14:44 GMT

title: A collaborative filtering recommendation system with dynamic time decay abstract: The collaborative filtering (CF) technique has been widely utilized in recommendation systems due to the precise prediction of users' interests. Most prior CF methods adapted overall ratings to make predictions by collecting preference information from other users. However, in real applications, people’s preferences usually vary with time; the traditional CF could not properly reveal the change in users’ interests. In this paper, we propose a novel CF-based recommendation, dynamic decay collaborative filtering (DDCF), which captures the preference variations of users and includes the concept of dynamic time decay. We extend the idea of human brain memory to specify the level of a user’s interests (i.e., instantaneous, short-term, or long-term). According to different interest levels, DDCF dynamically tunes the decay function based on users’ behaviors. The experimental results show that DDCF with the integration of the dynamic decay concept performs better than traditional CF. In addition, we conduct experiments on real-world datasets to demonstrate the practicability of the proposed DDCF.

Simulation analysis of the wild animal observation system

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 04:14:41 GMT

title: Simulation analysis of the wild animal observation system abstract: The Chinese white dolphin, along the west coast of Taiwan, is claimed as on the brink of distinction species. A top priority before entering the policy process of conservation is to have a well plan of accurate observation. Objective of this paper is to evaluate a proposed novel alternative, which applies the internet of thing (IoT) concept, in the observation of wild animal instead of the conventional way which is manpower intensive. The IoT observation System is consisted of the hydrophone laid on the sea floor, camera/IR sensor carried by Quadcopter, and land control center. Monte Carlo simulation was developed for getting insight of theinteraction between dolphin and IoT observation System. The result showed IoT observation System has a significant effect. The contribution this paper made is to prove that the IoT observation system is far more cost effectively than the manpower intensive boat watching method.

誰關心人權？進步論述與道德基礎

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 04:15:11 GMT

title: 誰關心人權？進步論述與道德基礎

The Impact of Concurrent Campaigns on Referendum Voting: The Case of Taiwan in 2018

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 04:15:08 GMT

title: The Impact of Concurrent Campaigns on Referendum Voting: The Case of Taiwan in 2018

書評：勝選支出—政治制度、經濟地理與政府補貼

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 04:12:37 GMT

title: 書評：勝選支出—政治制度、經濟地理與政府補貼

Error protection and correction for block compressive sensing over the binary symmetric channels

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 04:10:50 GMT

title: Error protection and correction for block compressive sensing over the binary symmetric channels abstract: Protection scheme for compressed media form an inevitable part for data transmission. Here we choose block compressive sensing for image compression, and expect to transmit over the binary symmetric channels (BSC). Upon completion of compression at the encoder, we apply multiple description coding (MDC) for error resilience, and the polar codes for error correction. After reception of the possibly erroneous data from BSC, reverse operations for polar decoding and MDC compensation would be applied accordingly, and reconstructed image can be acquired. Simulation results have demonstrated the effectiveness for the protection schemes with the enhancements of the quality of reconstructed images.

Germany's EU Presidency during COVID-19 Pandemic: Interdependencies of Two Institutional Innovations

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 04:10:42 GMT

title: Germany's EU Presidency during COVID-19 Pandemic: Interdependencies of Two Institutional Innovations abstract: The COVID-19 pandemics of 2020 is another so-called existential crisis of the European Union (EU) added to the “European poly-crises” (Jean-Claude Juncker) of the last decade. Therefore, Berlin’s theme “Together for Europe’s recovery” of Germany’s July-December 2020 Presidency of the European Union is universal. This rotating EU Presidency is Chancellor Angela Merkel’s last opportunity to solidify her legacy. Originally on that occasion, one would expect an outward-looking vision for the EU, for instance, strengthening of EU-Asia relations as envisaged with the EU-ASEAN strategic partnership, decided indeed under Germany’s 2020 Presidency. However, once more, her capacity as crisis manager is what the situation has demanded. Germany, concealing its influence for different reasons, supported two major institutional innovations that COVID-19 bought intrinsically together. These two major institutional innovations might pave the way towards a closer Union. However, to its critics, they bear the risk of dragging the EU further into jeopardy. The present talk is about joint debt instruments, also dubbed Eurobonds, and the Rule of Law Mechanism, decided on November 5 2020. The former aims at supporting economic recovery after the health crisis. The latter shall ensure that the European treaties and the rule of law standards remain stable in the current populist-prone European politics. The presentation will introduce these two new instruments, discuss the pros and cons, its interdependencies, and its potential consequences. Will they bring the EU closer together or tear the Union apart?

