Classifier selection using sequential error ratio criterion for multi-instance and multi-sample fusion

Classifier selection is a problem encountered by multi-biometric systems that aim to improve performance through fusion of decisions. A particular decision fusion architecture that combines multiple instances (n classifiers) and multiple samples (m attempts at each classifier) has been proposed in previous work to achieve controlled trade-off between false alarms and false rejects. Although analysis on text-dependent speaker verification has demonstrated better performance for fusion of decisions with favourable dependence compared to statistically independent decisions, the performance is not always optimal. Given a pool of instances, best performance with this architecture is obtained for certain combination of instances. Heuristic rules and diversity measures have been commonly used for classifier selection but it is shown that optimal performance is achieved for the `best combination performance' rule. As the search complexity for this rule increases exponentially with the addition of classifiers, a measure - the sequential error ratio (SER) - is proposed in this work that is specifically adapted to the characteristics of sequential fusion architecture. The proposed measure can be used to select a classifier that is most likely to produce a correct decision at each stage. Error rates for fusion of text-dependent HMM based speaker models using SER are compared with other classifier selection methodologies. SER is shown to achieve near optimal performance for sequential fusion of multiple instances with or without the use of multiple samples. The methodology applies to multiple speech utterances for telephone or internet based access control and to other systems such as multiple finger print and multiple handwriting sample based identity verification systems.

Contributing factors to optimal project portfolio selection

A modified Delphi approach has been applied in this study to investigate best practice and to determine the factors that contribute to optimal selection of projects. There are various standards and practices that some may recognise as representing best practice in this area. Many of these have similar characteristics and this study has found no single best practice. The study identified the factors that contribute to the optimal selection of projects as: culture, process, knowledge of the business, knowledge of the work, education, experience, governance, risk awareness, selection of players, preconceptions, and time pressures. All these factors were found to be significant; to be appropriate to public sector organisations, private sector organisations and government owned corporations; and to have a strong linkage to research on strategic decision making. These factors can be consolidated into two underlying factors of organisation culture and leadership.

The impact of organisational culture in project selection process : case of public infrastructure project in Indonesia

The thesis develops an Organisational Culture (OC) based framework for potentially improving the current practice of the infrastructure project selection process (PSP) in Indonesia, particularly for regional road projects. This framework is developed to address the suggestion emanating from the research that there is a need for strengthening the relevant organisational culture dimensions and making changes to current organisational culture profiles to support the effectiveness of the decision-making process of the current PSP. The findings not only benefit existing knowledge but also provide practical contributions for those decision-makers within the Indonesian regional government that are involved in PSP, i.e. by raising the awareness of the influence and the role of organisational culture.

Towards a model for student selection in clinical psychology

Background Selection of candidates for clinical psychology programmes is arguably the most important decision made in determining the clinical psychology workforce. However, there are few models to inform the development of selection tools to support selection procedures. The study, using a factor analytic structure, has operationalised the model predicting applicants' capabilities. Method Eighty-eight clinical applicants for entry into a postgraduate clinical psychology programme were assessed on a series of tasks measuring eight capabilities: guided reflection, communication skills, ethical decision making, writing, conceptual reasoning, empathy, and awareness of mind and self-observation. Results Factor analysis revealed three capabilities: labelled “awareness” accounting for 35.71% of variance; “reflection” accounting for 20.56%; and “reasoning” accounting for 18.24% of variance. Fourth year grade point average (GPA) did not correlate with performance on any of the selection capabilities other than a weak correlation with performance on the ethics capability. Conclusions Eight selection capabilities are identified for the selection of candidates independent of GPA. While the model is tentative, it is hoped that the findings will stimulate the development and validation of assessment procedures with good predictive validity which will benefit the training of clinical psychologists and, ultimately, effective service delivery.

Shouting from the ivory tower : a marketing approach to improve communication of academic research to entrepreneurs

Evidence-based practice in entrepreneurship requires effective communication of research findings. We focus on how research synopses can “promote” research to entrepreneurs. Drawing on marketing communications literature, we examine how message characteristics of research synopses affect their appeal. We demonstrate the utility of conjoint analysis in this context and find message length, media richness and source credibility to have positive influences. We find mixed support for a hypothesized negative influence of jargon, and for our predictions that participants’ involvement with academic research moderates these effects. Exploratory analyses reveal latent classes of entrepreneurs with differing preferences, particularly for message length and jargon.

