Must see TV : mapping an Australian mediasphere

Australian National Cinema and Australian Television Culture. These two books, magisterial accounts of Australian media cultures, are very different. The first analyses (according to its cover blurb) 'the distinct and diverse nature of Australian cinema'; the second offers 'a picture of Australian television'. The books share an author.2 Despite this, their objects of study are constituted very differently. The first is replete with examples of particular films, analyses of their representational strategies, and links to the social context of production. The second addresses almost no programs and those that are mentioned appear only in passing. There is no analysis of any particular television text. The difference between these books cannot be explained in terms of authorial fickleness: rather, it represents the different ways in which television and film have been constructed as objects of study. While film has a recognised canon and a tradition of close textual analysis, in the study of television the programs themselves have tended to vanish - as they do in Australian Television Culture. Most academic work on Australian television is not interested in its programs. Writers have tended to find other aspects more rewarding: industries, institutions, ownership, legislation, technology and production.3 Australian Television Culture is part of this tradition; and an example of how such work, done well, can be a useful contribution to understanding the medium.

Development sites in the empty city : from picture book to performance

Picturebooks invite performance every time they are read. What happens to them when they’re adapted for live performance? This ongoing practice led research project (2008-) regenerates and transforms picturebook The Empty City (Hachette/Livre 2007) by David Megarrity and Jonathon Oxlade into a live experience. In this rebuilding, interanimation of text and illustration on the picturebook page suddenly open up into a new and complex structure incorporating composition of music, animation, live action, projected image and performing objects. The presenter is the creator of both the source text and writer/composer of the adaptation, providing a unique vantage point that draws on sources from both within and without the creative process up to and including audience reception. From the foundations up, this paper’s focus is on deep, muddy sites of development in the adaptation process, unearthed treasures, and how perceptions of fear and safety push, sway and stress the building of a new performance work for children in content, form and process.

The sun gives without ever receiving

YEAR: 2010 ROLE: Artist FORMAT: Miniature 3D Sculpture produced in resin using 3D printing technologies. WITH: International Touring Show ‘Inside Out’ WHAT: A miniature sculpture that contributes towards my ongoing explorations into how our collective ability to sustain (the future) is as much a cultural problematic as it is an economic or technological one. OVERVIEW: The curatorial brief was for each curated artist was to design a piece in CAD suitable for 3D resin printing - The object should be entirely generated through 3D visualisation and modelling tools and should be machined and shipped within the dimensions of 6cm x 6cm x 6cm. My design for this brief was influenced by recent research I had conducted in Mildura in the Sunraysia irrigated region of NW Victoria. Each name set within the work is an Australian soldier/settler – who, on returning from the ‘Great War’ was duly awarded a ‘block’ in Australia’s new inland irrigated settlements - with the explicit task of clearing it to plant and reap. Through their concerted and well-intentioned efforts, these workers began to profoundly re-shape Australia’s marginal country - inadvertently presaging the bleak future faced today by many of Australia’s inland lands and river systems. Furthermore, through that time's predominant colonial conception of ‘terra nullius’ (this land is unoccupied and therefore free to be claimed) they each played a small but formative part in building the profound cultural divide between land and peoples that still haunts Australia today. THE EXHIBITION: Inside Out is a compelling international touring exhibition featuring forty-six miniature sculptures produced in resin using 3D printing technologies. Developments in virtual computer visualisation and integrated digital technologies are giving contemporary makers new insight and opportunities to create objects and forms which were previously impossible to produce or difficult to envisage. The exhibition is the result of collaboration between the Art Technology Coalition, the University of Technology Sydney and RMIT University in Australia along with De Montfort University, Manchester Metropolitan University and Dartington College of Arts at University College Falmouth in the United Kingdom.

Exponentiated gradient algorithms for large-margin structured classification

We consider the problem of structured classification, where the task is to predict a label y from an input x, and y has meaningful internal structure. Our framework includes supervised training of Markov random fields and weighted context-free grammars as special cases. We describe an algorithm that solves the large-margin optimization problem defined in [12], using an exponential-family (Gibbs distribution) representation of structured objects. The algorithm is efficient—even in cases where the number of labels y is exponential in size—provided that certain expectations under Gibbs distributions can be calculated efficiently. The method for structured labels relies on a more general result, specifically the application of exponentiated gradient updates [7, 8] to quadratic programs.

