25813 research outputs found
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Tagata Sa'ilimalo Pacific Peoples Living with Disability
No full textThis booklet is intended for people living with disability and their Vuvale (Family), Pacific peoples service providers, academics, tertiary students and the community.
The stories in this booklet were derived from Pacific peoples lived experiences of disability. During fortnightly meetings with the Tagata Sa'ilimalo group at Vaka Tautua in Christchurch, we were deeply moved by our people's challenge, and we hope that these stories can inspire others with disabilities to speak up and ask for help. If you are living with a disability and feeling like you are alone and have reached the end of the road, remember that there is someone out there who is also fighting to make it through the day, just like you.
The booklet will serve as a reference guide for Pacific service providers who provide fundamental assistance for Pacific families and their Vuvale. The booklet will provide lived experience perspectives for academics and the research community, providing novel insights into disability, support, and Pacific disability framework
Submission on the Social Security Amendment Bill
Full text linkThis submission opposes the Social Security Amendment Bill and recommends that it
not proceed to a second reading in Parliament
Exploring pedestrian movement through colour for everyone
Full text linkWith the rise of aging populations and urban densification, the need to communicate and analyse pedestrian crowd’ data is becoming increasingly important, particularly to researchers and professionals in fields such as Pedestrian Evacuation, Human Crowd Modelling, Urban Planning, Crowd Safety, Disaster Planning, Building Insurance Assessment, and Fire Safety Science, especially concerning Human Behaviour.
A typical method for communicating and analysing crowd movement models involves data visualisations, commonly represented as heatmaps or animated 2D or 3D visualisations of simulated crowd model outputs. While these visualisations utilise widely accepted techniques and practices within the fields, they are not always accessible to all viewers.
This research specifically addresses accessibility challenges related to Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD), a condition characterised by difficulty or inability to perceive certain wavelengths of the visible spectrum, typically red, green, or blue. CVD arises from abnormalities or absence of cones (long, medium, or short wavelength-sensitive photoreceptors) within the eye.
Advancements in software and hardware increasingly support sophisticated 3D graphical representations of crowd simulations, providing greater clarity and context to users and audiences. Building upon this, the research proposes a novel 3D real-time visualisation technique incorporating height dynamics into traditional heatmaps. Furthermore, the research investigates potential environmental design guidelines to enhance accessibility for individuals with CVD.
This thesis explores the effectiveness of a colour correction algorithm to determine if it can adequately replace traditional colour-dependent heatmap visualisations, highlighting areas for improvement in accessibility. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups to investigate visualisation challenges experienced by
individuals with CVD: Non-Colour, Protanopia, Deuteranopia, and Tritanopia Deficient. Instead of recruiting participants with actual CVD, a validated simulation technique was employed to emulate colour vision
deficiencies.
Experiments utilised validated crowd modelling software ('Simulex') and building geometries created in Building Information Modelling (BIM) software ('Revit') to ensure realistic scenarios. Conducting experiments within Virtual Reality (VR) created an immersive experience, yielding unexpected insights and enhancing awareness regarding accessibility considerations.
Participant responses and feedback were collected through questionnaires, surveys, and structured debrief interviews throughout the experimental process. Findings from this research offer preliminary design guidelines and highlight areas for further investigation to improve the accessibility of heatmaps, particularly in pedestrian crowd modelling contexts. Although the results presented in this thesis are indicative, they clearly demonstrate that the topic warrants continued research and development
Detaching to recovery : exploring the role of psychological detachment on energy levels in remote workers: an 8-day diary study.
