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Low Power IoT based Automated Manhole Cover Monitoring System as a Smart City application
Get PDFWith the increased population in the big cities, Internet of Things (IoT) devices to be used as automated monitoring systems are required in many of the Smart city’s applications. Monitoring road infrastructure such as a manhole cover (MC) is one of these applications. Automating monitoring manhole cover structure has become more demanding, especially when the number of MC failure increases rapidly: it affects the safety, security and the economy of the society. Only 30% of the current MC monitoring systems are automated with short lifetime in comparison to the lifetime of the MC, without monitoring all the MC issues and without discussing the challenges of the design from IoT device design point of view. Extending the lifetime of a fully automated IoT-based MC monitoring system from circuit design point of view was studied and addressed in this research. The main circuit that consumes more power in the IoT-based MC monitoring system is the analogue to digital converter (ADC) found at the data acquisition module (DAQ).
In several applications, the compressive sensing (CS) technique proved its capability to reduce the power consumption for ADC. In this research, CS has been investigated and studied deeply to reach the aim of the research. CS based ADC is named analogue to information converter (AIC). Because the heart of the AIC is the pseudorandom number generator (PRNG), several researchers have used it as a key to secure the data, which makes AIC more suitable for IoT device design. Most of these PRNG designs for AIC are hardware implemented in the digital circuit design. The presence of digital PRNG at the AIC analogue front end requires: a) isolating digital and analogue parts, and b) using two different power supplies and grounds for analogue and digital parts. On the other hand, analogue circuit design becomes more demanding for the sake of the power consumption, especially after merging the analogue circuit design with other fields such as neural networks and neuroscience.
This has motivated the researcher to propose two low-power analogue chaotic oscillators to replace digital PRNG using opamp Schmitt Trigger. The proposed systems are based on a coupling oscillator concept. The design of the proposed systems is based on: First, two new modifications for the well-known astable multivibrator using opamp Schmitt trigger. Second, the waveshaping design technique is presented to design analogue chaotic oscillators instead of starting with complex differential equations as it is the case for most of the chaotic oscillator designs. This technique helps to find easy steps and understanding of building analogue chaotic oscillators for electronic circuit designers.
The proposed systems used off the shelf components as a proof of concept. The proposed systems were validated based on: a) the range of the temperature found beneath a manhole cover, and b) the signal reconstruction under the presence and the absence of noise.
The results show decent performance of the proposed system from the power consumption point of view, as it can exceed the lifetime of similar two opamps based Jerk chaotic oscillators by almost one year for long lifetime applications such as monitoring MC using Li-Ion battery. Furthermore, in comparison to PRNG output sequence generated by a software algorithm used in AIC framework in the presence of the noise, the first proposed system output sequence improved the signal reconstruction by 6.94%, while the second system improved the signal reconstruction by 17.83
The role of heat recirculation and flame stabilization in the formation of NOX in a thermo-photovoltaic micro-combustor step wall
Get PDFThe health and durability of micro thermophotovoltaic systems are contingent upon the level of gaseous emissions of micro combustors regarding their small size, thickness, and compactness. In small combustion devices, the flame stabilization is achieved via conjugated heat transfer from the stabilized flame to the fresh reactant via the step of the micro-combustors. The step could also create a recirculation of products, and a stagnation zone for the fluid, as a result leading to the accumulation of pollutants. In turbulent H2 flame, the main attention is given to the NOX as no other noxious emission, especially carbon emission (CO, CO2, PAH, and VOC), form during the combustion of hydrogen. The existence of NOX in the presence of water, as in the combustion of hydrogen is prevalent, could lead to corrosion in combustor interior walls and other detrimental impacts for the ecosystem. In the presented work, micro-combustion of H2 flame in a cylinder with a step is simulated and the formation of nitrogen oxides is analyzed. The influence of different combustor specifications (equivalence ratio, solid materials) NOX species are discussed and evaluated. Results revealed nitrogen oxides form and accumulate in the vertical step of the microchannel and that the microchannel walls are more prone to the high concentrations of nitrogen oxides. The application of cavity promotes the two-dimensionality of flow, resulting in effective heat transfer from the hot gas to the cavity walls. This not only leads to flame anchoring to the cavity walls but also results in significant NOX
An exploration of the experiences of carers granted special guardianship orders (SGOs). Are there differences in the way that people perceive SGO’s from the point of applying for one, to the point of having a child in their care? A Q-Methodology study.
