This study presents a systematic review of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used in the detection and classification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) medical images in terms of evaluation and benchmarking. Five reliable databases, namely, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus were used to obtain relevant studies of the given topic. Several filtering and scanning stages were performed according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria to screen the 36 studies obtained; however, only 11 studies met the criteria. Taxonomy was performed, and the 11 studies were classified on the basis of two categories, namely, review and research studies. Then, a deep analysis and critical review were performed to highlight the challenges and critical gaps outlined in the academic literature of the given subject. Results showed that no relevant study evaluated and benchmarked AI techniques utilised in classification tasks (i.e. binary, multi-class, multi-labelled and hierarchical classifications) of COVID-19 medical images. In case evaluation and benchmarking will be conducted, three future challenges will be encountered, namely, multiple evaluation criteria within each classification task, trade-off amongst criteria and importance of these criteria. According to the discussed future challenges, the process of evaluation and benchmarking AI techniques used in the classification of COVID-19 medical images considered multi-complex attribute problems. Thus, adopting multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is an essential and effective approach to tackle the problem complexity. Moreover, this study proposes a detailed methodology for the evaluation and benchmarking of AI techniques used in all classification tasks of COVID-19 medical images as future directions; such methodology is presented on the basis of three sequential phases. Firstly, the identification procedure for the construction of four decision matrices, namely, binary, multi-class, multi-labelled and hierarchical, is presented on the basis of the intersection of evaluation criteria of each classification task and AI classification techniques. Secondly, the development of the MCDA approach for benchmarking AI classification techniques is provided on the basis of the integrated analytic hierarchy process and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje methods. Lastly, objective and subjective validation procedures are described to validate the proposed benchmarking solutions.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a large family of viruses that are common in many animal species, including camels, cattle, cats and bats. Animal CoVs, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV, and the new virus named SARS-CoV-2, rarely infect and spread among humans. On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak of the resulting disease from this new CoV called ‘COVID-19’, as a ‘public health emergency of international concern’. This global pandemic has affected almost the whole planet and caused the death of more than 315,131 patients as of the date of this article. In this context, publishers, journals and researchers are urged to research different domains and stop the spread of this deadly virus. The increasing interest in developing artificial intelligence (AI) applications has addressed several medical problems. However, such applications remain insufficient given the high potential threat posed by this virus to global public health. This systematic review addresses automated AI applications based on data mining and machine learning (ML) algorithms for detecting and diagnosing COVID-19. We aimed to obtain an overview of this critical virus, address the limitations of utilising data mining and ML algorithms, and provide the health sector with the benefits of this technique. We used five databases, namely, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus and performed three sequences of search queries between 2010 and 2020. Accurate exclusion criteria and selection strategy were applied to screen the obtained 1305 articles. Only eight articles were fully evaluated and included in this review, and this number only emphasised the insufficiency of research in this important area. After analysing all included studies, the results were distributed following the year of publication and the commonly used data mining and ML algorithms. The results found in all papers were discussed to find the gaps in all reviewed papers. Characteristics, such as motivations, challenges, limitations, recommendations, case studies, and features and classes used, were analysed in detail. This study reviewed the state-of-the-art techniques for CoV prediction algorithms based on data mining and ML assessment. The reliability and acceptability of extracted information and datasets from implemented technologies in the literature were considered. Findings showed that researchers must proceed with insights they gain, focus on identifying solutions for CoV problems, and introduce new improvements. The growing emphasis on data mining and ML techniques in medical fields can provide the right environment for change and improvement.

Water quality monitoring plays a significant part in the transition towards intelligent and smart agriculture and provides an easy transition to automated monitoring of crucial components of human daily needs as new technologies are continuously developed and adopted in agricultural and human daily life (water). For the monitoring and management of water quality, this effort, however, requires reliable models with accurate and thorough datasets. Analyzing water quality monitoring models by utilizing sensors that gather water properties during live experiments is possible due to the necessity for precision in modeling. To convey numerous conclusions regarding the concerns, issues, difficulties, and research gaps that have existed throughout the past five years (2018–2022), this review article thoroughly examines the water quality literature. To find trustworthy peer-reviewed publications, several digital databases were searched and examined, including IEEE Xplore^®, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. Only 50 articles out of the 946 papers obtained, were used in the study of the water quality monitoring research area. There are more rules for article inclusion in the second stage of the filtration process. Utilizing a real-time data acquisition system, the criteria for inclusion for the second phase of filtration looked at the implementation of water quality monitoring and characterization procedures. Reviews and experimental studies comprised most of the articles, which were divided into three categories. To organize the literature into articles with similar types of experimental conditions, a taxonomy of the three literature was created. Topics for recommendations are also provided to facilitate and speed up the pace of advancement in this field of study. By conducting a thorough analysis of the earlier suggested methodologies, research gaps are made clear. The investigation largely pointed out the problems in the accuracy of the models, the development of data-gathering systems, and the types of data used in the proposed frameworks. Finally, by examining critical topics required for the development of this research area, research directions toward smart water quality are presented.

In response to the burgeoning interest in the Metaverse—a virtual reality-driven immersive digital world—this study delves into the pivotal role of AI in shaping its functionalities and elevating user engagement. Focused on recent advancements, prevailing challenges, and potential future developments, our research draws from a comprehensive analysis grounded in meticulous methodology. The study, informed by credible sources including SD, Scopus, IEEE, and WoS, encompasses 846 retrieved studies. Through a rigorous selection process, 54 research papers were identified as relevant, forming the basis for a specific taxonomy of AI in the Metaverse. Our examination spans diverse dimensions of the Metaverse, encompassing augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, Blockchain, Agent Systems, Intelligent NPCs, Societal and Educational Impact, HCI and Systems Design, and Technical Aspects. Emphasizing the necessity of adopting trustworthy AI in the Metaverse, our findings underscore its potential to enhance user experience, safeguard privacy, and promote responsible technology use. This paper not only sheds light on the scholarly interest in the Metaverse but also explores its impact on human behavior, education, societal norms, and community dynamics. Serving as a foundation for future development and responsible implementation of the Metaverse concept, our research identifies and addresses seven open issues, providing indispensable insights for subsequent studies on the integration of AI in the Metaverse.