Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2004. / Restricted until May 2005. Bibliography: leaves 76-92.

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Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

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This dissertation builds upon the ideas introduced by Liben-Nowell and Kleinberg in The Link Prediction Problem for Social Networks [42]. Link prediction is the problem of predicting between which unconnected nodes in a graph a link will form next, based on the current structure of the graph. The following research contributions are made: • Highlighting the difference between the link prediction and link detection problems, which have been implicitly regarded as identical in current research. Despite hidden links and forming links having very highly significant differing metric values, they could not be distinguished from each other by a machine learning system using traditional metrics in an initial experiment. However, they could be distinguished from each other in a "simple" network (one where traditional metrics can be used for prediction successfully) using a combination of new graph analysis approaches. • Defining temporal metric statistics by combining traditional statistical measures with measures commonly employed in financial analysis and traditional social network analysis. These metrics are calculated over time for a sequence of sociograms. It is shown that some of the temporal extensions of traditional metrics increase the accuracy of link prediction. • Defining traditional metrics using different radii to those at which they are normally calculated. It is shown that this approach can increase the individual prediction accuracy of certain metrics, marginally increase the accuracy of a group of metrics, and greatly increase metric computation speed without sacrificing information content by computing metrics using smaller radii. It also solves the “distance-three task” (that common neighbour metrics cannot predict links between nodes at a distance greater than three). • Showing that the combination of local and temporal approaches to link prediction can lead to very high prediction accuracies. Furthermore in “complex” networks (ones where traditional metrics cannot be used for prediction successfully) local and temporal metrics become even more useful.

M. Tech. (Department of Information and Communication Technology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology / Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) has seen tremendous interest amongst the research community in recent years due to its ability to make the robot truly independent in navigation. Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) is when an autonomous mobile robot is embedded with a vision sensor such as monocular, stereo vision, omnidirectional or Red Green Blue Depth (RGBD) camera to localize and map an unknown environment. The purpose of this research is to address the problem of environmental noise, such as light intensity in a static environment, which has been an issue that makes a Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) system to be ineffective. In this study, we have introduced a Light Filtering Algorithm into the Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) method to reduce the amount of noise in order to improve the robustness of the system in a static environment, together with the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) algorithm for localization and mapping and A* algorithm for navigation. Simulation is utilized to execute experimental performance. Experimental results show a 60% landmark or landfeature detection of the total landmark or landfeature within a simulation environment and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.13m, which is minimal when compared with other Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) systems from literature. The inclusion of a Light Filtering Algorithm has enabled the Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) system to navigate in an obscure environment.

D. Tech. (Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is a significant problem that has been extensively researched in robotics. Its contribution to autonomous robot navigation has attracted researchers towards focusing on this area. In the past, various techniques have been proposed to address SLAM problem with remarkable achievements but there are several factors having the capability to degrade the effectiveness of SLAM technique. These factors include environmental noises (light intensity and shadow), dynamic environment, kidnap robot and computational cost. These problems create inconsistency that can lead to erroneous results in implementation. In the attempt of addressing these problems, a novel SLAM technique Known as DIK-SLAM was proposed. The DIK-SLAM is a SLAM technique upgraded with filtering algorithms and several re-modifications of Monte-Carlo algorithm to increase its robustness while taking into consideration the computational complexity. The morphological technique and Normalized Differences Index (NDI) are filters introduced to the novel technique to overcome shadow. The dark channel model and specular-to-diffuse are filters introduced to overcome light intensity. These filters are operating in parallel since the computational cost is a concern. The re-modified Monte-Carlo algorithm based on initial localization and grid map technique was introduced to overcome the issue of kidnap problem and dynamic environment respectively. In this study, publicly available dataset (TUM-RGBD) and a privately generated dataset from of a university in South Africa were employed for evaluation of the filtering algorithms. Experiments were carried out using Matlab simulation and were evaluated using quantitative and qualitative methods. Experimental results obtained showed an improved performance of DIK-SLAM when compared with the original Monte Carlo algorithm and another available SLAM technique in literature. The DIK-SLAM algorithm discussed in this study has the potential of improving autonomous robot navigation, path planning, and exploration while it reduces robot accident rates and human injuries.

