Blekinge Institute of Technology
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An Intrusion Detection System in a Kubernetes Cluster
No full textBackground: Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) are essential for monitoring and analyzing network or system activities to detect malicious actions or policy violations. However, applying traditional IDS solutions to the dynamic, distributed framework of microservices—especially in a Kubernetes cluster—faces numerous shortcomings. These systems often struggle to adapt to the rapid deployment and fluid nature of a Kubernetes cluster, where each pod can become a potential attack vector for security threats. Objectives: The objective of this thesis is divided into three parts: To perform a literature review on intrusion detection systems in Kubernetes/microservices cloud-native environments. Develop an intrusion detection system that is implemented at the pod level in a Kubernetes cluster. Evaluate the intrusion detection system in a Kubernetes cluster. Methods: A literature review is conducted to examine the current landscape of Kubernetes-compatible IDS solutions. This is followed by a formal experiment involving the development and deployment of a hybrid IDS that combines rule-based(Snort), supervised (KNN), and unsupervised (Isolation Forest) models. Network traffic is captured at the pod level using Ksniff and processed into flow data using CICFlowMeter. Model evaluation is performed on the improved CICIDS dataset. Results: The system demonstrates successful detection of known attacks using the KNN model, with reasonable precision and recall scores. Isolation Forest effectively flagged novel or anomalous activity, though with some false positives. While the architecture proves viable as a concept, real-time implementation is hindered by significant inference latency introduced in the data pipeline. Additionally, the CICIDS dataset was the most applicable among publicly available sources, although gaps remain in modeling Kubernetes-native behaviors. Conclusions: This thesis validates the feasibility of hybrid IDS deployment at the pod level in Kubernetes. The layered approach enhances detection coverage, especially in environments with encrypted service mesh traffic. However, current limitations in dataset realism, system latency, and access requirements highlight the need for further optimizations. Future work should focus on reducing latency, expanding model diversity, and developing datasets that better reflect modern Kubernetes threat landscapes
Designing Effective UI for Remote Operations : Integrating UI Elements for Enhanced Teleoperation
No full textThis study explores the user interface's design and elements based on Co-Pilot—Dig Assist's productivity features. In collaboration with Volvo Construction Equipment, the design was visualized, and then the design concepts were evaluated in a simulated environment built in Unreal Engine 5. The aim of this study is to answer the following question: How can productivity features from the Co-Pilot—Dig Assist be effectively designed and integrated into the Teleoperation interface?An experimental research method was employed in partnership with Volvo Construction Equipment to evaluate the functionality and usability of the interface through informal discussions, contributing expertise and resources, and conducting user testing. An iterative design method was used for continuous design refinement and updating for each iteration after each debate and user testing. Then, agile project management was used as project management, highlighting flexibility and understanding of change for each iterative progress.The design provided results that visualized the real-time feedback of the Dig Assist UI elements, such as critical information in the Productivity Assist for an excavator used in teleoperation.Denna studie undersöker användargränssnittets design och element baserade på Co-Pilot—Dig Assists produktivitetsfunktioner. I samarbete med Volvo Construction Equipment visualiserades design, och därefter utvärderades designkoncepten i en simulerad miljö byggd i Unreal Engine 5. Syftet med studien är att besvara följande fråga: Hur kan produktivitetsfunktioner från Co-Pilot—Dig Assist effektivt designas och integreras i teleoperationsgränssnittet?En experimentell forskningsmetod användes i samarbete med Volvo Construction Equipment för att utvärdera gränssnittets funktionalitet och användbarhet genom informella diskussioner, bidrag av expertis och resurser samt användartester. En iterativ designmetod tillämpades för kontinuerlig designförfining och uppdatering vid varje iteration efter varje diskussion och användartest. Därefter användes agil projektledning som projektmetod, vilket betonar flexibilitet och förståelse för förändringar under varje iterativ utveckling.Designen gav resultat som visualiserade den realtidsåterkoppling av Dig Assists UI-element, såsom kritisk information i Productivity Assist, för en grävmaskin som används vid teleoperation
Social Hållbarhet inom förtätningsprojekt : En studie om förtätningsprojekts påverkan på social hållbarhet och interaktioner
