Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions comprising a polymeric matrix or a gel containing functional enzymes capable of re-creating under culture conditions the cell microenvironment existing in vivo. The present invention also relates to devices for cell cultures comprising such compositions, in particular hydrogel and the use thereof to control the chemical microenvironment of a cell culture or mimic physiological or pathological conditions of the in vivo cells. The compositions and the devices described herein could be also used in vitro for evaluating the therapeutic effect of a compound on a determined cell line or on primary cells.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method generate a representation of travel costs for an individual traveler. The method includes computing a fixed community cost component attributable to each traveler in a community, per time period, computing a fixed individual cost component for the individual traveler, per time period, and for each of a set of time periods, computing a variable individual cost component for the individual traveler. For each of the time periods in the set of time periods, the fixed community cost, fixed individual cost, and variable individual cost components are aggregated into an aggregated cost. A representation is generated for displaying the aggregated costs for the set of time periods to the individual traveler, in which the three cost components are identified.

Abstract: Methods and systems determining customer satisfaction in a work environment via prescriptive analytics. Self-reported data related to the perception of an agent with respect to customer satisfaction in a work environment (e.g., a call center) can be collected via an interface (e.g., an agent dashboard) that allows the agent to enter the self-reported data regarding the customer satisfaction. The self-reported data can then be correlated with an actual customer satisfaction score associated with the agent to derive data indicative of an interaction between the agent and a customer(s). Feedback data can then be provided via the interface indicating a correctness of the self-reported data based on correlating the self-reported data with the actual customer satisfaction score.

Abstract: A system, method, and device for incentivizing commuting behavior in a work environment are disclosed. The system includes a travel diary component, a profile managing component which assigns one or more difficulty metrics, a constancy computing component which recognizes a change in commuting behavior information, and a commuting points managing component which translates the change in commuting behavior information to commuting points. A visualization component displays a representation of the commuting points, for example, as plants in a virtual garden. The method includes receiving commuting behavior information, assessing one or more difficulty metrics for each of an employee profile, recognizing one or more changes in commuting behavior, correlating the one or more changes with the one or more difficulty metrics, translating the one or more changes into commuting points, and computing an aggregated value of commuting points.

Abstract: A method for planning a transportation service includes sending transportation proposal to a plurality of organizations. The proposal includes one or more initial options, each including a set of variable parameters. Each organization can generate a modified option and make a commitment conditional on selected ones of the parameters. Each organization sends respective modified options to commuters of that organization who may specify their own pledges for at least one of the modified options, conditional on the organization-selected values for the variable parameters and optionally on commuter-selected values for the variable parameters. A cost-benefit function is computed for each of a set of revised options for the transportation service, each of the revised options being based on a combination of the variable parameters for which pledges which cover the combination have been received and one or more of the revised options is identified, based on the computed cost-benefit function.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and non-transitory computer readable medium for generating a graphical representation to motivate a plurality of employees in a call center are disclosed. For example, the apparatus includes a display comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each one of the plurality of pixels represents one or more of the plurality of employees, a computer-readable medium storing the graphical representation and a processor in communication with the display and the computer-readable medium, wherein the processor receives an indication from an endpoint device of one of the plurality of employees when the one of the plurality of employees achieves a call center objective and the processor causes a pixel of the plurality of pixels associated with the one of the plurality of employees to turn on in accordance with the graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation comprises a pixel art shape.

Abstract: A trip-planning method and system employ a user profile for each user which includes the user's preferences for each of a plurality of transportation modes, user goals, and optionally user constraints on trips. Inferred user preference (resp. goal) values and stated user preference (resp. goal) values are aggregated using a coefficient which places more emphasis on stated goals/preferences that have been recently set. Candidate itineraries for a requested user trip that meet the user's constraints are ranked based on the aggregated goal and preference values and the costs/contributions of each itinerary to the respective goal/preference. A subset of the ranked itineraries may be output to the user for the user to select one for making the trip.

Abstract: A system and method for guiding a user in building a query are disclosed. The method includes providing an interaction space in which a user formulates a query using a plurality of query building blocks selected from a predefined set of query building blocks. The user's formulation of the query is guided. Guiding selection of at least a next building block is provided by at least one of a content-based mechanism which limits the selection of the next building block to those which will yield at least one result from an indexed collection of documents, a structure-based selection mechanism which limits the selection of the next building block to those which meet a predefined grammar, and a usage-based selection mechanism which proposes a next building block based on patterns of building blocks used in building prior queries. Each of these guidance mechanisms may be provided with the result that the next block proposed is informed by each of the mechanisms.

Abstract: A method for generating procedures includes receiving a log of a troubleshooting session. The log includes device data including a sequence of detected operations performed on the device causing respective components to change states. Steps of a candidate operating procedure are generated, based on the log, each corresponding to one of the detected operations. Missing steps may be identified, based on state charts and/or stored operability constraints for the device. The candidate operating procedure is compared with existing operating procedures stored in a knowledge base for the device to identify at least one existing operating procedure which includes steps which match at least some of the steps of the candidate operating procedure and, based on the identified at least one existing operating procedure, generating a textual description based on the textual description of the matching steps. The candidate procedure can be presented to an editor for validation.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method are disclosed for updating an electronic calendar. The method includes receiving an electronic message in a natural language in which a change in role is expressed and, with a natural language processor implemented by a computer processor, automatically detecting the change in role within the email message, optionally storing the change in role in a contacts database, and proposing updates for entries in an electronic calendar based on the detected change in role.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and non-transitory computer readable medium for generating a graphical representation to motivate a plurality of employees in a call center are disclosed. For example, the apparatus includes a display comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each one of the plurality of pixels represents one or more of the plurality of employees, a computer-readable medium storing the graphical representation and a processor in communication with the display and the computer-readable medium, wherein the processor receives an indication from an endpoint device of one of the plurality of employees when the one of the plurality of employees achieves a call center objective and the processor causes a pixel of the plurality of pixels associated with the one of the plurality of employees to turn on in accordance with the graphical representation, wherein the graphical representation comprises a pixel art shape.

