24,287 research outputs found
The construction of Karen Karnak: The multi-author-function
No full textThis thesis is situated within the comparatively recent developments of Web 2.0 and the emergence of interactive WikiMedia, and explores the mode of authorship within a Read/Write culture compared to that of a Read/Only tradition. The hypothesis of this study is that the role of the audience has become merged with the author, and as such, represents new functions and attributes, distinct from a more conventional concept of authorship, in which the roles of audience and author are more separate. Read/Write and participatory culture, as defined by this study, is focused on collaboration, and includes the influences of D.I.Y. culture, Open-Source practices and the production of text by multiple authors. Multi-authorship presents a re-thinking of several concepts which support the notion of the individual author, since the focus of multi-authorship is not on attribution and ownership of a finished text, but on the continued malleability of a text. Modes of multi-authorship, demonstrated in the use of the pseudonyms Alan Smithee and Karen Eliot, represent declarative authors whose names signify multiple origins, whilst concurrently indicating a distinct body of work. The function of these names form an important context to this study, since primary research involves the construction of an experimental mode of multi-authorship utilising WikiMedia technology and the interaction of thirty nine participants, who are invited to create a body of work under the collective pseudonym Karen Karnak. The data generated by this experiment is analysed using aspects of Michel Foucault's author-function to identify and determine power structures inherent in the WikiMedia context. The interplay of power structures, including concepts such as identity, ownership and the body of work, affect the resulting mode of authorship and contribute to the construction of Karen Karnak, suggesting further areas of research into the emerging multi-author
Language Change and SA-OT: The case of sentential negation
No full textSimulated Annealing for Optimality Theory (SA-OT) updates Optimality Theory by adding a model of performance to a theory of linguistic competence. Our aim is to show that SA-OT can contribute to language change simulations. Performance "errors" are considered to be one of the causes of variation and change. We have chosen to model the evolution of sentential negation (SN). The descriptive background adopts Jespersen's Cycle, according to which the evolution of sentential negation follows three main stages (1. pre-verbal, 2. discontinuous, and 3. post-verbal). Therefore, we advance a novel model for SN, based on SA-OT. It reproduces the three pure and the two observed mixed stages, whereas it correctly predicts the lack of an intermediate stage between 3 and 1. The success of the approach corroborates the computational, performance-based approach to the data. Finally, we employ the iterated learning paradigm to reproduce historical changes in a "simulated corpus study". This enterprise turns out to be more difficult than one would naively believe.Appeared open access as: Computational Linguistics in the Netherlands Journal (CLIN), vol. 1 (2011), pp. 21-40, and is available at http://www.clinjournal.org/sites/default/files/Lopopolo.pdfA. Lopopolo and Biró, T., “Language Change and SA-OT. The case of sentential negation”, Computational Linguistics in the Netherlands Journal, vol. 1, pp. 21-40, 2011.Peer Reviewe
An unmanned aerial system for the detection of crops with undergraduate project-based learning
No full textTo keep pace with population growth, farmers are leveraging a host of new technologies to improve crop production, including genetically modified organisms (GMOs), along with increased chemical pesticides and fertilizer usage. These new techniques, however, have sometimes led to runoff problems for water systems and local watersheds. By using dronebased technologies the overuse of fertilizers, chemical sprays, and pesticides can be minimized, while preserving farm output and quality. This paper discusses lessons learned from and progress made in a year-long capstone research and development project performed by engineering and computer science students at York College of Pennsylvania. The project involves the study and use of multispectral camera technologies along with drones to survey farms growing corn in various climates. The technologies used to assess farms and modern farming practices are by their nature multidisciplinary. Students involved with this project have thus needed to draw on their engineering and scientific backgrounds while learning new and varied topics to tackle this real-world problem. This paper also examines some of the teaching challenges encountered when using project-based learning (PBL) techniques with engineering students to tackle a multidisciplinary problem similar to the types they will likely face in their professional careers. For example, the students have needed to apply best principles to design and build a drone system to assess crop health. Moreover, they have needed to understand the legal responsibilities of operating drones, farmer issues, and a host of technologies unfamiliar to them prior to this project. Student metrics and outcomes are also assessed to improve the process for future years
An Adaptive PID Controller Based on Bayesian Theory
No full textOne of the most popular trajectory-tracking controllers used in industry is the PID controller. The PID controller utilizes three types of gains and the tracking error in order to provide a control gain to a system. The PID gains may be tuned manually or using a number of different techniques. Under most operating conditions, only one set of PID gains are used. However, techniques exist to compensate for dynamic systems such as gain scheduling or basic timevarying functions. In this paper, an adaptive PID controller is presented based on Bayesian theory. The interacting multiple model (IMM) method, which utilizes Bayes' theorem and likelihood functions, is implemented on the PID controller to present an adaptive control strategy. The strategy is applied to a simulated electromechanical system, and the results of the proposed controller are compared with the standard PID method. Future work is also considered
Stakeholder research CoVE Water SA: CoVE Water SA the umbrella for all stakeholders