Taiwan's democratization and the European Union's relations with China and Taiwan - the arms embargo debate between 2003 and 2005

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 04:10:32 GMT

title: Taiwan's democratization and the European Union's relations with China and Taiwan - the arms embargo debate between 2003 and 2005

Sinology in Poland: Epistemological Debates and Academic Practice

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 04:10:31 GMT

title: Sinology in Poland: Epistemological Debates and Academic Practice abstract: This study looks at how an understanding of sinology as a discipline evolved among Polish specialists on China against the background of the epistemological debates on the study of China in the Western world. Based on interviews and focusing on two periods in the history of postwar Polish sinology – the 1950s-1960s and then the 1990s and thereafter – it provides insights into the discourses among academics. The findings from an analysis of the interviews demonstrate that the epistemological divide on the study of China in Western intellectual spheres has been particularly marked in academic circles in Poland. This is evident in the debates among Polish scholars who struggle both to establish the meaning of sinology and, at the same time, to determine the future of their profession. Whereas this divide has greatly influenced the program of sinological training at the University of Warsaw, it has not had an influence in Poznań and Łódź, the two other centers of sinology in Poland.

The Social Construction of the Realm of the Discipline: Polish Sinology

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 04:10:29 GMT

title: The Social Construction of the Realm of the Discipline: Polish Sinology abstract: This work picks up the long standing debate on the meaning of sinology, and particularly one of the latest contributions by "The Epistemology of China Studies: Oral History Project" hosted by the Research and Educational Center for Mainland China and Cross-Strait Relation at the National Taiwan University (NTU). It takes as a springboard the theoretical assumption about the floating meaning of sinology, which can never be fixed due to the shifting nature of disciplinary boundaries in the manner in which all knowledge is relative. It looks at the example the sinology department at the University of Warsaw (UW) and asks what counts as a discipline-specific knowledge according to the Polish academia. In order to answer this question it analyses the rhetorical work involved in the defining sinologists and defending the discipline in the selected works and interviews with the Polish scholars working on China. It comments on the phenomenon of creating disciplinary labels, the role of the external pressure on the knowledge production and the ways in which this pressure is mediated and assimilated by the staff of the sinology department at the UW.

Taipei's Soft Power at Work. The Picture of Taiwan in Polish Dailies Gazeta Wyborcza and Rzeczpospolita.

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 04:10:28 GMT

title: Taipei's Soft Power at Work. The Picture of Taiwan in Polish Dailies Gazeta Wyborcza and Rzeczpospolita. abstract: Taiwan’s external relations are ‘exceptional.’ Due to the island’s contested international status and limited recognition, public diplomacy often provides Taipei with the only channel to conduct external affairs through the soft power resources it enables. Therefore, in order to assess the island’s foreign policies, it is crucial to understand its soft power capacity. This chapter analyses the challenges to the exercise of Taiwan’s soft power as well as its effects in selected Polish dailies. First, it looks for themes that may enable and disable Taiwan’s soft power in the scholarly literature and documents released by Taipei’s governmental actors. Second, it examines whether these themes pertaining to the island were present in two Polish dailies – “Gazeta Wyborcza” and “Rzeczpospolita” – during a one-year period from November 1, 2016 to October 31, 2017. The newspaper analysis aims to reveal narratives that are alternative to those promoted publicly and that are related to the image of Taiwan, other significant international actors, and Taiwanese governmental as well as non-state executors of public policy, all of which may contribute to an enabling or disabling environment for Taipei’s soft power. It applies techniques and methods from media research and discourse analysis.

Unpacking Taiwan Exceptionalism: Themes and Studies

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 04:10:26 GMT

title: Unpacking Taiwan Exceptionalism: Themes and Studies abstract: This chapter introduces readers to the book. It first elucidates a belief shared by all of its authors concerning Taiwan’s exceptionalism in two areas - external and internal affairs. Second, it looks at the literature on the unique situation of Taiwan in the landscape of international affairs and its consequences for the island, with particular attention to the state of research on this topic in Poland. Finally, it presents the structure and content of this volume.

Policy Review: The New German Policy Guidelines on the Indo-Pacific Region

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:10:15 GMT

title: Policy Review: The New German Policy Guidelines on the Indo-Pacific Region abstract: With the September 2020 issued guidelines "Germany-Europe-Asia: shaping the 21st century together", the German government joined France, the USA and the Indo-Pacific rim-states Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Taiwan to adopt new policy strategies on the Indo-Pacific region. Germany wants to toughen up itself and the European Union (EU) to shape the regional order in partnership with like-minded Indo-Pacific democracies and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a natural partner for interregional and a rules-based integration and multilateralism. This policy review explores the essence of Germany's new Indo Pacific guidelines. Since Berlin's input has strongly shaped the previous EU approaches towards China and Asia, one may expect a significant strategic shift in the overall EU's Asia approach is on the brink.

