Designing environments for recovery

There’s growing evidence that psychosis is linked to the physical environments that we live in. Good environments are the ones that allow people to step back, relax and feel secure, while engaging in interesting and meaningful activity. Bad environments don’t allow respite: they keep people on their toes and somehow magnify meaninglessness and hollow rules and unreasonable demands. They may also be bleak and even unfair or outright scary. But don’t expect everyone to notice the bad environments: recent studies demonstrate that patients with psychosis are far more likely to notice even subtle negative features in the environment than people without symptoms. The same patients are also less likely to notice the good things an environment has to offer – but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be provided.

An Intelligent Driver Warning System

This chapter is focussed on the research and development of an intelligent driver warning system (IDWS) as a means to improve road safety and driving comfort. Two independent IDWS case studies are presented. The first study examines the methodology and implementation for attentive visual tracking and trajectory estimation for dynamic scene segmentation problems. In the second case study, the concept of driver modelling is evaluated which can be used to provide useful feedback to drivers. In both case studies, the quality of IDWS is largely determined by the modelling capability for estimating multiple vehicle trajectories and modelling driving behaviour. A class of modelling techniques based on neural-fuzzy systems, which exhibits provable learning and modelling capability, is proposed. For complex modelling problems where the curse of dimensionality becomes an issue, a network construction algorithm based on Adaptive Spline Modelling of Observation Data (ASMOD) is also proposed.

The influence of technology-mediated environments on international business experience for internationalisation: Does international experience matter?

This paper examines the role and importance of international business experience for firms operating in technologically-mediated environments. Although the key success factors of international expansion have been subject to extensive research in the international business literature, the analysis of technology-mediated environments on international business experience remains limited. This finding is unexpected given that the Internet and the technologies that have enabled it have profoundly transformed the ways in which international business is conducted. This is especially so for firms in the Australian region where the Internet has allowed business to access the scale of markets they need to grow and operate globally (Google and PWC, 2015). Given that businesses of the future will need to innovate quicker and more effectively in online settings to remain competitive, it seems appropriate that we re-visit the more traditional facets of internationalisation; such as the necessity of international business experience for firm performance. In doing so, the empirical section of this paper focuses on twelve Australian international entrepreneurial firms, who in varying degrees utilise technology to leverage their internationalisation activities. The findings suggest that international entrepreneurs with lower levels of international business experience still achieve international performance outcomes. The findings indicate that firms are recognising that the ability to adapt and evolve quickly in technologically-advanced settings is imperative. The findings also suggest that international entrepreneurs are relying less on traditional facets of international business experience, and are learning in self-taught or autodidactic ways. This is because businesses in the current global climate are now operating in complex and highly dynamic environments, characterised by rapid change; thus, the findings suggest that international business experience is becoming less important due to the evolving nature of international business environments.

Adolescent self-reported physical activity and autonomy: A case for constrained and structured environments?

The provision of autonomy supportive environments that promote physical activity engagement have become popular in contemporary youth settings. However, questions remain about whether adolescent perceptions of their autonomy have implications for physical activity. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association between adolescents’ self-reported physical activity and their perceived autonomy. Participants (n = 384 adolescents) aged between 12 and 15 years were recruited from six secondary schools in metropolitan Brisbane, Australia. Self-reported measures of physical activity and autonomy were obtained. Logistic regression with inverse probability weights were used to examine the association between autonomy and the odds of meeting youth physical activity guidelines. Autonomy (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.49-0.76) and gender (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.83) were negatively associated with meeting physical activity guidelines. However, the model explained only a small amount of the variation in whether youth in this sample met physical activity guidelines (R2 = 0.023). For every 1 unit decrease in autonomy (on an index from 1 to 5), participants were 1.64 times more likely to meet physical activity guidelines. The findings, which are at odds with several previous studies, suggest that interventions designed to facilitate youth physical activity should limit opportunities for youth to make independent decisions about their engagement. However, the small amount of variation explained by the predictors in the model is a caveat, and should be considered prior to applying such suggestions in practical settings. Future research should continue to examine a larger age range, longitudinal observational or intervention studies to examine assertions of causality, as well as objective measurement of physical activity.

Robotic detection and tracking of Crown-Of-Thorns starfish

This paper presents a novel vision-based underwater robotic system for the identification and control of Crown-Of-Thorns starfish (COTS) in coral reef environments. COTS have been identified as one of the most significant threats to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. These starfish literally eat coral, impacting large areas of reef and the marine ecosystem that depends on it. Evidence has suggested that land-based nutrient runoff has accelerated recent outbreaks of COTS requiring extensive use of divers to manually inject biological agents into the starfish in an attempt to control population numbers. Facilitating this control program using robotics is the goal of our research. In this paper we introduce a vision-based COTS detection and tracking system based on a Random Forest Classifier (RFC) trained on images from underwater footage. To track COTS with a moving camera, we embed the RFC in a particle filter detector and tracker where the predicted class probability of the RFC is used as an observation probability to weight the particles, and we use a sparse optical flow estimation for the prediction step of the filter. The system is experimentally evaluated in a realistic laboratory setup using a robotic arm that moves a camera at different speeds and heights over a range of real-size images of COTS in a reef environment.