Abstract: Methods and systems determining customer satisfaction in a work environment via prescriptive analytics. Self-reported data related to the perception of an agent with respect to customer satisfaction in a work environment (e.g., a call center) can be collected via an interface (e.g., an agent dashboard) that allows the agent to enter the self-reported data regarding the customer satisfaction. The self-reported data can then be correlated with an actual customer satisfaction score associated with the agent to derive data indicative of an interaction between the agent and a customer(s). Feedback data can then be provided via the interface indicating a correctness of the self-reported data based on correlating the self-reported data with the actual customer satisfaction score.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing a metric-based competition in a work environment to increase productivity. Information related to a set of participants in a work environment can be received. One or more interfaces can be generated, which allow participants to input data for use in collaboratively defining key performance indicators associated with a proposed competition and based at least in part on the information related to the participants, so as to increase participant motivation by providing the participants with more agency and choice with respect to competitions in the work environment.

Abstract: A system and method for visualizing performance metrics are disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component which collects information related to a set of agents operating in a work environment, a performance metric computation component which computes, for one of the agents, values for a performance metric at each of a plurality of times within a selected time period, and a representation generator which generates a representation for display to the agent, the representation providing the agent with information on the agent's current value for the performance metric. A processor implements the data acquisition component, the performance metric computation component, and the representation generator.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of forming carpools. Lists of participants in a rideshare environment are maintained. The participants are members of a private group and have privileges based on membership. A location of a participant is automatically determined based on a location detection method. A driver from the list of participants is automatically identified based on a current location of the driver. The driver proposes a trip comprising an approximate start time, approximate start location, end location, and number of available seats. Requests for transportation are received from passengers who are participants on the list of participants. For each available seat, the requests for transportation are automatically matched with the trip based on the approximate start time, the approximate start location, or the end location. Only certain passengers are matched with certain drivers. The matching identifies proposed riders.

Abstract: A method for generating procedures includes receiving a log of a troubleshooting session. The log includes device data including a sequence of detected operations performed on the device causing respective components to change states. Steps of a candidate operating procedure are generated, based on the log, each corresponding to one of the detected operations. Missing steps may be identified, based on state charts and/or stored operability constraints for the device. The candidate operating procedure is compared with existing operating procedures stored in a knowledge base for the device to identify at least one existing operating procedure which includes steps which match at least some of the steps of the candidate operating procedure and, based on the identified at least one existing operating procedure, generating a textual description based on the textual description of the matching steps. The candidate procedure can be presented to an editor for validation.

Abstract: A method for planning a transportation service includes sending transportation proposal to a plurality of organizations. The proposal includes one or more initial options, each including a set of variable parameters. Each organization can generate a modified option and make a commitment conditional on selected ones of the parameters. Each organization sends respective modified options to commuters of that organization who may specify their own pledges for at least one of the modified options, conditional on the organization-selected values for the variable parameters and optionally on commuter-selected values for the variable parameters. A cost-benefit function is computed for each of a set of revised options for the transportation service, each of the revised options being based on a combination of the variable parameters for which pledges which cover the combination have been received and one or more of the revised options is identified, based on the computed cost-benefit function.

Abstract: A system and a method for linking textual and physical concepts are disclosed. The method includes extracting candidate phrases from a knowledge base for a device, the candidate phrases including noun phrases. A set of candidate concepts is generated, based on the extracted noun phrases. Provision is made, e.g., on a graphical user interface, for a user to generate mapped concepts for physical components of the device by selecting, for each concept to be mapped, a physical component shown in a graphical representation of the device and at least one of the candidate concepts which is to be linked to that physical component. The knowledge base is indexed, based on the mapped concepts. In this way, textual expressions in the knowledge base are linked to a respective physical component through one of the mapped concepts.

Abstract: A system, method, and device for forming contextualized competitions in a work environment are disclosed. The system includes a performance metric computation component which computes performance metrics, a visualization component which generates a visual interface for display to a supervisor, and a processor which implements the components. The method includes receiving information related to a set of agents operating in a work environment. A first aggregated value for a first performance metric and a second aggregated value for a second performance metric are computed. The first and second values are visualized, and a predicted effect on the second performance metric when the first performance metric is altered is visualized. The device serves as a decision-making support tool including a plurality of control mechanisms for altering at least one performance metric and displaying the predicted effect on another.

Abstract: A system, method, and device for forming contextualized competitions in a work environment are disclosed. The system includes a performance metric computation component which computes performance metrics, a visualization component which generates a visual interface for display to a supervisor, and a processor which implements the components. The method includes receiving information related to a set of agents operating in a work environment. A first aggregated value for a first performance metric and a second aggregated value for a second performance metric are computed. The first and second values are visualized, and a predicted effect on the second performance metric when the first performance metric is altered is visualized. The device serves as a decision-making support tool including a plurality of control mechanisms for altering at least one performance metric and displaying the predicted effect on another.