No full textDetta arbete undersöker sociala aspekter kopplat till förtätade innerstäder och dess utemiljöer för att sedan komma fram till en förståelse över hur utformningen av dessa utemiljöer påverkar den sociala hållbarheten inom dessa områden. För att besvara de forskningsfrågor som bygger upp arbetet har dokumentär forskning och observationsforskning i form av fältstudier gjorts. Resultatet visade på en intressant koppling mellan utformning och social hållbarhet, samt hur stor påverkan valet av utformning kan ha på människor och antalet sociala interaktioner som tar plats
Evaluating Devanagari-Based Transfer Learning for Signature Recognition Using MobileNet : Signature Recognition
No full textBackground: Offline signature verification is challenging due to high variabilityand limited data. While MobileNetV3-Small enables on-device use, models pretrained on ImageNet lack handwriting-specific features. This study explores a threestage transfer learning approach: first adapting MobileNetV3-Small to Devanagaricharacter recognition, then fine-tuning on BHSig260-Hindi signatures, followed byhyperparameter tuning.Objectives: The primary goal is to assess whether handwriting-focused transfer learning improves signature verification performance compared to the standardImageNet-only baseline. Specifically, the study aims to (1) adapt MobileNetV3-Smallto Devnagari characters, (2) fine-tune the adapted backbone for genuine-vs-forgedsignature classification, (3) optimize the classification head and learning rate throughhyperparameter tuning, and (4) evaluate gains in accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score,and AUC. Methods: In Stage 1, MobileNetV3-Small (include_top=false) was pretrained ona Devanagari handwritten character dataset (49 classes, 8,273 images), using standard augmentations and freezing 80% of layers. In Stage 2, the model was fine-tunedon the BHSig260-Hindi dataset (genuine vs. forged) with a binary classifier head. InStage 3, hyperparameter tuning was performed using Keras Tuner (RandomSearch)to optimize dense units, dropout, and learning rate.Results: Domain-aware transfer learning led to consistent improvements over theImageNet-only baseline. After tuning, the final model achieved an average accuracy of 94.52%, F1-score of 94.99%, and AUC of 98.56% on the test set, withresults stable across multiple runs. However, since the baseline model was nothyperparameter-tuned, the comparison is not entirely fair; the goal was to explorethe potential benefits of handwriting-based pretraining and tuning when applied toMobileNet for offline signature verification.Conclusions: Fine-tuning MobileNetV3-Small on a structurally similar handwriting dataset improves its ability to distinguish genuine from forged signatures. Theresults show that lightweight CNNs benefit from handwriting-aware transfer learning and targeted hyperparameter tuning, making them well-suited for accurate andefficient on-device signature verification.Keywords: Handwritten Signature Verification; Transfer Learning; Hyperparameter Tuning; MobileNetV3-Small; Devnagari Characters; BHSig260-Hindi
Secrecy Capacity in Beamforming Transmission of Amplify and Forward Relaying Network
No full textThe increasing demand for secure wireless communication requires robust strategies against eavesdropping in the physical layer. This thesis aims to investigate the secrecy capacity of an Amplify-and-Forward (AF) relaying network employing transmit and receive beamforming. The primary objective is to enhance both the security and reliability of data transmission from a source to an authorized destination in the presence of a passive eavesdropper. The system model consists of a source equipped with multiple antennas (NS ), a single-antenna relay using amplify-and-forward (AF) mode, and a destination with multiple antennas (ND). It also includes an eavesdropper that has multiple antennas (NE ). The communication takes place over Nakagami-m fading channels, and path loss is also taken into account. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) based beamforming is designed for the authorized link to maximize its signal quality. Performance is evaluated through analytical derivations and MonteCarlo simulations for key metrics: outage probability, bit error rate (BER), and ergodic secrecy capacity. The analysis shows that increasing the number of antennas at the source and destination leads to better performance. This improvement is due to enhanced diversity and array gains. Shorter authorized link distances (dSR, dRD) and lower path loss exponents (n) are shown to reduce outage probability and BER. A key finding is that a higher path loss exponent improves system security. This happens when the eavesdropper is located farther from the source or relay compared to the destination. In these cases, the eavesdropper experiences more signal degradation than the intended receiver. This leads to an increase in secrecy capacity. Conversely, increasing authorized link distances while the eavesdropper’s position remains relatively advantageous generally degrades secrecy capacity. The thesis also quantifies the trade-offs associated with varying internode distances and antenna configurations on overall system performance. This research demonstrates that the strategic integration of AF relaying with SVD-based beamforming provides a robust framework to improve secure and reliable communications in fading environments. The findings explains valuable insights for the design of future wireless networks where both confidentiality and robust performance are paramount