Evolution of lure response in tephritid fruit flies : phytochemicals as drivers of sexual selection

The males of many Bactrocera species (Diptera: Tephritidae) respond strongly and positively to a small number of plant-derived chemicals (=male lures). Males that have imbibed the lures commonly have a mating advantage over unfed males, but no female benefits have been demonstrated for females mating with lure-fed males. It has been hypothesized that the strong lure response is a case of runaway selection, where males receive direct benefits and females receive indirect benefits via 'sexy sons', or a case of sensory bias where females have a lower threshold response to lures. To test these hypotheses we studied the effects of lure feeding on male mating, remating and longevity; while for females that had mated with lure-fed males we recorded mating refractoriness, fecundity, egg viability and longevity. We used Bactrocera tryoni as our test animal and as lures the naturally occurring zingerone and chemically related, but synthetic chemical cuelure. Feeding on lures provided direct male benefits in greater mating success and increased multiple mating. For the first time, we recorded direct female effects: increased fecundity and reduced remating receptivity. Egg viability did not differ in females mated with lure-fed or unfed males. The life span of males and females exposed to lures was reduced. These results reveal direct, current-generation fitness benefits for both males and females, although the male benefits appear greater. We discuss that while lure response is indeed likely to be a sexual selection trait, there is no need to invoke runaway selection to explain its evolution.

Genetic response to combined family selection for improved mean harvest weight in giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in Vietnam

We estimated genetic changes in body and carcass weight traits in a giant freshwater prawn (GFP) (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) population selected for increased body weight at harvest in Vietnam. The data set consisted of 18,387 individual body and 1730 carcass weight records, as well as full pedigree information collected over four generations. Average selection response (per generation) in body weight at harvest (transformed to square root) estimated as the difference between the Selection line and the Control group was 7.4% calculated from least squares mean (LSMs), 7.0% from estimated breeding values (EBVs) and 4.4% calculated from EBVs between two consecutive generations. Favorable correlated selection responses (estimated from LSMs) were found for other body traits including: total length, cephalothorax length, abdominal length, cephalothorax width, and abdominal width (12.1%, 14.5%, 10.4%, 15.5% and 13.3% over three selection generations, respectively). Data in the second generation of selection showed positive correlated responses for carcass weight traits including: abdominal weight, exoskeleton-off weight, and telson-off weight of 8.8%, 8.6% and 8.8%, respectively. We conclude that body weight at harvest responded well to the application of combined (between and within) family selection and correlated responses in carcass weight traits were favorable.

An interpretive field study of packaged software selection processes

Packaged software is pre-built with the intention of licensing it to users in domestic settings and work organisations. This thesis focuses upon the work organisation where packaged software has been characterised as one of the latest ‘solutions’ to the problems of information systems. The study investigates the packaged software selection process that has, to date, been largely viewed as objective and rational. In contrast, this interpretive study is based on a 21⁄2 year long field study of organisational experiences with packaged software selection at T.Co, a consultancy organisation based in the United Kingdom. Emerging from the iterative process of case study and action research is an alternative theory of packaged software selection. The research argues that packaged software selection is far from the rationalistic and linear process that previous studies suggest. Instead, the study finds that aspects of the traditional process of selection incorporating the activities of gathering requirements, evaluation and selection based on ‘best fit’ may or may not take place. Furthermore, even where these aspects occur they may not have equal weight or impact upon implementation and usage as may be expected. This is due to the influence of those multiple realities which originate from the organisational and market environments within which packages are created, selected and used, the lack of homogeneity in organisational contexts and the variously interpreted characteristics of the package in question.

Faster than the speed of print : reconciling ‘big data’ social media analysis and academic scholarship

The promise of ‘big data’ has generated a significant deal of interest in the development of new approaches to research in the humanities and social sciences, as well as a range of important critical interventions which warn of an unquestioned rush to ‘big data’. Drawing on the experiences made in developing innovative ‘big data’ approaches to social media research, this paper examines some of the repercussions for the scholarly research and publication practices of those researchers who do pursue the path of ‘big data’–centric investigation in their work. As researchers import the tools and methods of highly quantitative, statistical analysis from the ‘hard’ sciences into computational, digital humanities research, must they also subscribe to the language and assumptions underlying such ‘scientificity’? If so, how does this affect the choices made in gathering, processing, analysing, and disseminating the outcomes of digital humanities research? In particular, is there a need to rethink the forms and formats of publishing scholarly work in order to enable the rigorous scrutiny and replicability of research outcomes?

