MIMO and SISO identification of radiation force terms for models of marine structures in waves

This paper presents a discussion on the use of MIMO and SISO techniques for identification of the radiation force terms in models for surface vessels. We compare and discuss two techniques recently proposed in literature for this application: time domain identification and frequency domain identification. We compare the methods in terms of estimates model order, accuracy of the fit, use of the available information, and ease of use and implementation.

Review of the ACT Road Ready and Road Ready Plus Novice Driver Road Safety Education Course Material

This report documents research that was commissioned in order to review the materials used in the Road Ready program for relevancy and acceptability to the target audiences as part of the implementation of the ACT Road Safety Strategy Action Plan. Relevant literature on young driver crash risk and best practice principles in driver education was reviewed as a first step (Section 2). The evidence for effectiveness of driver education programs in Australia was summarised (Section 3) and a separate review of the use of incentives in relation to driver education was performed. The brief called for an expert review of the materials and delivery design for both the Road Ready and Road Ready Plus programs. This is reported in Section 5, along with the overall recommendations for program improvement. More specific comments on individual modules in the Road Ready program are listed at the end of Section 5. Lastly, feedback from stakeholders, specifically the facilitators and teachers of the programs, as well as former students who have completed the Road Ready program, was sought. Interviews and surveys were conducted with these groups. Summaries of the methods and findings are contained in Section 6.

Principles of goal-directed spatial robot navigation in biomimetic models

Mobile robots and animals alike must effectively navigate their environments in order to achieve their goals. For animals goal-directed navigation facilitates finding food, seeking shelter or migration; similarly robots perform goal-directed navigation to find a charging station, get out of the rain or guide a person to a destination. This similarity in tasks extends to the environment as well; increasingly, mobile robots are operating in the same underwater, ground and aerial environments that animals do. Yet despite these similarities, goal-directed navigation research in robotics and biology has proceeded largely in parallel, linked only by a small amount of interdisciplinary research spanning both areas. Most state-of-the-art robotic navigation systems employ a range of sensors, world representations and navigation algorithms that seem far removed from what we know of how animals navigate; their navigation systems are shaped by key principles of navigation in ‘real-world’ environments including dealing with uncertainty in sensing, landmark observation and world modelling. By contrast, biomimetic animal navigation models produce plausible animal navigation behaviour in a range of laboratory experimental navigation paradigms, typically without addressing many of these robotic navigation principles. In this paper, we attempt to link robotics and biology by reviewing the current state of the art in conventional and biomimetic goal-directed navigation models, focusing on the key principles of goal-oriented robotic navigation and the extent to which these principles have been adapted by biomimetic navigation models and why.

Driver licensing experience of Korean Australian novice drivers

Graduated driver licensing has been shown to improve the safety of young drivers but relatively little is known about how well it works for drivers born in countries where the licensing system is less sophisticated. This research used Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to examine the driver licensing experience of Korean Australian young drivers using driver and parent focus groups and an online survey of drivers. Accumulating the required supervised driving was more difficult for international students than those living with parents and differences in road rules (particularly relating to seat belt use) between the countries exerted an important influence on behaviour.

Computation of Mathematical Models for Complex Industrial Processes

Designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic researchers and industrial practitioners, this book provides comprehensive case studies on numerical computing of industrial processes and step-by-step procedures for conducting industrial computing. It assumes minimal knowledge in numerical computing and computer programming, making it easy to read, understand and follow. Topics discussed include fundamentals of industrial computing, finite difference methods, the Wavelet-Collocation Method, the Wavelet-Galerkin Method, High Resolution Methods, and comparative studies of various methods. These are discussed using examples of carefully selected models from real processes of industrial significance. The step-by-step procedures in all these case studies can be easily applied to other industrial processes without a need for major changes and thus provide readers with useful frameworks for the applications of engineering computing in fundamental research problems and practical development scenarios.

Graduated driver licensing : an international review

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) aims to gradually increase the exposure of new drivers to more complex driving situations and typically consists of learner, provisional and open licence phases. The first phase, the learner licence, is designed to allow novice drivers to obtain practical driving experience in lower risk situations. The learner licence can delay licensure, encourage novice drivers to learn under supervision, mandate the number of hours of practice required to progress to the next phase and encourage parental involvement. The second phase, the provisional licence, establishes various driving restrictions and thereby reduces exposure to situations of higher risk, such as driving at night, with passengers or after drinking alcohol. Parental involvement with a GDL system appears essential in helping novices obtain sufficient practice and in enforcing compliance with restrictions once the new driver obtains a provisional licence. Given the significant number of young drivers involved in crashes within Oman, GDL is one countermeasure that may be beneficial in reducing crash risk and involvement for this group.