Att forma framtidens mötesplatser : en studie om sociala kvaliteter i Varvsstadens offentliga rum
No full textI takt med samhällets ständiga utveckling blir offentliga rum allt viktigare. Faktorer som individualisering, digitalisering och bilism har lett till att offentliga rum utvecklats till genomfarter istället för platser att vistas och mötas på. Detta har i sin tur påverkat viktiga perspektiv som trygghet, tillhörighet och mänsklig närvaro i offentliga rum. Studien undersöker därför hur framtidens mötesplatser kan formas för att främja den sociala sammanhållningen. Det utvalda planområdet är Varvsstaden i Malmö, ett historiskt industriområde. Varvsstaden genomgår en omvandling och utvecklas till en ny stadsdel med starkare kopplingar till Västra Hamnen och centrala Malmö. Genom att utgå från ett socialt hållbarhetsperspektiv undersöks det hur sociala interaktioner kan främjas i Varvsstadens offentliga rum. Studien syftar på att identifiera strategier som kan tillämpas i att skapa inbjudande och inkluderande mötesplatser. Detta har genomförts med en kombination av metoder: dokumentstudier, webbaserade frågeformulär, semi-strukturerad intervju samt en fallstudie av Davidshallstorg i Malmö. Dessutom används Jan Gehls 12 kvalitetskriterier som ett analytiskt ramverk för att peka ut utmaningar och potentialer med Davidshallstorg, där resultaten senare tillämpas i Varvsstadens offentliga rum. En av de centrala strategierna för hållbar stadsutveckling som identifieras i studien är placemaking. Strategin utgår från att identifiera platsens förutsättningar och kvaliteter samtidigt som den har medborgarnas synpunkter och behov i åtanke. Studien visar att medborgarnas delaktighet i planeringsprocessen bidrar till ökad tillhörighet till platsen, samt att den stärker den vardagliga användningen och sociala sammanhållningen. Placemaking belyser också vikten av tillfälliga aktiviteter och variation av funktioner. Resultaten pekar på att flexibla och mångfunktionella miljöer ökar platsens användbarhet och attraktivitet, vilket i sin tur ökar potentialen att främja sociala interaktioner. Studien bekräftar att det inte finns ett specifikt sätt att aktivera offentliga rum, däremot kan strategier som placemaking hjälpa till att förstå kontexten av en plats och användargruppens behov. Studien avslutas med två planförslag för Varsstadens offentliga rum, där den insamlade kunskapen formade målen och strategierna som implementerades i förslagen. Planförslagen illustrerar och visar konkreta exempel på hur Varvsstadens offentliga rum kan främja levande och inkluderande mötesplatser. Studien visar att ett sammanhållet och tvärvetenskapligt synsätt är avgörande för att skapa offentliga rum som stödjer social hållbarhet. För att stärka den sociala sammanhållningen krävs att fysiska miljöer utformas med utgångspunkt i människors vardag, behov och upplevelser. Offentliga platser bör därför inte bara vara tillgängliga och funktionella, utan även främja delaktighet, trygghet och gemenskap
Resolution Equation for SAR Systems Synthesizing Circular Aperture
No full textThe resolution of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system depends not only on the operating frequency range of a radar but also on the geometry. A radar system operating at MHz frequencies facilitates SAR resolution to the meter (m) level with a linear aperture. With the same radar system, the realization of the circular aperture can further enhance the SAR resolutions to the submeter level. For GHz SAR systems, the realization of circular apertures helps to reduce the resolution from the centimeter (cm) level to the millimeter (mm) level. In this paper, a resolution equation for SAR systems synthesizing circular aperture (CSAR) is introduced. The equation is derived from the backprojection integral for CSAR, its Fourier transform, and the method of stationary phase. The accuracy of the derived equation is enhanced with a correcting factor that is numerically calculated with a cubic interpolation. Therefore, the equation can provide a more accurate, analytical, and practical estimate of the spatial resolution that can be reached with a CSAR system than the ones available in the literature. The resolution equation introduced in this paper is verified with simulations of a MHz SAR system and a GHz SAR system. The equation is further verified by an experiment with a THz inverse SAR (ISAR) system. The radar utilized in the ISAR experiment is a D-band radar system mounted on an antenna positioner that supports circular movement
Value Stream Mapping at Scania’s Engine Manufacturing Foundry: A Case Study On Identifying Disruptions and Process Waste For Lean Improvement