Get PDFThis thesis was completed in partial fulfilment for the award of Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The thesis aims to review the current literature about why it is that kinship care may provide more favourable outcomes for Looked after Children. It then moves on to begin exploring the experiences of carers granted special guardianship orders (SGOs).
Chapter one is a literature review which examines factors thought to contribute to more favourable outcomes for Looked after Children in kinship care placements. Factors including longer lasting placements, positive attitudes of the carers, increased contact with biological parents, being placed within a familiar social class and culture, high levels of carer wellbeing, and good levels of support were all thought to be linked to more favourable outcomes. Limited research has been carried out in this area however, and the majority of research is based on samples from the United States. It was therefore recommended that further research is completed, with a particular emphasis on samples in the United Kingdom.
Chapter two is an empirical paper which set out to retrospectively explore carers’ experiences and perceptions of SGOs from the point of applying for the order, to the point at which the SGO was granted, and finally to the present day. Ten participants were recruited to complete the research using Q-methodology. Five common viewpoints were identified and include 1) The child is part of the family: a positive experience despite limited knowledge, 2) In the dark, obliged and unsupported, 3) Lots of training opportunities and managing well, 4) Giving up the caring role is not an option… but having a supportive family is helpful, 5) Confused, angry and don’t know who to trust. Clinical implications and areas for future research are discussed.
Finally, chapter three is an executive summary of the empirical paper. It is intended for use by both service users and professionals, and aims to present the key findings of the research in a more accessible format
Probabilistic Analysis of Temporal and Sequential Aspects of Activities of Daily Living for Abnormal Behaviour Detection
Get PDFThis paper presents a probabilistic approach for the identification of abnormal behaviour in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) from dense sensor data collected from 30 participants. The ADLs considered are related to preparing and drinking (i) tea, and (ii) coffee. Abnormal behaviour identified in the context of these activities can be an indicator of a progressive health problem or the occurrence of a hazardous incident. The approach presented considers the temporal and sequential aspects of the actions that are part of each ADL and that vary between participants. The average and standard deviation for the duration and number of steps of each activity are calculated to define the average time and steps and a range within which a behaviour could be considered as normal for each stage and activity. The Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) is used to obtain the probabilities of abnormal behaviours related to the early and late completion of activities and stages within an activity in terms of time and steps. Analysis shows that CDF can provide precise and reliable results regarding the presence of abnormal behaviour in stages and activities that last over a minute or consist of many steps. Finally, this approach could be used to train machine learning algorithms for abnormal behaviour detection
Spike Jonze, Propaganda/Satellite Films and Music Video Work: Talent management and the construction of an Indie-Auteur
Get PDFMarketing and critical discourse has frequently described Spike Jonze as an indie-auteur, a label placing him alongside filmmakers such as Jim Jarmusch, the Coen Brothers and Steven Soderbergh. Yet while many of his contemporaries gained recognition via the film festival circuit, Jonze’s filmmaking career began in part thanks to his music video work, particularly for Propaganda Films. Indeed, a talent management and media production company, Propaganda Films played a significant role in developing Jonze’s career and profile as an indie auteur, not least by co-producing his debut feature, and winner of the Independent Spirit Award, Being John Malkovich (1999). Accordingly, this paper analyses Jonze’s work with Propaganda Films and its subsidiary division, Satellite, in order to explore his emergence and profile as indie-auteur.