Full text linkThis study examined the relationship between telepressure and energy levels, and the relationship between telepressure and sleep quality among remote workers, while also considering the mediating effect of psychological detachment in both relationships. These relationships were investigated using an 8-day diary study design. Nineteen full-time remote workers from a range of industries in New Zealand and Australia completed two short surveys daily starting on a Wednesday and concluding the following Wednesday. The mediation analyses found no significant relationship between telepressure and evening energy, but a significant negative association between telepressure and morning energy at the between-person level was observed. Similarly, no significant associations were found between telepressure and sleep quality, psychological detachment and sleep quality, and the hypothesised mediating effect of psychological detachment on telepressure and energy levels. Interestingly, the study found a significant positive association between telepressure and psychological detachment, and psychological detachment was unexpectedly linked to lower next day morning energy levels at the between-person level. These findings highlight complexities in the recovery process in the context of remote work, suggesting that adequate recovery for remote workers might require a combination of recovery strategies rather than just psychological detachment alone. The limitations of this study are discussed along with implications for organisations looking to better support the recovery process of their remote workers by understanding the importance of effective recovery strategies and their role in promoting health and well-being
School phone ban one year on: our student survey reveals mixed feelings about its success
No full textLow-concentration methane emissions monitoring in a dairy barn environment.
No full textEnvironmental and legislative pressures have incentivised the development of a
sensing system for measuring ambient methane concentration in a dairy barn context.
Metal oxide sensors are most commonly used to measure methane at concentrations
below 500 ppm, but existing literature only calibrates them near atmospheric
levels (2 ppm). Furthermore, metal oxide sensors are sensitive to ammonia –
a known contaminant in dairy barns. In this study, I present experimental data and
mathematical models for the Figaro Sensor TGS 2611, TGS 2600, and TGS 2602 to
estimate the concentrations of methane up to 200 ppm and ammonia up to 6 ppm. I
also present a model that combines readings from the characteristics of the TGS 2611
and TGS 2600 to estimate methane concentration while controlling for the presence
of ammonia. Methane concentration is estimated with an R-squared accuracy of
99.0% using a single sensor in an ammonia-free environment, and 97.3% using two
sensors in an ammonia-rich environment. This study also describes the design and
implementation of a stand-alone data logging and access system, capable of measuring
ambient methane concentration under dairy barn conditions and making them
accessible via a cloud-hosted website
Detection sensitivity and specificity of a mismatch response protocol.
Full text linkBackground: Validation procedures following the fitting of hearing devices are crucial for accurately assessing the effectiveness of those fittings and to ensure they meet the auditory needs of users. Traditional methods include subjective reporting and behavioural assessments of speech intelligibility. These methods have limitations in terms of consistency, reliability, and applicability, particularly when working with young children, individuals with cognitive impairments, or those unable to provide accurate feedback. The methods often fail to offer objective, quantifiable data on the ability to discriminate sounds heard via the hearing device in these populations, which is essential for effective hearing device validation. Recent investigations into the Mismatch Response (MMR) have shown promise in providing an objective biomarker for auditory discrimination. MMRs are an electrophysiological measure that can index neural responses to changes in sound, which can offer speech intelligibility information without behavioural feedback. However, the process of transitioning MMR-based testing protocols from the research setting towards a clinic-ready tool for hearing device validation remains an area of active exploration. A key challenge for the clinical setting is analysing and interpreting MMR data at the level of the individual listener. This study aims to evaluate the detection sensitivity and specificity of a protocol used for eliciting MMRs and analysing the ensuing data via Hotelling’s T² - a statistical analysis technique that can be used for determining electrophysiological response presence or absence in individuals.
Design: Electrophysiological data from three cohorts of listeners informed the present study. MMR detection sensitivity was estimated from data involving 16 normally hearing infants (3-13 months) and 17 normally hearing adults receiving stimuli to trigger an MMR, while no-sound trial data from 76 normally hearing adults was used to estimate detection specificity.
Results: The Hotelling’s T² detection algorithm demonstrated acceptable specificity, with false detection rates of 6.6%, which decreased to 4% after applying upper-confidence interval exclusionary criteria with 10,000 bootstrap samples. Combined with detection sensitivity of 93% from the MMR data, performance of detection algorithm overall was observed to be high.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that MMR testing, with high specificity among adults, shows promise as a reliable tool for early hearing device validation. While further refinement and research is needed, MMR testing holds strong potential for clinical use
A study on cybersickness and immersion in a VR game with 360-degree motion simulator.