No full textBackground. This thesis explores how Lean Manufacturing (LM) and Value Stream Mapping (VSM) can be adapted to complex manufacturing environments such as Scania’s foundry. The study was conducted as Case study at Scania’s engine manufacturing foundry, specifically on the Finishing Line, where the Overall Production Efficiency (OPE) is 30%, which is caused by minor disruptions, and inefficiencies in the production. Objectives: The aim of this study was to adapt Value Stream Mapping to a complex production line and investigate how it can be used to identify inefficiencies and disruptions. And finding the root causes to these by utilizing Root Cause Analysis methods. Methods: An adjusted VSM model was implemented using Average Weighted Cycle Time (AWCT) to reflect the production mix in Finshing Line. Data was collected through three sources: Observation, Interview and Production Database (System logs). These data sources were then triangulated, and the identified disruptions and inefficiencies were analyzed using Root Cause Analysis methods, 5Why’s and Fishbone Diagram. Results: The analysis of Current Value Stream Mapping showed that only 22% of the processes and activities in Finishing line are Value-Adding, while 73% are Non-Necessary-Value-Adding and the remaining 5% were Waste/Non-Value-Adding. A total of 21 disruptions were identified, of which 12 were still recurring. Improvement suggestions were developed for 10 of them. If implemented, these could reduce the time losses caused by disruption by 19, 700seconds per day. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that VSM, when adapted to complex environments and by data triangulation and root cause analysis, is an effective tool for identifying inefficiencies. These findings provide a solid starting point for future improvement efforts focused on boosting overall production efficiency. Bakgrund: Denna studie undersöker hur Lean Manufacturing (LM) och Value Stream Mapping (VSM) kan anpassas till komplexa tillverkningsmiljöer, såsom Scanias gjuteri. Studien genomfördes som en fallstudie vid Scanias gjuteri för motortillverkning, med särskilt fokus på Finishing Line, där den totala produktionseffektiviteten (OPE) uppgår till endast 30 %, vilket till stor del beror på mindre störningar och ineffektiviteter i produktionen. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att anpassa Value Stream Mapping till en komplex produktionslinje och undersöka hur metoden kan användas för att identifiera ineffektiviteter och störningar samt att hitta rotorsakerna till dessa genom att använda metoder för rotorsaksanalys. Metod: En justerad eller anpaassad VSM-modell tillämpades med hjälp av genomsnittlig viktad cykeltid (AWCT) för att spegla produktmixen i Finishing Line. Datainsamlingen baserades på tre källor: observationer, intervjuer samt Scanias produktionsdatabas (systemloggar). Dessa datakällor triangulerades, och de identifierade störningarna och ineffektiviteten analyserades med hjälp av rotorsaksanalyser, främst genom metoderna 5 Varför och Fiskbensdiagram. Resultat: Analysen av nuvarande värdeflödeskartläggning visade att endast 22 % av aktiviteterna i Finishing Line är värdeskapande, medan 73 % är nödvändiga men icke-värdeskapande, och de återstående 5 % utgör rent slöseri. Totalt identifierades 21 olika typer av störningar, varav 12 fortfarande förekommer. Förbättringsförslag togs fram för 10 av dessa. Om dessa åtgärder implementeras beräknas störningsrelaterade tidförluster kunna minska med cirka 19 700 sekunder per dag. Slutsatser: VSM, när det anpassas till komplexa miljöer och kombineras med datatriangulering och rotorsaksanalyser, är ett effektivt verktyg för att identifiera ineffektiviteter. Resultaten utgör en stabil grund för framtida förbättringsarbete med målet att öka den totala produktionseffektiviteten
Enhancing Employee Engagement and Performance Through a Sustainable mentoring Culture : An Automotive Industry-Based Organizational Study
No full textContext: Mentoring plays a crucial role in helping employee development, engagement, and retention. In the automotive industry, where hierarchical structures and fast-paced innovation create a dynamic workplace culture, mentoring culture can support both personal growth and operational performance. Although mentoring programs are common, a thorough and consistent assessment of their impact remains lacking. Problem: Organizations in the automotive sector often lack clear, validated metrics for assessing mentoring culture. Existing evaluation approaches are either too generic or insufficiently tailored to mentor and mentee roles and the different stages of the mentoring process. This gap hampers the ability to improve programs and demonstrate their strategic value. Method: This study proposes a structured, context-sensitive approach to identifying relevant evaluation metrics. Using the FuzzyDelphi Method (FDM), expert consensus was collected from 35 participants(mentors and protégés) on 29 potential metrics categorized into thematic domains. These metrics were then