The paper investigates the economic and industrial practices and strategies underpinning Jonze’s cultural and commercial profile as indie-auteur. To do so, the paper adopts a synthetic approach, conducting textual analyses of Jonze’s music videos – including The Pharcyde’s Drop and Fatboy Slim’s Praise You – as well as marketing and critical discourse analysis, and grounded within an analysis of industry reports. For instance, the paper analyses Propaganda Film’s talent management practices and their role in helping to develop Jonze’s brand and industry profile. In doing so, the paper aims to reconfigure Jonze’s authorial profile specifically, while considering cultural implications for the indie-auteur label in general
Application of Cortical Learning Algorithms to Movement Classification towards Automated Video Forensics
Get PDFThe need for proper and acceptable video forensics process is necessary due to the proliferation and advancement of video technologies in all aspects of our life, hence the legal system has heavily invested in this area. Also, the classification of the movements of objects detected from a video feed is an essential module to automate the forensic video process. Recently, new bio-inspired machine learning techniques have been proposed in the attempt of mimicking the function of the human brain. Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HTM) theory has proposed new computational learning models, Cortical Learning Algorithms (CLA), inspired from the neocortex, which offer a better understanding of how our brains function.
This research aims to study the requirements of video forensic investigation and Police procedures to propose a new semi-automated post-incident analysis framework and to investigate the application of the CLA to movement classification towards an automated video forensics process.
This research starts by reviewing the research related to police practices for video forensics as well as various proposed video forensic frameworks. Then a Questionnaire targeting CCTV/Video Forensics practitioners has been developed to capture the requirements for automating the video forensics process, this has been followed by proposing a new post-incident analysis framework. Then, a literature review covering state-of-the-art movement classification algorithms has been carried out. Finally, a novel CLA-based movement classification algorithm has been proposed and devised to classify the movements of moving objects in realistic video surveillance scenarios, and the test results have been evaluated.
Tests applied on twenty-three videos have been conducted to detect movement anomalies in different scenarios. Additionally, in this study, the proposed algorithm has been evaluated and compared against several state-of-the-art anomaly detection algorithms. The proposed algorithm has achieved 66.29% average F-measure, with an improvement of 15.5%compared to the k-Nearest Neighbour Global Anomaly Score (kNN-GAS) algorithm. The Independent Component Analysis-Local Outlier Probability (ICA-LoOP) scored 42.75%, the Singular Value Decomposition Influence Outlier (SVD-IO) achieved 34.82%, whilst the Connectivity Based Factor algorithm (CBOF) scored 8.72%. The proposed models, which are based on HTM, have empirically portrayed positive potential and had exceeded in performance when compared to state-of-the-art algorithm
The Inaugural Women in Sport & Exercise Conference: Consensus Statement
Get PDFThe inaugural women in sport and exercise conference was held at Staffordshire University on 13th-14th June, and brought together a number of academics, clinicians, practitioners, sport leaders, policymakers and administrators, charities, current and retired athletes, and the general public for a showcase of current research on female-specific health and medical issues and opportunities arising from women's participation in sport and exercise. Aside from these common themes, the conference sought to kickstart a redressing of the gender disparity of participants in sport and exercise science research. Courtesy of Costello, Bieuzen, and Bleakley (2014), we know that females are significantly under-represented in research across all of the sports science and sports medicine disciplines. Ultimately, the result of this is the extrapolation of the findings, provided by male participants, to female athletes and exercisers (Costello et al., 2014). Contributors from a diverse range of disciplines such as physiology, biomechanics, psychology, nutrition, endocrinology, sociology, and sport policy sought to present their work from an academic, a professional practice, and a policy perspective. The commonality amongst all contributions was the consideration of females as a unique population both in research and in practice. Although the contributions were many and varied, there were a number of common themes that became apparent during the course of the two days. These were: encouraging more females into sport and exercise, physical training and nutrition, menstruation, psychology, pregnancy, injury, ageing and the lack of a level “playing field”
EQUAL PRACTICES? A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF WIDENING PARTICIPATION PRACTICES IN PRE AND POST-92 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Get PDFThis thesis explores the similarities and differences in widening participation
outreach practices across pre-92 and post-92 institutions. Whilst widening
participation sits under one national policy, individual institutions enact this in
different ways. Using a comparative approach, it highlights the ways in which
gaps between policy and practice manifest. Adopting a two-phase approach, the
study is as follows. A critical discourse analysis of the 2016-17 access agreements
across ten institutions (five pre-92 and five post-92) was conducted in order to
explore the ways in which language was used and commonalities and differences
in discourses deployed in policy by different types of institution. Phase two then
explored some of the emerging themes with sixteen practitioners (eight working
in post-92 institutions and eight in pre-92 institutions).