Super-resolved faces for improved face recognition from surveillance video advances in biometrics

Characteristics of surveillance video generally include low resolution and poor quality due to environmental, storage and processing limitations. It is extremely difficult for computers and human operators to identify individuals from these videos. To overcome this problem, super-resolution can be used in conjunction with an automated face recognition system to enhance the spatial resolution of video frames containing the subject and narrow down the number of manual verifications performed by the human operator by presenting a list of most likely candidates from the database. As the super-resolution reconstruction process is ill-posed, visual artifacts are often generated as a result. These artifacts can be visually distracting to humans and/or affect machine recognition algorithms. While it is intuitive that higher resolution should lead to improved recognition accuracy, the effects of super-resolution and such artifacts on face recognition performance have not been systematically studied. This paper aims to address this gap while illustrating that super-resolution allows more accurate identification of individuals from low-resolution surveillance footage. The proposed optical flow-based super-resolution method is benchmarked against Baker et al.’s hallucination and Schultz et al.’s super-resolution techniques on images from the Terrascope and XM2VTS databases. Ground truth and interpolated images were also tested to provide a baseline for comparison. Results show that a suitable super-resolution system can improve the discriminability of surveillance video and enhance face recognition accuracy. The experiments also show that Schultz et al.’s method fails when dealing surveillance footage due to its assumption of rigid objects in the scene. The hallucination and optical flow-based methods performed comparably, with the optical flow-based method producing less visually distracting artifacts that interfered with human recognition.

Computing with motile bio-agents

We describe a model of computation of the parallel type, which we call 'computing with bio-agents', based on the concept that motions of biological objects such as bacteria or protein molecular motors in confined spaces can be regarded as computations. We begin with the observation that the geometric nature of the physical structures in which model biological objects move modulates the motions of the latter. Consequently, by changing the geometry, one can control the characteristic trajectories of the objects; on the basis of this, we argue that such systems are computing devices. We investigate the computing power of mobile bio-agent systems and show that they are computationally universal in the sense that they are capable of computing any Boolean function in parallel. We argue also that using appropriate conditions, bio-agent systems can solve NP-complete problems in probabilistic polynomial time.

Towards a service framework for remote sales support via augmented reality

Real-time sales assistant service is a problematic component of remote delivery of sales support for customers. Solutions involving web pages, telephony and video support prove problematic when seeking to remotely guide customers in their sales processes, especially with transactions revolving around physically complex artefacts. This process involves a number of services that are often complex in nature, ranging from physical compatibility and configuration factors, to availability and credit services. We propose the application of a combination of virtual worlds and augmented reality to create synthetic environments suitable for remote sales of physical artefacts, right in the home of the purchaser. A high level description of the service structure involved is shown, along with a use case involving the sale of electronic goods and services within an example augmented reality application. We expect this work to have application in many sales domains involving physical objects needing to be sold over the Internet.

Visceral hedonic rhetoric

Emotional responses can incite and entice consumers to select a particular product from a row of similar items and thus have a considerable impact on purchase decisions. Consequently, more and more companies are challenging designers to address the emotional impact of their work and to design for emotion and consumerproduct relationships. Furthermore, the creation of emotional attachment to one’s possessions is one way of approaching a sustainable consumer-product relationship. The aim of this research is to gain a deeper understanding of the instantaneous emotional attachment that consumers form with products and its subsequent implications for product development. The foci of the study are visceral design, consumer hedonics and product rhetoric. Studied in a conglomerate they become an area of new investigation: visceral hedonic rhetoric. In this context, the term “visceral hedonic rhetoric” is defined as the properties of a product that persuasively elicit the pursuit of pleasure at an instinctual level of cognition. This study explores visceral hedonic rhetoric evident in the design of interactive products and resides within the context of emotional design research. It employs an empirical approach to understand how consumers respond hedonically on a visceral level to rhetoric in products. Specifically, it examines visceral hedonic responses given by thirty participants to the stimuli of six mobile telephones, six Mp3 players and six USB memory flash drives. The study findings demonstrate a hierarchy of visceral hedonic rhetoric evident in interactive products. This hierarchy of visceral hedonic attributes include: colour, size, shape, intrigue, material, perceived usability, portability, perceived function, novelty, analogy, brand, quality, texture and gender. However, it is the interrelationships between these visceral hedonic attributes that are the most significant findings of this research. Certain associations were revealed between product attribute combinations and consumer perception. The most predominant of these were: gender bias associated with colour selection; the creation of intrigue through a vibrant attention-grabbing colour; perceived ease of use and function; product confidence as a result of brand familiarity and perceived usability; analogous association through familiarity with similar objects and shapes; and the association of longevity with quality, novelty or recent technology. A significant outcome of the research is the distillation of visceral hedonic rhetoric design principles, and a tool to assist designers in harnessing the full potential of visceral hedonic rhetoric. This study contributes to the identification of the emerging research field of visceral hedonic rhetoric. Application of this study’s findings has the potential to provide a hedonic consumer-product relationship that is more meaningful, less disposable and more sustainable. This theory of visceral hedonic rhetoric is not only a significant contribution to design knowledge but is also generally transferable to other research domains, as later suggested in future research avenues.