conceptually mapped to the stages of the Dynamic Process Model (DPM) of mentoring to assess their relevance over time and role-specific applicability. Results: The FDM analysis resulted in consensus on 14 of the 29 proposed items. High agreement was observed in three domains: MentoringCulture, Employee Engagement Social Support, and PersonalLearning Development. Notably, all items in the Program Evaluation Systematic Measurement domain were rejected, indicating a critical shortfall in the industry’s readiness or capacity to implement formalize devaluation processes. The results reveal that while the early and middle stages of mentoring (Initiation, Cultivation, Separation) are well-supported by evaluative metrics, the Redefinition stage lacks systematic assessment tools. Contributes: This study contributes a filtered set of expert-endorsed evaluation metrics tailored to mentoring relationships in the automotive sector. It emphasizes the importance of aligning evaluation practices with mentoring stages and differentiating between mentor and mentee roles. The findings highlight both the potential and the limitations of current mentoring culture evaluation, offering a foundation for further research and implementation in industry-specific contexts
Jämförelse av enkelsides- och flerstegsutchekning inom e-handel : Utcheckningsflödens påverkan på konverteringsfrekvens, användbarhet och förtroende
No full textDespite the rapid growth of e-commerce and its increasing share of global retail, a central challenge remains: a significant portion of purchases are abandoned during the checkout process. One key factor contributing to this issue is how the checkout flow is perceived by users, especially in terms of structure, clarity, and trust. This study examines how two common types of checkout flows, one-page checkout and multi-step checkout, affect both conversion rates and users’ perceived usability and trust. A 36-day undersökning was conducted with a total of 66 participants, where 47 interacted with a one-page checkout and 19 with a multi-step checkout. Conversion data was collected using A/B testing. User experiences regarding usability and trust were measured through a survey based on the System Usability Scale (SUS) and additional questions using a five-point Likert scale. The results from the simulated e-commerce environment, in which a custom-built website was used to mimic a real online store, showed that the multi-step checkout generated a higher conversion rate (52.6 %) than the single-page checkout (27.7 %). However, this difference was not statistically significant and should be interpreted as an indicative trend rather than a confirmed effect. The multi-step flow was perceived as slightly more secure and trustworthy, while the one-page flow was rated as clearer. Both flows were considered user-friendly, though the multi-step variant received a slightly higher average SUS score (“Excellent” compared to “Good”). The findings suggest that a step-by-step structure with clear progress indicators can help reduce early drop-offs, while compact flows may be better suited for experienced and fast shoppers. Overall, the study highlights the importance of combining technical A/B testing with user-centered evaluation methods to better understand how checkout design impacts both behavior and experience.Trots e-handelns snabba expansion och ökande andel av den globala detaljhandeln kvarstår en central utmaning: en betydande andel köp avbryts i utcheckningssteget. En viktig faktor bakom detta är hur utcheckningsflödet upplevs av användaren – särskilt i termer av struktur, tydlighet och förtroende. Denna studie undersöker hur två vanliga typer av utcheckningsflöden – enkelsidesutcheckning och flerstegsutcheckning– påverkar dels konverteringsfrekvensen, dels användarnas upplevda användbarhet och förtroende. Ett 36 dagar långt undersökning genomfördes med 66 deltagare, där 47 testade ett enkelsidesflöde och 19 ett flerstegsflöde. Konverteringsdata samlades in via A/B-testning, medan upplevd användbarhet och förtroende mättes genom en enkät bestående av System Usability Scale (SUS) samt kompletterande frågor på en femgradig Likertskala. Resultaten från den simulerade e-handelsmiljön, där en egenutvecklad webbplats användes för att efterlikna en verklig e-handelsplats, visade att flerstegsutcheckningen genererade en högre konverteringsgrad (52,6 %) än enkelsidesutcheckningen (27,7 %). Skillnaden var dock inte statistiskt signifikant och bör därför tolkas som en tendens snarare än en fastställd effekt. Flerstegsflödet upplevdes som något säkrare och mer pålitligt, medan enkelsidesflödet bedömdes som tydligare. Båda flöden uppfattades som användarvänliga, men flerstegsflödet fick ett något högre genomsnittligt SUS-värde (“Excellent” kontra “Good”). Studien indikerar att stegvis struktur med tydlig progress kan minska avhopp, medan kompakta flöden kan passa bättre för snabba, erfarna köpare. Sammantaget understryker resultaten vikten av att kombinera teknisk analys med användarcentrerade metoder för att förstå hur utformningen av utcheckning påverkar både beteende och upplevelse