Computing

Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled spaces have made revolutionary advances in the utility grid. Among these advances, intelligent and (read more)

Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled spaces have made revolutionary advances in the utility grid. Among these advances, intelligent and energy-efficient services are gaining considerable interest. The use of the smart grid is increasing day after day around us and is not only used in saving energy but also in our daily life for intelligent health, traffic, and even farming systems.

The grid enabled with IoT features is also expected to communicate with cellular networks smoothly in the next-generation networks (6G and beyond). This will open the door for other interesting research areas. In this book, we consider the most significant and emergent research topics in this domain, addressing major issues and challenges in IoT-based solutions proposed for the smart grid.

Published:6 Oct 2020 (hide)

Software development is becoming recognised more and more as an essential skill and profession in today's increasingly digital world. (read more)

Software development is becoming recognised more and more as an essential skill and profession in today's increasingly digital world. This book is a pragmatic guide to software development in practice. It explores the inner workings of software development in the context of the industry, covering good practice for software developers and providing you with tools and practical understanding you'll need to advance within the software development world.

Published:14 Aug 2020 (hide)

As the Cambridge Analytica scandal has shown, private corporations consider it their right to use our data (and by extension, us) (read more)

As the Cambridge Analytica scandal has shown, private corporations consider it their right to use our data (and by extension, us) which ever way they see fit. Tempted by their appealing organisational and diagnostic tools, we have allowed private internet corporations access to the most intimate corners of our lives.

But the internet was developed, from the outset, as a weapon. Looking at the hidden origins of many internet corporations and platforms, Levine shows that this is a function, not a bug of the online experience. Conceived as a surveillance tool by ARPA to control insurgents in the Vietnam War, the internet is now essential to our lives. (hide)

In this explosive memoir, a political consultant and technology whistleblower reveals the disturbing truth about the multi-billion-dollar (read more)

In this explosive memoir, a political consultant and technology whistleblower reveals the disturbing truth about the multi-billion-dollar data industry, revealing to the public how companies are getting richer using our personal information and exposing how Cambridge Analytica exploited weaknesses in privacy laws to help elect Donald Trump. When Brittany Kaiser joined Cambridge Analytica - the UK-based political consulting firm funded by conservative billionaire and Donald Trump patron Robert Mercer - she was an idealistic young professional working on her fourth degree in human rights law and international relations. A veteran of Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, Kaiser's goal was to utilize data for humanitarian purposes, most notably to prevent genocide and human rights abuses.

But her experience inside Cambridge Analytica opened her eyes to the tremendous risks that this unregulated industry poses to privacy and democracy. Targeted is Kaiser's eyewitness chronicle of the dramatic and disturbing story of the rise and fall of Cambridge Analytica. She reveals to the public how Facebook's lax policies and lack of sufficient national laws allowed voters to be manipulated in both Britain and the United States, where personal data was weaponised to spread fake news and racist messaging during the Brexit vote and the 2016 election. (hide)

Web applications occupy a large space within the IT infrastructure of a business or a corporation. They simply just don't touch a (read more)

Web applications occupy a large space within the IT infrastructure of a business or a corporation. They simply just don't touch a front end or a back end; today's web apps impact just about every corner of it. Today's web apps have become complex, which has made them a prime target for sophisticated cyberattacks.

As a result, web apps must be literally tested from the inside and out in terms of security before they can be deployed and launched to the public for business transactions to occur. The primary objective of this book is to address those specific areas that require testing before a web app can be considered to be completely secure. The book specifically examines five key areas:Network security: This encompasses the various network components that are involved in order for the end user to access the particular web app from the server where it is stored at to where it is being transmitted to, whether it is a physical computer itself or a wireless device (such as a smartphone). (hide)

Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, our childhoods have been captured and preserved online, never to go away. But what happens when (read more)

Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, our childhoods have been captured and preserved online, never to go away. But what happens when we can't leave our most embarrassing moments behind?Until recently, the awkward moments of growing up could be forgotten. But today we may be on the verge of losing the ability to leave our pasts behind.

In The End of Forgetting, Kate Eichhorn explores what happens when images of our younger selves persist, often remaining just a click away. For today's teenagers, many of whom spend hours each day posting on social media platforms, efforts to move beyond moments they regret face new and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Unlike a high school yearbook or a shoe box full of old photos, the information that accumulates on social media is here to stay. (hide)

From the moment Alexa wakes you up, you glance at your Apple watch, check social media, app-order your daily coffee and navigate (read more)

From the moment Alexa wakes you up, you glance at your Apple watch, check social media, app-order your daily coffee and navigate your way to work, your data is being collected. In this new digital landscape unfurling around us, data is the new oil and you're the oil well. We're living in an extraordinary age: the age of trust.

We trust the language of algorithms and the intentions of tech giants. The Trust Manifesto is for anyone how has started to question that trust; who worry where it might end, who fear 'The Black Mirror Effect'. It is for those who wonder what an alternative internet would look like, built on trust, that works for all of us. (hide)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) fascinates, challenges and disturbs us. There are many voices in society that predict drastic changes (read more)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) fascinates, challenges and disturbs us. There are many voices in society that predict drastic changes that may come as a consequence of AI - a possible apocalypse or Eden on earth. However, only a few people truly understand what AI is, what it can do and what its limitations are.

Understanding Artificial Intelligence explains, through a straightforward narrative and amusing illustrations, how AI works. It is written for a non-specialist reader, adult or adolescent, who is interested in AI but is missing the key to understanding how it works. The author demystifies the creation of the so-called "intelligent" machine and explains the different methods that are used in AI. (hide)

A hands-on guide to using Excel in the business context First published in 2012, Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling (read more)

A hands-on guide to using Excel in the business context First published in 2012, Using Excel for Business and Financial Modelling contains step-by-step instructions of how to solve common business problems using financial models, including downloadable Excel templates, a list of shortcuts and tons of practical tips and techniques you can apply straight away. Whilst there are many hundreds of tools, features and functions in Excel, this book focuses on the topics most relevant to finance professionals. It covers these features in detail from a practical perspective, but also puts them in context by applying them to practical examples in the real world.

Published:29 Mar 2019 (hide)

Designed with flexibility and readers' needs in mind, this purpose driven book offers new UX practitioners succinct and complete (read more)

Designed with flexibility and readers' needs in mind, this purpose driven book offers new UX practitioners succinct and complete intructions on how to conduct user research and rapidly design interfaces and products in the classroom or the office. With 16 challenges to learn from, this comprehensive guide outlines the process of a User Experience project cycle from assembling a team to researching user needs to creating and veryifying a prototype. Practice developing a prototype in as little as a week or build your skills in two-, four-, eight-, or sixteen-week stretches.

Gain insight into individual motivations, connections, and interactions; learn the three guiding principles of the design system; and discover how to shape a user's experience to achieve goals and improve overall immediate experience, satisfaction, and well-being. Written for professionals looking to learn or expand their skills in user experience design and students studying technical communication, information technology, web and product design, business, or engingeering alike, this accessible book provides a foundational knowledge of this diverse and evolving field. A companion website will include examples of contemporary UX projects, material to illustrate key techniques, and other resources for students and instructors. (hide)