A Different Story to Share”: Asian American English Teachers in Taiwan and Idealized “Nativeness” in EFL

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 04:10:17 GMT

title: A Different Story to Share”: Asian American English Teachers in Taiwan and Idealized “Nativeness” in EFL abstract: In a broader context where English is marketed as a desirable product of consumption, hiring English speakers as language teachers and de facto cultural ambassadors is a common practice in some East Asian countries. This paper investigates how 20 self-identified Asian American teachers in Taiwan teaching English in local schools wrestle with the positionality of their racialized selves and idealized “nativeness.” Using an informal interview approach, a grounded theory framework, and narrative analysis, we investigated how participants made sense of their Asian American-ness in the ELT profession in Taiwan. Findings include complex feelings involving the image of Asian Americans, strategic language use to construct Asian-American-in-Taiwan identities, and unique interpretations of teaching U.S. culture. We discuss the emotional labor and strategic discourses these teachers undertook to convert their cultural and linguistic capital and offer suggestions for professional and curriculum development.

Self-Organized Unstructured Network Architecture for Device and Service Deployment in Smart Home

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 04:10:23 GMT

title: Self-Organized Unstructured Network Architecture for Device and Service Deployment in Smart Home abstract: Whereas home access networks are generally built on wired hubs and wireless AP equipment, the deployment of home services is confined to a limited physical communication coverage of a home network. To get rid of local connectivity at home, we propose a self-organized network architecture on which neighbor devices establish direct hop-to-hop connections and relay data flows without resorting to underlying network infrastructures. Cameras, used as demonstration devices, are aligned in an array. Real-time media streams will be issued from any source cameras, sent via relaying cameras, and eventually received by a home gateway connecting with a management server that locates on a home network or the Internet.

The EU, China, and ASEAN Connectivity: 'European Way' Versus Belt and Road Initiative?

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:10:53 GMT

title: The EU, China, and ASEAN Connectivity: 'European Way' Versus Belt and Road Initiative? abstract: The September 2018 publication of both the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy “Connecting Europe and Asia – Building blocks for an EU Strategy” (European Commission 2018) outline the various dimensions of how the European Union (EU) plans to connect Europe with Asia and how to improve connectivity within Asia. The connectivity strategy is not least an answer to China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an enormous unregulated Eurasian infrastructure diplomacy project that has enabled China to become perceived as the EU’s systemic rival. Connectivity is a crucial new concept in the EU’s economic diplomacy towards Asia. Previously, connectivity mainly related to the telecommunication sector. Now, connectivity comprises all sorts of infrastructure (like roads, railways, ports, and digital connectivity), but also extends to financial, regulatory and sustainable business practices in transnational supply chains, and also societal “people’s to people’s” connectivity. The EU Commission promotes a ‘European way’ in its new Asia strategy, which emphasizes a sustainable, comprehensive and international rule-based approach. This research question focuses on the last of the three ‘European way’ dimensions, “international rule-based”, to explore the potential of the connectivity strategy regarding the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). While ASEAN governments have become more cautious about China’s BRI, they also represent uneasy partners for the EU’s high-standards connectivity strategy. Is systemic rivalry between the EU and China playing out regards ASEAN, or are there possibilities for coordination towards European standards? This research leans on the concept of hybrid interregionalism. It assumes that for a ‘European Way’ to emerge, the EU must coordinate its policies with like-minded countries both within and as regards ASEAN, and especially with governments that share similar values, agreements and concerns regarding the BRI in the East Asian political economy. Hence, this interregional complexity demands an omnidirectional EU interregional strategy. Due to the very recent dynamics in the global and regional system, there is an opportunity to elaborate on new insights regarding this central research question from a theoretical and empirical perspective. Next to content analysis and literature review, this exploration also plans interviews with policymakers in the EU and Asia as it is a funded project by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan.

European Union’s Connectivity Strategy with Asia Against Strong Headwinds: Towards A European Way in EU-ASEAN Relations?

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:10:51 GMT

title: European Union’s Connectivity Strategy with Asia Against Strong Headwinds: Towards A European Way in EU-ASEAN Relations?

Effectiveness evaluation of Internet of Things-aided firefighting by simulation

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:10:32 GMT

title: Effectiveness evaluation of Internet of Things-aided firefighting by simulation abstract: With the emerging Internet of Things technology, the world is facing rapid changes in all areas; firefighting is no exception. Conventional firefighting is a dangerous occupation which involves saving lives and property from fires. The skills of firefighting have not changed greatly over the years; hence, using the IoT to aid firefighters is a way to improve their performance. Due to the lack of research on implementing the IoT in the firefighting domain, the objective of this study was to use the quantitative method to gain insights into the usefulness of using the IoT as an aid to firefighting. A Monte Carlo simulation was developed for processing the detailed firefighting interactions in situations of uncertainty. After the verification of the simulation model, the results showed that the search time ratios of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to conventional firefighting for various levels of severity of fire were 30.09, 26.69, and 22.24%. The search and rescue time ratios of UAV to conventional firefighting were 48.27, 35.95, and 31.87%. The most important of these statistics is that at least 50% of the time spent by firefighters on the scene of the fire can be reduced by using the Internet of Things. All of the above data were analyzed usingt test, which showed significant improvement when the Internet of Things was implemented in firefighting. The contribution of this study is to present quantitative results for proving the value of integrating the Internet of Things into firefighting.

