iCareNet Winter School on Context Inference and Ethics

The second joint iCareNet school event will take place during March 19 – 23, 2012 in the renowned Swiss mountain region Davos-Klosters. The iCareNet Winter School 2012 will feature various exiting talks from well-known researchers and groups in the context inference field. The programme can be found here.

Scope and aims

The event aims to provide the starting iCareNet research fellows with a platform to meet and jointly learn about approaches and techniques for context-aware systems in healthcare, wellness, and assisted living applications. The iCareNet Autumn School is specifically addressing the following topics:

• Pattern recognition, behaviour modelling and context inference. Develop a deep understanding and practical skills related to methods for inferring user activity and context from pre-processed multi-modal sensor signals.

• Research ethics and study methodologies. Understand and apply techniques for observational study design, as a first step to evaluate and validate context-aware systems in HWA applications.

Objectives in detail

Pattern recognition, behaviour modelling and context inference. One primary aim of iCareNet is to develop procedures for sensor signal pattern analysis, modelling, and context inference. Thus, sound knowledge of recognition and inference methods is a vital work prerequisite. This school will provide fellows with a deep understanding and practical skills related to methods for inferring user activity and context from pre-processed multi-modal sensor signals.  The fellows are assumed to have gained basic skills in the general area of pattern recognition and inference through local courses already. The school will go into details of pattern recognition and context inference, showing how methods perform in different recognition tasks and describe advanced techniques. Elaborate practical examples  will be given and hands-on class work will be performed. Topics include:

1. Signal analysis and feature extraction in different sensor modalities.
2. Pattern recognition (classification and spotting).
3. Time series modelling methods.
4. High-level context modelling.
5. Semi-supervised and unsupervised learning.

Research ethics and study methodologies.  Observational study designs are often used as a first step to evaluate and validate context-aware systems in HWA applications. All observational studies in iCareNet will be conducted in the actual application environment with most stakeholders (in particular, patients and clinical staff) involved, to maximise efficiency and realism of validations. Preparation and implementation of human studies requires specific and most stringent consideration of ethical aspects related to observed (monitored) study participants. This school will focus on:

1. General ethical considerations in studies with humans, including the Declaration of Helsinki, participant information and informed consent, participant privacy, data protection during and after the study completion.
2. Design and implementation of observational studies on context-aware systems, considering specifically the use of body-worn and ambient systems and gaining ethical approval for new technical developments.

Workgroups. In addition to the regular programme of lectures and discussion sessions, the Winter School provides again a set of parallel workgroups, addressing specific topics relevant for context-aware systems development. The workgroup topics are related to current challenges in context-awareness research. Fellows are invited to propose workgroup topics and supporting senior researchers of iCareNet.

Programme

The full programme can be downloaded here: PDF

Monday 19th March

• 09:00 - 13:00: Arrival, free time.
• 13:00 - 15:00: Welcome and fellow presentations.
• 15:30 - 17:30: Lectures on Research Ethics and Literature Search.
• 18:00 - 19:30: iCareNet status, Winter School programme, and Workshop progress presentations.
• 19:30: Dinner

Tuesday 20th March

• 09:00 - 13:00: Free time.
• 13:00 - 19:30: Lectures.
• 19:30: Dinner.

Wednesday 21th March

• 09:00 - 13:00: Free time.
• 13:00 - 17:00: Lectures.
• 17:30 - 19:30: Worgroup meetings(parallel tracks).
• 19:30: Dinner.

Thursday 22th March

• 09:00 - 13:00: Free time.
• 13:00 - 19:30: Worgroup meetings (parallel tracks).
• 19:30: Dinner.

Friday 23th March

• 09:00 - 13:00: Worgroup meetings (parallel tracks).
• 10:30 - 12:00: Advisor meeting.
• 13:00 - 15:30: Worgroup summary presentations, Winter School conclusion.

Course material

The course material will be provided on this page shortly before the school event.

Social events

The iCareNet Winter School is held at the Swiss winter sports region Davos-Klosters. Fellows and senior researchers will be meeting regularly for dinner and evening discussions at the hotel.

Venue and local information

The iCareNet Winter School venue is Hotel Sport in Klosters. Klosters can be reached by train in approx. 2 hours from Zurich airport (ZRH). From Zurich airport frequent connections are available to most European destinations. Alternatively, Basel airport (BSL) could be considered.

Participants are requested to reserve their hotel room at Hotel Sport in Klosters. The hotel offers different room types for the iCareNet event. To reserve please complete the hotel booking  form and return it to  icarenet_office <AT> lists.actlab.ele.tue.nl  by Dec 22, 2011. Further details on the venue and region can be found in General Information below.

Hotel booking form:  DOC    PDF

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Registration (for iCareNet fellows only)

For iCareNet research fellows participation in the Winter School is compulsory. Research fellows need to register by sending an email message with the digital proof of the registration fee payment to icarenet_office <at > lists.actlab.ele.tue.nl. The registration fee includes coffee break catering, hotel fees, and course material.

Registration must be made before January 20, 2012. The registration fee of 100 EUR must be paid by bank transfer to:

General information