A traffic simulation standard based on data marts

Traffic Simulation models tend to have their own data input and output formats. In an effort to standardise the input for traffic simulations, we introduce in this paper a set of data marts that aim to serve as a common interface between the necessaary data, stored in dedicated databases, and the swoftware packages, that require the input in a certain format. The data marts are developed based on real world objects (e.g. roads, traffic lights, controllers) rather than abstract models and hence contain all necessary information that can be transformed by the importing software package to their needs. The paper contains a full description of the data marts for network coding, simulation results, and scenario management, which have been discussed with industry partners to ensure sustainability.

Scripting versus emergence : issues for game developers and players in game environment design

This paper defines and discusses two contrasting approaches to designing game environments. The first, referred to as scripting, requires developers to anticipate, hand-craft and script specific game objects, events and player interactions. The second, known as emergence, involves defining general, global rules that interact to give rise to emergent gameplay. Each of these approaches is defined, discussed and analyzed with respect to the considerations and affects for game developers and game players. Subsequently, various techniques for implementing these design approaches are identified and discussed. It is concluded that scripting and emergence are two extremes of the same continuum, neither of which are ideal for game development. Rather, there needs to be a compromise in which the boundaries of action (such as story and game objectives) can be hardcoded and non-scripted behavior (such as interactions and strategies) are able to emerge within these boundaries.

Emergence in games

The future direction of game development is towards more flexible, realistic, and interactive game worlds. However, current methods of game design do not allow for anything other than pre-scripted player exchanges and static objects and environments. An emergent approach to game development involves the creation of a globally designed game system that provides rules and boundaries for player interactions, rather than prescribed paths. Emergence in Games provides a detailed foundation for applying the theory and practice of emergence in games to game design. Emergent narrative, characters and agents, and game worlds are covered and a hands-on tutorial and case study allow the reader to the put the skills and ideas presented into practice.

Boundary weaving : the social structure and processes of organizational boundaries

Boundaries are an important field of study because they mediate almost every aspect of organizational life. They are becoming increasingly more important as organizations change more frequently and yet, despite the endemic use of the boundary metaphor in common organizational parlance, they are poorly understood. Organizational boundaries are under-theorized and researchers in related fields often simply assume their existence, without defining them. The literature on organizational boundaries is fragmented with no unifying theoretical basis. As a result, when it is recognized that an organizational boundary is "dysfunctional". there is little recourse to models on which to base remediating action. This research sets out to develop just such a theoretical model and is guided by the general question: "What is the nature of organizational boundaries?" It is argued that organizational boundaries can be conceptualised through elements of both social structure and of social process. Elements of structure include objects, coupling, properties and identity. Social processes include objectification, identification, interaction and emergence. All of these elements are integrated by a core category, or basic social process, called boundary weaving. An organizational boundary is a complex system of objects and emergent properties that are woven together by people as they interact together, objectifying the world around them, identifying with these objects and creating couplings of varying strength and polarity as well as their own fragmented identity. Organizational boundaries are characterised by the multiplicity of interconnections, a particular domain of objects, varying levels of embodiment and patterns of interaction. The theory developed in this research emerged from an exploratory, qualitative research design employing grounded theory methodology. The field data was collected from the training headquarters of the New Zealand Army using semi-structured interviews and follow up observations. The unit of analysis is an organizational boundary. Only one research context was used because of the richness and multiplicity of organizational boundaries that were present. The model arose, grounded in the data collected, through a process of theoretical memoing and constant comparative analysis. Academic literature was used as a source of data to aid theory development and the saturation of some central categories. The final theory is classified as middle range, being substantive rather than formal, and is generalizable across medium to large organizations in low-context societies. The main limitation of the research arose from the breadth of the research with multiple lines of inquiry spanning several academic disciplines, with some relevant areas such as the role of identity and complexity being addressed at a necessarily high level. The organizational boundary theory developed by this research replaces the typology approaches, typical of previous theory on organizational boundaries and reconceptualises the nature of groups in organizations as well as the role of "boundary spanners". It also has implications for any theory that relies on the concept of boundaries, such as general systems theory. The main contribution of this research is the development of a holistic model of organizational boundaries including an explanation of the multiplicity of boundaries . no organization has a single definable boundary. A significant aspect of this contribution is the integration of aspects of complexity theory and identity theory to explain the emergence of higher-order properties of organizational boundaries and of organizational identity. The core category of "boundary weaving". is a powerful new metaphor that significantly reconceptualises the way organizational boundaries may be understood in organizations. It invokes secondary metaphors such as the weaving of an organization's "boundary fabric". and provides managers with other metaphorical perspectives, such as the management of boundary friction, boundary tension, boundary permeability and boundary stability. Opportunities for future research reside in formalising and testing the theory as well as developing analytical tools that would enable managers in organizations to apply the theory in practice.