IdeaWall: Mixed mode distributed collaboration in enterprise environments

In early stages of design and modeling, computers and computer applications are often considered an obstacle, rather than a facilitator of the process. Most notably, brainstorms, process modeling with business experts, or development planning, are often performed by a team in front of a whiteboard. While "whiteboarding" is recognized as an effective tool, low-tech solutions that allow remote participants to contribute are still not generally available. This is a striking observation, considering that vast majority of teams in large organizations are distributed teams. And this has also been one of the key triggers behind the project described in this article, where a team of corporate researchers decided to identify state of the art technologies that could facilitate the scenario mentioned above. This paper is an account of a research project in the area of enterprise collaboration, with a strong focus on the aspects of human computer interaction in mixed mode environments, especially in areas of collaboration where computers still play a secondary role. It is describing a currently running corporate research project. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Learned ultra-wideband RADAR sensor model for augmented LIDAR-based traversability mapping in vegetated environments

In vegetated environments, reliable obstacle detection remains a challenge for state-of-the-art methods, which are usually based on geometrical representations of the environment built from LIDAR and/or visual data. In many cases, in practice field robots could safely traverse through vegetation, thereby avoiding costly detours. However, it is often mistakenly interpreted as an obstacle. Classifying vegetation is insufficient since there might be an obstacle hidden behind or within it. Some Ultra-wide band (UWB) radars can penetrate through vegetation to help distinguish actual obstacles from obstacle-free vegetation. However, these sensors provide noisy and low-accuracy data. Therefore, in this work we address the problem of reliable traversability estimation in vegetation by augmenting LIDAR-based traversability mapping with UWB radar data. A sensor model is learned from experimental data using a support vector machine to convert the radar data into occupancy probabilities. These are then fused with LIDAR-based traversability data. The resulting augmented traversability maps capture the fine resolution of LIDAR-based maps but clear safely traversable foliage from being interpreted as obstacle. We validate the approach experimentally using sensors mounted on two different mobile robots, navigating in two different environments.

Creative work environments and employee engagement: Exploring potential links and possibilities

Companies that perform well are often identified as either possessing creative work environments and (or) having high levels of employee engagement. Creative work environments are largely not well defined, although research alludes to contributing factors. On the other hand employee engagement is defined as the multiple emotional, rational and behavioural dimensions of an employee's consistent level of effort, commitment and connection to their job. Some authors including Saks (2006) and Shuck and Wollard (2010) call for more scholarly research to increase our understanding of the drivers of employee engagement and the actions that organisations can take to improve engagement. There are references made in the literature to the existence of a relationship between a creative work environment and engaged employees (Isaksen & Ekvall 2010), but there is a lack of empirical evidence providing support for the direct relationship between the two. This study aims to explore the relationship, addressing the question of how a creative work environment impacts on employee engagement. Exploratory research to investigate this relationship will use a qualitative methodology with semi-structured interviews, field observations and document analysis. Key themes will be analysed at both the individual and team level reflecting the multi-level nature of the constructs.

The role of offsets in compensating for damage in the coastal and marine environments

This thesis examines the extent of which economic instruments can be used to minimise environmental damage in the coastal and marine environments, and the role of offsets to compensate for residual damage. Economic principles are used to review current command and control systems, potential incentive based mechanisms, and the development of appropriate offsets. Implementing offsets in the marine environment has a number of challenges, so alternative approaches may be necessary. The study finds that offsets in areas remote from the initial impact, or even to protect different species, may be acceptable provided they result in greater conservation benefits than the standard like-for-like offset. This study is particularly relevant for the design of offsets in the coastal and marine environments where there is limited scope for like-for-like offsets.

Frameworks for engaging creative practice in bureaucratised project environments

This project examines procurement of creative services in a bureaucratic setting and proposes alternative procedures that better negotiate the tensions between creative and bureaucratised ways of working. The outcome is a project procurement strategy called 'Creative Practice Enabled Procurement' and a prototype industry toolkit 'It's Not Shopping! A Guide to Purchasing Innovation and Creativity'. The research is of benefit to managers and creative practitioners, especially those working in interpretive settings. The goal is to propagate better forms of creative procurement across government and private sectors by providing an evidence-based case for improved, practical alternatives.

Visual openness in urban environments: Measuring visual openness and visibility to natural landscapes in a changing urban landscape in Gold Coast, Australia

The visual characteristics of urban environments have been changing dramatically with the growth of cities around the world. Protection and enhancement of landscape character in urban environments have been one of the challenges for policy makers in addressing sustainable urban growth. Visual openness and enclosure in urban environments are important attributes in perception of visual space which affect the human interaction with physical space and which can be often modified by new developments. Measuring visual openness in urban areas results in more accurate, reliable, and systematic approach to manage and control visual qualities in growing cities. Recent advances in techniques in geographic information systems (GIS) and survey systems make it feasible to measure and quantify this attribute with a high degree of realism and precision. Previous studies in this field do not take full advantage of these improvements. This paper proposes a method to measure the visual openness and enclosure in a changing urban landscape in Australia, on the Gold Coast, by using the improved functionality in GIS. Using this method, visual openness is calculated and described for all publicly accessible areas in the selected study area. A final map is produced which shows the areas with highest visual openness and visibility to natural landscape resources. The output of this research can be used by planners and decision-makers in managing and controlling views in complex urban landscapes. Also, depending on the availability of GIS data, this method can be applied to any region including non-urban landscapes to help planners and policy-makers manage views and visual qualities.