No full textThe water and sanitation sector faces well-documented issues that are challenging to address, leading to the establishment of the Platform of Vocational Excellence (PoVE) Water. This platform brings together five regional Centers of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) Water in Europe and South Africa to ensure high-quality skills and competencies in the water sector. These CoVEs facilitate collaboration among stakeholders, enabling the development of vocational education and training programs to increase awareness, responsiveness to industry needs, and address sector challenges. A few months ago, CoVE Water SA was established in South Africa to achieve the previously mentioned goals. Therefore, it is important that the following research question is answered in this initial set-up phase: What actions need to be taken to enhance the effectiveness of the CoVE Water SA? To answer this research question, several important stakeholders were interviewed. Subsequently, the interviews were analysed thematically in order to extract the most important themes and quotes, PI grids were created to assess power and interest dynamics among stakeholders, and a Social Network Analysis was conducted to understand the CoVE Water SA network and potential clusters.The research findings have unveiled key aspects for enhancing the effectiveness of CoVE Water SA. The current network in the water sector has a low density, implying that many collaborations are lacking. This leads to a high degree of interdependence within the network, resulting in a non dynamic system. The lack of collaborations, such as connections with TVET colleges, schools, farmers and local communities, results in a lack of knowledge, funding and connection to the labour market. Governmental stakeholders, like DWS, EWSeta, and BGCMA, have been identified as influential players with extensive networks and important resources, Local Authorities and Research Organizations also play important roles. Universities exhibit substantial international links, making them crucial contributors. These stakeholders have the potential to provide knowledge, collaboration, and power. These are valuable insights for CoVE Water SA, fostering network growth and effectiveness in the water sector. Furthermore, six key themes have been derived from the conducted interviews, addressing the needs of stakeholders and where CoVE can make a valuable contribution. These themes include raising awareness, reducing the skills gap in the water sector, fostering international collaborations, mitigating the labour shortage in the water sector, improving education material and establishing desired collaborations. For each theme, the interviewed stakeholders have presented their views and numerous suggestions on how CoVE Water SA can assist in addressing these issues. Additionally, stakeholders have also mentioned possible failures of CoVE Water SA, which can aid in preventing any shortcomings of the platform. Furthermore, stakeholders mentioned ongoing initiatives related to the six themes, through which they can contribute to the platform. From the Thematic Analysis, PI Grids and the SNA, a set of actions have emerged that are essential for enhancing the effectiveness of CoVE Water SA. These actions revolve around expanding and enhancing the network, organising activities and contributing to educational improvement. In terms of broadening and strengthening the network, the platform should focus on enhancing the collaborations among educational groups, building stronger relations with international institutions in Europe and Africa, involving TVETs and schools within the water network, improving stakeholder involvement and encouraging the involvement of Local Communities to increase awareness and knowledge about water issues. Furthermore, CoVE Water SA should play a role in organising activities to raise awareness of Water Resource Management. Additionally, it should assist in improving curricula, supporting students’ preparation for the workforce and making the education more practical instead of only theoretical. CoVE Water SA should also provide training and learning resources as well as comprehensive courses.However, this study recognizes several limitations that should be considered in future research and when implementing recommendations for CoVE Water SA. These limitations encompass factors like a limited scope due to resource and time constraints, minimal varied interviewee responses, and potential biases in responses. Addressing these limitations will be crucial in guiding future research and actions for CoVE Water SA.CEGM3000Civil Engineerin
Interview with Erica Jolly - teacher, author and founding member of SA Social Studies Teachers Association
No full textErica is a teacher and author who was a founding member of the SA Social Studies Teachers Association (contributing to its text books) and the SA History Teachers Association. She took her Masters in English Literature at Flinders University and taught in Girls and Boys Technical Colleges for 40 years. Erica's published works include a history of vocational education in South Australia from 1897 - 2001, We Came to Marion 1955 - 1995 (1995), A Broader Vision: Voices of Vocational Education in SA (2001), Challenging the Divide: Approaches to Science and Poetry (2010), and Making a Stand (2015)
Estimating the Behaviour of a Prismatic-Revolute Robot using a Robust Filtering Strategy
No full textEstimating the states of a manipulator is a challenging task as it consists of sinusoidal functions that cannot be represented by a simple, linear model. In such cases, the well-known extended Kalman filter (EKF) may not yield reliable estimates. The calculation of the Jacobian matrix, as part of the EKF, may not be straightforward and introduces errors in the nonlinear approximations. A relatively new estimation strategy called the sliding innovation filter (SIF) offers an alternative solution to the EKF. The SIF forces the estimates to be within a region of the measurements, with some differences due to system modeling. In this paper, the SIF is used to estimate the states of a robotic arm of type prismatic-revolute (PR). The results are compared with the well-known EKF. A faulty scenario is considered when the robot parameters are poorly defined. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the SIF, and offers an alternative estimation strategy for estimating different robot types
A New Form of the Smooth Variable Structure Filter with a Covariance Derivation
No full textState and parameter estimation is important for the control of systems, particularly when not all of the system information is available for the designer. Filters are used to extract state information from measurements, which are typically corrupted by noise. A common measure of the performance of an estimate by a filter is through the use of a covariance matrix. This essentially provides a measure of the error in the estimate. Furthermore, knowledge of this covariance can lead to a more accurate derivation and greater number of applications for the filter. Introduced in 2007, the smooth variable structure filter (SVSF) is a relatively new filter. It is a predictor-correct estimator based on sliding mode control and estimation. In its current form, the SVSF is not a classical filter in the sense that it does not have a covariance matrix. This paper introduces the SVSF in a new form without affecting its original proof of stability, and outlines the derivation of a covariance matrix that can be used for comparative purposes as well as other applications. A linear mechanical system referred to as an electrohydrostatic actuator (EHA) is used to numerically demonstrate the new SVSF. The results are compared with the classical Kalman filter (KF), which is the most common and efficient filtering strategy for linear systems. ©2010 IEEE
Princess Theater in Gadsden, AL
No full textSA Dixon and Mrs. Sheffield outside Princess Theater.
Originally opened in 1924 as the Imperial Theater at 503 Broad Street then renamed the Princess Theater on September 11, 1926. It was remodeled with an Art Deco style and reopened again on January 17, 1937. The Princess Theater was destroyed by fire on November 4, 1963 and was not rebuilt
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