Detection of bacteriophage and respiratory viruses in droplets

Influenza is a widespread disease occurring in seasonal epidemics, and each year is responsible for up to 500,000 deaths worldwide. Influenza can develop into strains which cause severe symptoms and high mortality rates, and could potentially reach pandemic status if the virus’ properties allow easy transmission. Influenza is transmissible via contact with the virus, either directly (infected people) or indirectly (contaminated objects); via reception of large droplets over short distances (one metre or less); or through inhalation of aerosols containing the virus expelled by infected individuals during respiratory activities, that can remain suspended in the air and travel distances of more than one metre (the aerosol route). Aerosol transmission of viruses involves three stages: production of the droplets containing viruses; transport of the droplets and ability of a virus to remain intact and infectious; and reception of the droplets (via inhalation). Our understanding of the transmission of influenza viruses via the aerosol route is poor, and thus our ability to prevent a widespread outbreak is limited. This study explored the fate of viruses in droplets by investigating the effects of some physical factors on the recovery of both a bacteriophage model and influenza virus. Experiments simulating respiratory droplets were carried out using different types of droplets, generated from a commonly used water-like matrix, and also from an ‘artificial mucous’ matrix which was used to more closely resemble respiratory fluids. To detect viruses in droplets, we used the traditional plaque assay techniques, and also a sensitive, quantitative PCR assay specifically developed for this study. Our results showed that the artificial mucous suspension enhanced the recovery of infectious bacteriophage. We were able to report detection limits of infectious bacteriophage (no bacteriophage was detected by the plaque assay when aerosolised from a suspension of 103 PFU/mL, for three of the four droplet types tested), and that bacteriophage could remain infectious in suspended droplets for up to 20 minutes. We also showed that the nested real-time PCR assay was able to detect the presence of bacteriophage RNA where the plaque assay could not detect any intact particles. Finally, when applying knowledge from the bacteriophage experiments, we reported the quantitative recoveries of influenza viruses in droplets, which were more consistent and stable than we had anticipated. Influenza viruses can be detected up to 20 minutes (after aerosolisation) in suspended aerosols and possibly beyond. It also was detectable from nebulising suspensions with relatively low concentrations of viruses.

Improving service innovation through structured process-oriented knowledge infrastructure design

Formalised service innovation is a central tenet of enterprise systems lifecycle phases. Event driven process models extended with knowledge objects are found to be not useful in early lifecycle phases. When an upgrade is required, a map of the knowledge infrastructure is needed to better design further service innovation because functional maps no longer adequately describe the context adequately. By looking at formal changes to business processes as service innovations, and recognising the knowledge infrastructure inherent in services generally, changes driven through technology such as ES can be better understood with the application of frameworks such as B-KIDE.

The activity of learning assistance

This paper uses cultural-historical activity to examine the nature of learning assistance, provided in university settings, to assist learners in coping with academic study. Alternative rival constructions of learning assistance, either as part of an overall university activity system, or as an activity system overlapping with other separate activity systems (e.g. library and faculty) within the university, are outlined. Data from a research study at one university are used to describe the object, tools and tensions in learning assistance; and, together with the history of the service, these are used to suggest that the current situation is one where the objects of the Learning Assistance Unit, the faculty and the library have separated from the object of a university.