Fourier active appearance models

Gaining invariance to camera and illumination variations has been a well investigated topic in Active Appearance Model (AAM) fitting literature. The major problem lies in the inability of the appearance parameters of the AAM to generalize to unseen conditions. An attractive approach for gaining invariance is to fit an AAM to a multiple filter response (e.g. Gabor) representation of the input image. Naively applying this concept with a traditional AAM is computationally prohibitive, especially as the number of filter responses increase. In this paper, we present a computationally efficient AAM fitting algorithm based on the Lucas-Kanade (LK) algorithm posed in the Fourier domain that affords invariance to both expression and illumination. We refer to this as a Fourier AAM (FAAM), and show that this method gives substantial improvement in person specific AAM fitting performance over traditional AAM fitting methods.

Experimental study of load-bearing cold-formed steel walls exposed to realistic design fires

This paper presents the details of full scale fire tests of LSF wall panels conducted using realistic fire time-temperature curves. Tests included eight LSF wall specimens of various configurations exposed to both parametric design and natural fire curves. Details of the fire test set-up, test procedure and the results including the measured time-temperature and deformation curves of LSF wall panels are presented along with wall stud failure modes and times. This paper also compares the structural and thermal behavioural characteristics of LSF wall studs with those based on the standard time-temperature curve. Finally, the stud failure times and temperatures are summarized for both standard and realistic design fire curves. This study provides the necessary test data to validate the numerical models of LSF wall panels and to undertake a detailed study into the structural and thermal performance of LSF wall panels exposed to realistic design fire curves.

Examining the predictive value of combining the theory of planned behaviour and the volunteer functions inventory

The functions of the volunteer functions inventory were combined with the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control) to establish whether a stronger, single explanatory model prevailed. Undertaken in the context of episodic, skilled volunteering by individuals who were retired or approaching retirement (N = 186), the research advances on prior studies which either examined the predictive capacity of each model independently or compared their explanatory value. Using hierarchical regression analysis, the functions of the volunteer functions inventory (when controlling for demographic variables) explained an additional 7.0% of variability in individuals’ willingness to volunteer over and above that accounted for by the theory of planned behaviour. Significant predictors in the final model included attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control from the theory of planned behaviour and the understanding function from the volunteer functions inventory. It is proposed that the items comprising the understanding function may represent a deeper psychological construct (e.g., self-actualisation) not accounted for by the theory of planned behaviour. The findings highlight the potential benefit of combining these two prominent models in terms of improving understanding of volunteerism and providing a single parsimonious model for raising rates of this important behaviour.

Seeing pedestrians at night : effect of driver age and visual abilities

Purpose To quantify the effects of driver age on night-time pedestrian conspicuity, and to determine whether individual differences in visual performance can predict drivers' ability to recognise pedestrians at night. Methods Participants were 32 visually normal drivers (20 younger: M = 24.4 years ± 6.4 years; 12 older: M = 72.0 years ± 5.0 years). Visual performance was measured in a laboratory-based testing session including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, motion sensitivity and the useful field of view. Night-time pedestrian recognition distances were recorded while participants drove an instrumented vehicle along a closed road course at night; to increase the workload of drivers, auditory and visual distracter tasks were presented for some of the laps. Pedestrians walked in place, sideways to the oncoming vehicles, and wore either a standard high visibility reflective vest or reflective tape positioned on the movable joints (biological motion). Results Driver age and pedestrian clothing significantly (p < 0.05) affected the distance at which the drivers first responded to the pedestrians. Older drivers recognised pedestrians at approximately half the distance of the younger drivers and pedestrians were recognised more often and at longer distances when they wore a biological motion reflective clothing configuration than when they wore a reflective vest. Motion sensitivity was an independent predictor of pedestrian recognition distance, even when controlling for driver age. Conclusions The night-time pedestrian recognition capacity of older drivers was significantly worse than that of younger drivers. The distance at which drivers first recognised pedestrians at night was best predicted by a test of motion sensitivity.

The current state of play in human neural stem cell models : what we have learnt from the rodent

Rodent (mouse and rat) models have been crucial in developing our understanding of human neurogenesis and neural stem cell (NSC) biology. The study of neurogenesis in rodents has allowed us to begin to understand adult human neurogenesis and in particular, protocols established for isolation and in vitro propagation of rodent NSCs have successfully been applied to the expansion of human NSCs. Furthermore, rodent models have played a central role in studying NSC function in vivo and in the development of NSC transplantation strategies for cell therapy applications. Rodents and humans share many similarities in the process of neurogenesis and NSC biology however distinct species differences are important considerations for the development of more efficient human NSC therapeutic applications. Here we review the important contributions rodent studies have had to our understanding of human neurogenesis and to the development of in vitro and in vivo NSC research. Species differences will be discussed to identify key areas in need of further development for human NSC therapy applications.