Effectiveness analysis of an IoT mechanism in support of monitoring Chinese white dolphins by simulation model

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:10:30 GMT

title: Effectiveness analysis of an IoT mechanism in support of monitoring Chinese white dolphins by simulation model abstract: The population of the Chinese white dolphin is claimed to be critically endangered and is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list. It is estimated that there are fewer than 100 individuals in the East Taiwan Strait, and the number is falling. The dolphin’s habitat has been seriously impacted by man-made pollution, such as industry contamination, fishing, and noise. To prevent extinction of the species, conservative action is vital. Prior to any such action, data on the dolphin are essential for decision makers. The current method of observing dolphins is the man-on-boat-watch approach, which is heavily dependent on manpower. Its performance is seriously affected by the weather, fatigue of those on board, and it is also risky and costly. An Internet of things (IoT) data collection mechanism concept is proposed for the purpose of observing dolphins with close watch. It consists of off-the-shelf products such as hydrophones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a specific command and control in search/detection for carrying out the observation task. A Monte Carlo simulation model was developed to analyze the effectiveness of the feasible alternatives, in which some factors are considered and analyzed for their significance. The simulation result showed that the IoT mechanism has an 8.5 times greater chance of availability in operation and at least 2 times more contact than the man-on-boat-watch method. The significant factor affecting the IoT mechanism’s effectiveness is the number of hydrophones and UAVs in the scenario. The great contribution made by this study is that it is the first analytical paper to reveal the effectiveness of an IoT mechanism in benefitting the observation of Chinese white dolphin. The limitation is that it uses off-the shelf products for the IoT mechanism instead of high-end products which could be more effective.

Enhanced Appearance-based Finger Detection and Tracking Using Finite State Machine Control

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:10:25 GMT

title: Enhanced Appearance-based Finger Detection and Tracking Using Finite State Machine Control abstract: Real-time finger detection and tracking systems have been growing rapidly in the past decade. Among those methods, Appearance-based and Model-based methods have produced excellent results. However, the occlusion issue is one of the main challenges in this field. In this study, we address this issue by considering the repeating-finite gestures of a guitar-strumming or a hand puppet and, represent using a Finite State Machine model. Also we proposed a novel finger pose tracking system using FSM Model combining with the appearance-based method.. The proposed system consists of two parts: FSM-FT builder creates the FSM hand, and the FSM-FT runner controls the FSM-FT system. Empirically, we conducted an experimental study involving one sample repeating hand gesture and our approach achieved a significance recognition rate of 82% in the testing phase.

The Polar Silk Road: China's Multilevel Arctic Strategy to Globalize the Far North

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 04:10:17 GMT

title: The Polar Silk Road: China's Multilevel Arctic Strategy to Globalize the Far North abstract: China's arrival in the Arctic aroused suspicion in foreign media and politics that are distressed about China's goals in the Far North. This article explores the question of how China approaches and shapes the Arctic governance system with an emphasis on the Nordics and assumes that the precondition for an effective Arctic diplomacy is whether and how China manages and approaches the different levels of Arctic governance. It argues that it is the small but wealthy European Arctic states that are indispensable to China's goal to globalise the Arctic region and to complete the Polar Silk Road (PSR) in the coming years and decade(s). Russia is a conduit to connecting the PSR with Western Europe. However, Beijing's primary interests lie in robust and cooperative bilateral relations with the Arctic European states, enabling it to flexibly react to future external developments and opportunities, to promote the globalization of, and China's access to, the Arctic.

International City Cooperation in the Fight Against Covid-19: Behind the Scenes Security Providers

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 04:11:21 GMT

title: International City Cooperation in the Fight Against Covid-19: Behind the Scenes Security Providers abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of society and nearly every unit of government. Much discussion has occurred regarding how to best protect and equip front-line and essential workers, but what about front-line and essential governments? Arguably the most important governments in pandemic response are city governments. Although most international debate surrounding governmental and societal prevention and response to the pandemic has centered around the nation-state or national leaders, this paper takes a different direction. Instead we focus on pandemic initiatives that have mostly occurred ‘behind the scenes.’ Cities, without the general public’s realization, have been at the forefront of international cooperation in the fight against Covid19. This paper focuses on US, Chinese, and Taiwanese cities in order to shine light on the phenomenon of city diplomacy and offers policy recommendations to various stakeholders in city diplomacy, including local authorities, international organizations, academia, and journalists.