Perception Aspects in Underground Spaces using ... - TOI - TU Delft

Up until now it has been shown that underground space and ICT have common ground,especially when it comes to mobility issues and dealing with shortage of space. In summary,underground space improves physical mobility while ICT stimulates virtual mobility. This isillustrated for example with teleworking or distance learning. In order to position this work inrelation to ICT, it is necessary to clearly define the terms data, information and knowledge whichare sometimes loosely and interchangeably used. In basic terms, they can be defined as follows:•= Data. Basic elements of information which do not convey any specific meaning•=•=Information. Information is a set of data that has been organized so that it conveys meaningKnowledge. Knowledge consists of information items that are organized and processed toconvey accumulated learning and expertise as they apply to a current problem or activity(Turban and Aronson, 1998).This term ICT is still evolving. According to VROM Raad (2001) it is a technology used toprocess and transfer information in a dematerialized form. The main difficulty with this term risesif one time there is more accent on information transfer, and other times on informationprocessing. Also, very often there is confusion whether the ICT deals only with information in adigital form or whether it involves any type of information communication. According toDolmans and Lourens (2001), ICT includes all techniques that make it possible to transferinformation in electronic form made possible by developments in computer technology. Becauseof these difficulties, other terms are emerging as well, to indicate their focus and the scope withinthe ICT. One example is ICTT (Information Communication Transaction Technology) in whichthe term transaction involves the ordering, buying and paying for goods over the Internet.Another example is IC 2 T (Information Communication Computing Technology) which focuseson future developments of ICT mainly by means of computers and other inventions incomputing, to give focus to the digital character of information. This is to be understood as anysort of dematerialized information that is being transferred by means of computers. Yet anotherexample is ICKT (Information Communication Knowledge Technology) where the focus is notonly on ICT but also on knowledge technology (Sariyildiz, 2001).To avoid misunderstandings, there is a need for clear distinction of the sub-fields within ICT.One would be Information Technology with a focus on information processing and knowledgemodeling. That would include all techniques, which deal with electronic processing ofinformation and knowledge. Here one may think of using conventional computing techniques oradvanced soft computing techniques. Another sub-field of ICT is Communication Technologythat focuses more on communication of information and knowledge, between different parties.This involves activities on the WWW for example e-commerce or distance learning, includingdevelopments in mobile and wireless technology. This implies that totally different techniquesare needed for 'information processing and knowledge technology' than for'information/knowledge communication technology'. Therefore, under ICT, two technologies canbe understood, complimentary to each other but comprising different techniques.- 13 -