Open and networked initiatives and the digital transformation of academic publishing in China

Many aspects of China's academic publishing system differ from the systems found in liberal market based economies of the United States, Western Europe and Australia. A high level of government intervention in both the publishing industry and academia and the challenges associated with attempting to make a transition from a centrally controlled towards a more market based publishing industry are two notable differences; however, as in other countries, academic communities and publishers are being transformed by digital technologies. This research explores the complex yet dynamic digital transformation of academic publishing in China, with a specific focus of the open and networked initiatives inspired by Web 2.0 and social media. The thesis draws on two case studies: Science Paper Online, a government-operated online preprint platform and open access mandate; and New Science, a social reference management website operated by a group of young PhD students. Its analysis of the innovations, business models, operating strategies, influences, and difficulties faced by these two initiatives highlights important characteristics and trends in digital publishing experiments in China. The central argument of this thesis is that the open and collaborative possibilities of Web 2.0 inspired initiatives are emerging outside the established journal and monograph publishing system in China, introducing innovative and somewhat disruptive approaches to the certification, communication and commercial exploitation of knowledge. Moreover, emerging publishing models are enabling and encouraging a new system of practising and communicating science in China, putting into practice some elements of the Open Science ethos. There is evidence of both disruptive change to old publishing structures and the adaptive modification of emergent replacements in the Chinese practice. As such, the transformation from traditional to digital and interactive modes of publishing, involves both competition and convergence between new and old publishers, as well as dynamics of co-evolution involving new technologies, business models, social norms, and government reform agendas. One key concern driving this work is whether there are new opportunities and new models for academic publishing in the Web 2.0 age and social media environment, which might allow the basic functions of communication and certification to be achieved more effectively. This thesis enriches existing knowledge of open and networked transformations of scholarly publishing by adding a Chinese story. Although the development of open and networked publishing platforms in China remains in its infancy, the lessons provided by this research are relevant to practitioners and stakeholders interested in understanding the transformative dynamics of networked technologies for publishing and advocating open access in practice, not only in China, but also internationally.

Selection of energy storage system for a regenerative dynamic dynamometer

This paper presents a design technique of a fully regenerative dynamic dynamometer. It incorporates an energy storage system to absorb the energy variation due to dynamometer transients. This allows the minimum power electronics requirement at the grid to supply the losses. The simulation results of the full system over a driving cycle show the amount of energy required to complete a driving cycle, therefore the size of the energy storage system can be determined.

Design optimisation of ironless motors based on magnet selection

This paper considers the design of a radial flux permanent magnet iron less core brushless DC motor for use in an electric wheel drive with an integrated epicyclic gear reduction. The motor has been designed for a continuous output torque of 30 Nm and peak rating of 60 Nm with a maximum operating speed of 7000 RPM. In the design of brushless DC motors with a toothed iron stator the peak air-gap magnetic flux density is typically chosen to be close to that of the remanence value of the magnets used. This paper demonstrates that for an ironless motor the optimal peak air-gap flux density is closer to the maximum energy product of the magnets used. The use of a radial flux topology allows for high frequency operation and can be shown to give high specific power output while maintaining a relatively low magnet mass. Two-dimensional finite element analysis is used to predict the air-gap flux density. The motor design is based around commonly available NdFeB bar magnet size

Design optimisation of ironless motors based on magnet selection

This paper considers the design of a radial flux permanent magnet ironless core brushless DC motor for use in an electric wheel drive with an integrated epicyclic gear reduction. The motor has been designed for a continuous output torque of 30 Nm and peak rating of 60 Nm with a maximum operating speed of 7000 RPM. In the design of brushless DC motors with a toothed iron stator the peak air-gap magnetic flux density is typically chosen to be close to that of the remanence value of the magnets used. This paper demonstrates that for an ironless motor the optimal peak air-gap flux density is closer to the maximum energy product of the magnets used. The use of a radial flux topology allows for high frequency operation and can be shown to give high specific power output while maintaining a relatively low magnet mass. Two-dimensional finite element analysis is used to predict the airgap flux density. The motor design is based around commonly available NdFeB bar magnet size

A method of switch selection for an electric vehicle drive

The key to reducing cost of electric vehicles is integration. All too often systems such as the motor, motor controller, batteries and vehicle chassis/body are considered as separate problems. The truth is that a lot of trade-offs can be made between these systems, causing an overall improvement in many areas including total cost. Motor controller and battery cost have a relatively simple relationship; the less energy lost in the motor controller the less energy that has to be carried in the batteries, hence the lower the battery cost. A motor controller’s cost is primarily influenced by the cost of the switches. This paper will therefore present a method of assessing the optimal switch selection on the premise that the optimal switch is the one that produces the lowest system cost, where system cost is the cost of batteries + switches.

An activity and resource advisory system for manufacturing process chains selection at the early stage of product development

Designers need to consider both the functional and production process requirements at the early stage of product development. A variety of the research works found in the literature has been proposed to assist designers in selecting the most viable manufacturing process chain. However, they do not provide any assistance for designers to evaluate the processes according to the particular circumstances of their company. This paper describes a framework of an Activity and Resource Advisory System (ARAS) that generates advice about the required activities and the possible resources for various manufacturing process chains. The system provides more insight, more flexibility, and a more holistic and suitable approach for designers to evaluate and then select the most viable manufacturing process chain at the early stage of product development.