Load profiling and data mining techniques in electricity deregulated market

This paper presents load profiles of electricity customers, using the knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) procedure, a data mining technique, to determine the load profiles for different types of customers. In this paper, the current load profiling methods are compared using data mining techniques, by analysing and evaluating these classification techniques. The objective of this study is to determine the best load profiling methods and data mining techniques to classify, detect and predict non-technical losses in the distribution sector, due to faulty metering and billing errors, as well as to gather knowledge on customer behaviour and preferences so as to gain a competitive advantage in the deregulated market. This paper focuses mainly on the comparative analysis of the classification techniques selected; a forthcoming paper will focus on the detection and prediction methods.

A qualitative assessment of communicating spatial concepts in virtual and physical environments via a text-based medium

The pedagogical exercise described here was used to investigate how spatial communication about the manipulation of objects in a virtual and physical space is communicated between remote partners. It continues work done by others. Where it differs from previous research in this area is in its use of a qualitative methodology to study how these types of interactions are structured, communicated and interpreted via text-based media. What emerged from the qualitative analysis are new insights over the previous quantitative investigations. This paper reports on completed research.