MSc Projects

Research Modules

Literature Review - Usability Evaluation of Digital Libraries

Abstract
This paper reviews current research into the evaluation of Digital libraries. Digital libraries are relatively new, evolving increasingly with the phenomenal success of the internet. This has opened up the idea that digital collections can be made available to a wide variety of users, over an international platform. With this innovation comes a limitless set of problems to be overcome through research. In this review, the broad outline of the types of problems facing digital library development with be discussed resulting in particular focus on usability. This vast area of research has been narrowed down to techniques for evaluating the usability of digital libraries and the shortcomings of these standard techniques that work well on the internet platform, but not for the digital library domain. Ultimately, these shortcomings are investigated through discussion of research into proposed frameworks for evaluating multiple digital libraries attribute by attribute in order to begin to create some standards for digital library development.

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Managing Reputation and Trust in Peer to Peer Networks

Abstract
This paper reviews 4 proposed systems for managing reputation and trust in P2P filesharing networks. Each paper used a modified version of gnutella as the file sharing program. A basic description of a Trust and reputation system is as follows, peers store opinions on their experiences at downloading files. They store an opinion about the file provider and the file. These opinions are computed either into binary or using another mathematical probability. Peers share their opinions providing recommendations for file providers and files. A peers opinion can be weighted based on how much the querying peer trusts them. The aim of the system is to eliminate malicious peers and inauthentic files.

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Critical review of various research topics relating to Decentralised Networks

Abstract
Computer science research is the process of creating algorithms or developing existing algorithms or mathematical techniques to provide solutions to a specific problem. Of the seven research areas presented, including Bandwidth measurement in IP networks, Internet priority scheme performance, Middleware for ad-hoc networks, Denial of service attack prevention, Managing trust in peer-to-peer networks, Dependability in wireless sensor networks and Approaches to context awareness in mobile networks, some key themes can be highlighted that connect each research area. Mostly, each presentation concentrated on a different problem involved with decentralised networks rather than client server networks. Suggested solutions to issues concerning security, anonymity and performance of these networks have been proposed through algorithmic based strategies.

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Automatic Data Capture Systems - RFID

Abstract
RFID - Radio Frequency Identification is an Automatic Data Capture System, it is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify objects. Its main position is as a next generation bar coding system incorporated with EPC - Electronic Product Code. It is not yet widely used due to high costs involved in wide spread implementation of the technology, but it is considered that it will infiltrate our daily lives over the next ten years as costs decrease, the technology becomes internationally standardised and concerns over individuals privacy are diminished. RFID technology is already in use in certain industries most prominently supply chains and animal identification. The most likely area where we will see the expansion of RFID technology into our daily lives is in retail, where it already co - exists with barcode technology. We are already seeing an increase in human implantation of RFID tags, although this is reserved to almost cult status at the moment, I will discuss this, and other uses of RFID further in section 6.

Download pdf - Report Discussing Automatic Data Capture Systems - RFID

Software/Web Development - Modules

Web Development

Online Marketing of the new Technology Centre - MI Building

Abstract This website is suitable as a marketing tool for the Technology Centre as it is has a clean businesslike design. The site is fast loading so users will not get fed up waiting for images and leave. There are no flashy aspects to the site which serve only to distract from the marketing content. The navigation provides the user with an easy way to find the content they want and get from one place to another. There are plenty of sub-links inside the content to push the user further into the site. I have used target=_blank in the anchor tags for external links, so that the user is not navigated away from the site. It is accessible to a wide range of users as it is cross browser tested for Mozilla Firefox, IE and Opera; I have used percentage values for fonts and table widths to allow the site to adapt to any screen resolution and text settings. This site only complies to basic accessibility standards.

Visit MI Building website

Download design and implementation report

Databases

I took a database module as part of my MSC, where i learned skills in Normalization, Oracle and SQL. Eventually i will right up something more detailed about this!

Software Development and HCI

Group work - develope a prototype of an ATM. Main learning outcomes:

Download HCI evaluation report of the ATM prototype and Barclays Online Banking System.