The findings identified a policy-practice gap in relation to a number of specific
issues. These include: the role of marketisation in driving institutional agendas,
who is framed as a ‘potential’ student, and the role understandings of aspiration
play in interpreting national widening participation policy agendas. Additionally,
this thesis develops a framework for understanding how individuals’ personal
and professional experiences can shape policy enactment in widening
participation.
This thesis makes distinct contributions to knowledge through foregrounding
those who work in widening participation outreach roles, a previously under
researched group. Additionally, the findings in relation to aspiration and potential
offer new insights to the field. It also makes a clear methodological contribution
through its use of creative methods both in data collection using Drawing and
Lego based approaches and in dissemination through the use of comics.
Additionally, a theoretical contribution is made through considering the role of
temporality in understanding policy and adopting a Critical Realist approach to
exploring these issues. The thesis concludes with a number of practical
recommendations for national policymakers, institutional decision makers and
practitioners themselves
Women’s leadership development and preparation for leadership in the girls’ secondary independent sector in England
No full textThis chapter provides an account of seven women’s experiences of their development and preparation for leadership in the girls’ secondary independent (private) sector in England. We begin by outlining the diversity of provision that characterizes the secondary education sector in England and then consider independent schools. Independent schools receive no financial support from the central government of the United Kingdom (UK); they are managed and owned by special trusts and affiliations. Historically schools in the independent sector have perennially been applauded for their academic excellence whilst simultaneously condemned for their apparent elitism (Walford, 2003). As such, the historical and current differences and tensions between the state-maintained (government-funded) and independent sectors, including leadership preparation, are highlighted and the extent to which educational reforms and policy changes in the state-maintained sector impact upon the independent sector. Then, having set the historical and political context, the second part of the chapter draws on and discusses the findings from a doctoral study conducted by an independent school leader (Bush, 2017). The research traced the career trajectories of seven women who are headmistresses (equivalent to principals in the USA) in girls’ secondary independent schools in England. This small-scale study provides a specific gendered context for an exploration of women’s experiences of leadership development and preparation in the independent sector. We illustrate how ‘becoming’ a headmistress embraces the experiences of identity formation prior to headship. Then, we discuss how ‘being’ a headmistress contextualises the lived experience of headship within girls’ secondary independent schools. At every stage of these seven women’s careers, key experiences or events illuminate manifestations of leadership through the opportunities and career shifts which have materialized along the way and which have created a leadership template for them. Both positive and negative experiences have defined their understanding and perception of leadership, their preparation for that role and their subsequent development as leaders of girls’ secondary independent schools. Extracts from the data provide pertinent examples to illuminate identity formation and influence how these women now position themselves as headmistresses in girls’ secondary independent schools
Golden principles, preferences and critical thinking
No full text• Describe the difference between principles and preferences in relation to decision making in the field.
• Given a trauma scenario, discuss the principles of trauma care for the specific situation.
• Given a trauma scenario, use critical-thinking skills to determine the preferred method for accomplishing the principles of emergency trauma care.
• Relate the four principles of ethical decision making to prehospital trauma care.
• Given a trauma scenario, discuss the ethical issues involved and how to address them.
• Relate the importance of the “Golden Hour” or “Golden Period.”
• Discuss the 14 “Golden Principles” of prehospital trauma care.
• Identify the components and importance of prehospital research and literature
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