Let's do it: A framework to investigate the affordances of experimental learning environments

BACKGROUND Experimental learning, traditionally conducted in on-campus laboratory venues, is the cornerstone of science and engineering education. In order to ensure that engineering graduates are exposed to ‘real-world’ situations and attain the necessary professional skill-sets, as mandated by course accreditation bodies such as Engineers Australia, face-to-face laboratory experimentation with real equipment has been an integral component of traditional engineering education. The online delivery of engineering coursework endeavours to mimic this with remote and simulated laboratory experimentation. To satisfy student and accreditation requirements, the common practice has been to offer equivalent remote and/or simulated laboratory experiments in lieu of the ones delivered, face-to face, on campus. The current implementations of both remote and simulated laboratories tend to be specified with a focus on technical characteristics, instead of pedagogical requirements. This work attempts to redress this situation by developing a framework for the investigation of the suitability of different experimental educational environments to deliver quality teaching and learning. PURPOSE For the tertiary education sector involved with technical or scientific training, a research framework capable of assessing the affordances of laboratory venues is an important aid during the planning, designing and evaluating stages of face-to-face and online (or cyber) environments that facilitate student experimentation. Providing quality experimental learning venues has been identified as one of the distance-education providers’ greatest challenges. DESIGN/METHOD The investigation draws on the expertise of staff at three Australian universities: Swinburne University of Technology (SUT), Curtin University (Curtin) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The aim was to analyse video recorded data, in order to identify the occurrences of kikan-shido (a Japanese term meaning ‘between desks instruction’ and over-the-shoulder learning and teaching (OTST/L) events, thereby ascertaining the pedagogical affordances in face-to-face laboratories. RESULTS These will be disseminated at a Master Class presentation at this conference. DISCUSSION Kikan-shido occurrences did reflect on the affordances of the venue. Unlike with other data collection methods, video recorded data and its analysis is repeatable. Participant bias is minimised or even eradicated and researcher bias tempered by enabling re-coding by others. CONCLUSIONS Framework facilitates the identification of experiential face-to-face learning venue affordances. Investigation will continue with on-line venues.

Authorisation management in business process environments: An authorisation model and a policy model

This thesis provides two main contributions. The first one is BP-TRBAC, a unified authorisation model that can support legacy systems as well as business process systems. BP-TRBAC supports specific features that are required by business process environments. BP-TRBAC is designed to be used as an independent enterprise-wide authorisation model, rather than having it as part of the workflow system. It is designed to be the main authorisation model for an organisation. The second contribution is BP-XACML, an authorisation policy language that is designed to represent BPM authorisation policies for business processes. The contribution also includes a policy model for BP-XACML. Using BP-TRBAC as an authorisation model together with BP-XACML as an authorisation policy language will allow an organisation to manage and control authorisation requests from workflow systems and other legacy systems.

Increasing autonomy transparency through capability communication in multiple heterogeneous UAV management

Interest in the area of collaborative Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in a Multi-Agent System is growing to compliment the strengths and weaknesses of the human-machine relationship. To achieve effective management of multiple heterogeneous UAVs, the status model of the agents must be communicated to each other. This paper presents the effects on operator Cognitive Workload (CW), Situation Awareness (SA), trust and performance by increasing the autonomy capability transparency through text-based communication of the UAVs to the human agents. The results revealed a reduction in CW, increase in SA, increase in the Competence, Predictability and Reliability dimensions of trust, and the operator performance.

Design and flight testing of an integrated solar powered UAV and WSN for greenhouse gas monitoring emissions in agricultural farms

There is an increased interest in measuring the amount of greenhouse gases produced by farming practices . This paper describes an integrated solar powered Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) gas sensing system for greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural lands. The system uses a generic gas sensing system for CH4 and CO2 concentrations using metal oxide (MoX) and non-dispersive infrared sensors, and a new solar cell encapsulation method to power the unmanned aerial system (UAS)as well as a data management platform to store, analyze and share the information with operators and external users. The system was successfully field tested at ground and low altitudes, collecting, storing and transmitting data in real time to a central node for analysis and 3D mapping. The system can be used in a wide range of outdoor applications at a relatively low operational cost. In particular, agricultural environments are increasingly subject to emissions mitigation policies. Accurate measurements of CH4 and CO2 with its temporal and spatial variability can provide farm managers key information to plan agricultural practices. A video of the bench and flight test performed can be seen in the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwas7stYIxQ