Work zone items influencing driver speeds at roadworks: worker, driver and expert perspectives

Roadworks are essential to a safe and efficient road network, yet somewhat paradoxically the necessary work is often associated with increased risk to motorists and workers, as well as with traffic flow disruptions. A major source of increased crash risk at roadwork sites (work zones) is poor speed limit compliance. Speeding in work zones is examined in existing literature to the extent that major issues are known and some effective countermeasures are identified. However, as speeding remains a major problem in work zones, influences on driver behaviour arguably need to be better understood to achieve greater compliance and thus realise further gains in road safety. Current research on safety at Queensland roadwork sites has examined the views of workers, measured work zone speed profiles, and conducted an online survey of drivers (N=410). This paper focuses on survey participants’ ratings of 12 specific work zone items (including traffic control measures) in terms of their influence on speed choice. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences (p<0.001) in the ratings of these items, with the most influential including visible presence of workers, visible police presence, and speed feedback displays. Those rated least influential included ’roadwork speed limits are enforced’ and ‘reduce speed’ signs and increased fines for speeding in work zones. The paper considers the alignment of these findings with those from other sources, including worker interviews and the literature, to provide a consolidated assessment of the influence of work zone items on driver speeds.

Can’t we all just get along? A qualitative investigation of the cognitive processes motivating driver aggression.

Although driver aggression has been identified as contributing to crashes, current understanding of the fundamental causes of the behaviour is poor. Two key reasons for this are evident. Firstly, existing research has been largely atheoretical, with no unifying conceptual framework guiding investigation. Secondly, emphasis on observable behaviours has resulted in limited knowledge of the underlying thought processes that motivate behaviour. Since driving is fundamentally a social situation, requiring drivers to interpret on-road events, insight regarding these perception and appraisal processes is paramount in advancing understanding of the underlying causes. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the cognitive appraisal processes involved in driver aggression, using a conceptual model founded on the General Aggression Model (Anderson & Bushman, 2002). The present results reflect the first of several studies testing this model. Participants completed 3 structured driving diaries to explore perceptions and cognitions. Thematic analysis of diaries identified several cognitive themes. The first, ‘driving etiquette’ concerned an implied code of awareness and consideration for other motorists, breaches of which were strongly associated with reports of anger and frustration. Such breaches were considered intentional; attributed to dispositional traits of another driver, and precipitated the second theme, ‘justified retaliation’. This theme showed that drivers view their aggressive behaviour as warranted, to convey criticism towards another motorist’s etiquette violation. However, the third theme, ‘superiority’ suggested that those refraining from an aggressive response were motivated by a desire to perceive themselves as ‘better’ than the offending motorists. Collectively, the themes indicate deep-seated and complex thought patterns underlying driver aggression, and suggest the behaviour will be challenging to modify. Implications of these themes in relation to the proposed model will be discussed, and continued research will explore these cognitive processes further, to examine their interaction with person-related factors.

Synonymization of key pest species within the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex (Diptera: Tephritidae): Taxonomic changes based on a review of 20 years of integrative morphological, molecular, cytogenetic, behavioural and chemoecological data

Bactrocera papayae Drew & Hancock, Bactrocera philippinensis Drew & Hancock, Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock, and Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White are four horticultural pest tephritid fruit fly species that are highly similar, morphologically and genetically, to the destructive pest, the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). This similarity has rendered the discovery of reliable diagnostic characters problematic, which, in view of the economic importance of these taxa and the international trade implications, has resulted in ongoing difficulties for many areas of plant protection and food security. Consequently, a major international collaborative and integrated multidisciplinary research effort was initiated in 2009 to build upon existing literature with the specific aim of resolving biological species limits among B. papayae, B. philippinensis, B. carambolae, B. invadens and B. dorsalis to overcome constraints to pest management and international trade. Bactrocera philippinensis has recently been synonymized with B. papayae as a result of this initiative and this review corroborates that finding; however, the other names remain in use. While consistent characters have been found to reliably distinguish B. carambolae from B. dorsalis, B. invadens and B. papayae, no such characters have been found to differentiate the latter three putative species. We conclude that B. carambolae is a valid species and that the remaining taxa, B. dorsalis, B. invadens and B. papayae, represent the same species. Thus, we consider B. dorsalis (Hendel) as the senior synonym of B. papayae Drew and Hancock syn.n. and B. invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White syn.n. A redescription of B. dorsalis is provided. Given the agricultural importance of B. dorsalis, this taxonomic decision will have significant global plant biosecurity implications, affecting pest management, quarantine, international trade, postharvest treatment and basic research. Throughout the paper, we emphasize the value of independent and multidisciplinary tools in delimiting species, particularly in complicated cases involving morphologically cryptic taxa.

Tissue-engineered 3D tumor angiogenesis models : potential technologies for anti-cancer drug discovery

Angiogenesis is indispensable for solid tumor expansion, and thus it has become a major target of cancer research and anti-cancer therapies. Deciphering the arcane actions of various cell populations during tumor angiogenesis requires sophisticated research models, which could capture the dynamics and complexity of the process. There is a continuous need for improvement of existing research models, which engages interdisciplinary approaches of tissue engineering with life sciences. Tireless efforts to develop a new model to study tumor angiogenesis result in innovative solutions, which bring us one step closer to decipher the dubious nature of cancer. This review aims to overview the recent developments, current limitations and future challenges in three-dimensional tissue-engineered models for the study of tumor angiogenesis and for the purpose of elucidating novel targets aimed at anti-cancer drug discovery.