Full text linkVirtual Reality (VR) is an emerging technology that enables immersive simulated experiences. With improvements in hardware, development accessibility, and application availability, VR technology has become increasingly capable of realistically simulating both real and virtual environments (VE), thereby enhancing training and entertainment experiences. Nevertheless, cybersickness remains a significant challenge, triggering numerous physical discomfort symptoms in users. Moreover, most VR simulators have limitations in motion experience: they cannot perfectly simulate user movement in the virtual world. This limitation leads to reduced realism when attempting to simulate the physical world. This thesis aims to evaluate how different mapping methods in a 360-degree motion simulator (NOVA Ball) affect motion sickness and immersion, and to assess the advantages of various mapping methods in reducing motion sickness and enhancing user immersion.
This study designed and tested hypotheses regarding immersion and motion sickness. The experiment utilized a simulated flight game where users flew through a VE. Three different motion mapping modes were applied: No Rotation, Rotation Only, and Motion Cueing. The experiment employed a between-groups design, with participants randomly assigned to three conditions. In total, 45 participants completed the experiment, during which heart rate and flight data were recorded. After the experiment, participants completed questionnaires relating to discomfort and presence.
The results showed that the Rotation Only condition exhibited the lowest levels of simulator sickness, while the Motion Cueing condition reported the highest simulator sickness scores. However, there were no significant differences in presence across the three conditions. Interestingly, the heart rate of the Rotation Only group was higher than that of the other two groups, suggesting that physical exertion in the 360-degree motion simulator might have had a greater influence on heart rate than cybersickness
Distinguishing the chemical signatures of exoplanet host stars.
No full textThe objective of this thesis is to determine the chemical abundances of planet-hosting stars, and
how they may be related to planet formation. In particular, the aim is to determine whether the
chemical signatures of different types of exoplanet host stars can be distinguished from one another.
Most large spectroscopic surveys focus on dimmer objects, leaving many of the bright stars
unobserved. The University of Canterbury ¯ Oteh¯ıwai Mount John Observatory is well equipped to
observe such bright targets. To do this, spectroscopic data will be collected at the Mount John
Observatory for a selection of bright, known exoplanet host stars. Stellar parameters and chemical
abundances will be derived using a single methodology to preserve self-consistency. The derived
chemical abundances will be used to analyse the chemical signatures of the host stars.
Much of the existing literature focuses on comparing exoplanet hosts to non-exoplanet hosts.
This thesis aims to focus instead on comparing different types of exoplanet host stars to one another.
This will be completed by probing the differences in chemical signatures between exoplanet hosts. It
will also attempt to link planet formation theory and stellar chemical signatures through planet-star
relationships
Navigating care : family carers’ support needs in managing flexible funding.
Full text linkEnabling Good Lives – a government policy agenda to provide disabled people and their families control over their care – has transformed the provision of disability support in Aotearoa/New Zealand (A/NZ). Flexible Funding is an important component of this transformation because it provides disabled people, and their families greater choice and control of their disability supports. Underpinning Flexible Funding is the idea that it provides disabled people with a budget to purchase the support they require from a market that provides services. This gives managers of Flexible Funding responsibility to self-build a good life for themselves or the person they support. This research aims to examine the role played by family carers in Aotearoa New Zealand (A/NZ) who manage Flexible Funding on behalf of someone with a learning (intellectual) disability. The primary question this research aims to address is: What are the learning and support needs of A/NZ family carers managing Flexible Funding on behalf of an adult family-member with a learning (intellectual) disability? The study uses a multiple case study design, using data gathered from three family carers’ semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis of relevant websites and documents. Data was analysed using Reflective Thematic Analysis. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Framework was used to present and further analyse findings from a micro, meso, exo, and macro perspective. The research found that, to construct a good life for a family member with a learning disability, family carers required: disability services that offered high quality support; strong support networks; knowledge of the disabled person’s preferences; practice that aligned with Enabling Good Life principles; access to information, and advocacy skills. The implications of this study are that family carers need access to the resources, knowledge and training that facilitate their use of Flexible Funding. Carers access to these supports have been limited by government policy and disability organisations’ practice. There is a need to refocus Government policy and organisational practice to meet the needs of disabled people and their families, as envisioned by Enabling Good Lives