Construir um sistema de informações para medir e acompanhar o desempenho de uma Organização complexa, sem fim lucrativo, na área social, é uma tarefa muito mais ampla do que simplesmente coletar e analisar alguns indicadores. Esta tese teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento e a análise do processo de implantação de um sistema de informações em uma Organização complexa (Febem/SP), visando dar apoio a uma administração mais eficaz. O processo de produção, tanto na área da saúde quanto na Febem, abrange todas as atividades desenvolvidas pelos profissionais no atendimento aos pacientes/adolescentes. Assim, o prontuário (registro das atividades da linha de produção) torna-se uma importante ferramenta para a avaliação deste processo. Objetivos deste sistema: construir a base de dados do adolescente autor de ato infracional, a fim de permitir um estudo pormenorizado da sua situação jurídica, social, educacional e de saúde, constituindo-se na base do sistema de informações da Febem/SP. Resultados: são apresentados a estrutura do conteúdo de informações, diagramas entidades-relacionamentos, diagramas de dados, exemplos das páginas da WEB, detalhes da rede, além da estratégia de treinamento e implantação utilizados. Aspectos éticos e legais do uso de dados pessoais em meio eletrônico são também abordados. São discutidas as dificuldades de implantação e operação deste sistema, suas semelhanças e diferenças com sistemas de informação em Organizações de saúde e é apontado o papel do médico informata. As principais dificuldades encontradas para a operação do sistema, até agora, referem-se à pouca experiência dos usuários com tecnologia de informação e resistência às mudanças organizacionais, principalmente quanto à implantação de um novo modelo de atendimento. O grande desafio, hoje, é a incorporação de forma eficiente e eficaz de toda esta tecnologia de informação existente à rotina dessas Organizações, com seu complexo sistema produtivo, compreendendo-se suas peculiaridades e limitações decorrentes de suas atividades fins. / Development of an information system for monitoring the performance of a complex non-profit organization is a wider work than get and analyze some indicators. The purpose of this thesis was the development and analysis of the implementation of an information system in a complex organization (Febem/SP), aiming to support a more efficacious administration. The process of production in health organizations and at Febem/SP include all professionals activities for patients and adolescents care. Thus, the patient record (information recorded all through production activities) becomes an important tool for process quality assessment. System purposes: development of the delinquent adolescents information data base, enabling a better comprehension of their judicial, social, educational and health situation, becoming the basis for the information system of Febem/SP. Results: information set definition, entityrelationship diagrams, data diagrams, examples of WEB pages and NetWare configuration are presented. Implementation and users training strategy are also presented. Ethical and legal issues about personal data in electronic systems are commented. Difficulties for the implementation of this system and its operation are discussed; it is compared to health organizations systems, the role of the medical informatics professional is pointed. The main problems for this system operation, up to now, can be explained by the inexperience of the users in Information Technology and resistance to organizational changes, especially to a new approach to these adolescents reeducation. The challenge today is incorporating, efficiently and efficaciously, all these Information Technology in these organizations, with their complex process of production, recognizing their particularities and limitations.

Construir um sistema de informações para medir e acompanhar o desempenho de uma Organização complexa, sem fim lucrativo, na área social, é uma tarefa muito mais ampla do que simplesmente coletar e analisar alguns indicadores. Esta tese teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento e a análise do processo de implantação de um sistema de informações em uma Organização complexa (Febem/SP), visando dar apoio a uma administração mais eficaz. O processo de produção, tanto na área da saúde quanto na Febem, abrange todas as atividades desenvolvidas pelos profissionais no atendimento aos pacientes/adolescentes. Assim, o prontuário (registro das atividades da linha de produção) torna-se uma importante ferramenta para a avaliação deste processo. Objetivos deste sistema: construir a base de dados do adolescente autor de ato infracional, a fim de permitir um estudo pormenorizado da sua situação jurídica, social, educacional e de saúde, constituindo-se na base do sistema de informações da Febem/SP. Resultados: são apresentados a estrutura do conteúdo de informações, diagramas entidades-relacionamentos, diagramas de dados, exemplos das páginas da WEB, detalhes da rede, além da estratégia de treinamento e implantação utilizados. Aspectos éticos e legais do uso de dados pessoais em meio eletrônico são também abordados. São discutidas as dificuldades de implantação e operação deste sistema, suas semelhanças e diferenças com sistemas de informação em Organizações de saúde e é apontado o papel do médico informata. As principais dificuldades encontradas para a operação do sistema, até agora, referem-se à pouca experiência dos usuários com tecnologia de informação e resistência às mudanças organizacionais, principalmente quanto à implantação de um novo modelo de atendimento. O grande desafio, hoje, é a incorporação de forma eficiente e eficaz de toda esta tecnologia de informação existente à rotina dessas Organizações, com seu complexo sistema produtivo, compreendendo-se suas peculiaridades e limitações decorrentes de suas atividades fins. / Development of an information system for monitoring the performance of a complex non-profit organization is a wider work than get and analyze some indicators. The purpose of this thesis was the development and analysis of the implementation of an information system in a complex organization (Febem/SP), aiming to support a more efficacious administration. The process of production in health organizations and at Febem/SP include all professionals activities for patients and adolescents care. Thus, the patient record (information recorded all through production activities) becomes an important tool for process quality assessment. System purposes: development of the delinquent adolescents information data base, enabling a better comprehension of their judicial, social, educational and health situation, becoming the basis for the information system of Febem/SP. Results: information set definition, entityrelationship diagrams, data diagrams, examples of WEB pages and NetWare configuration are presented. Implementation and users training strategy are also presented. Ethical and legal issues about personal data in electronic systems are commented. Difficulties for the implementation of this system and its operation are discussed; it is compared to health organizations systems, the role of the medical informatics professional is pointed. The main problems for this system operation, up to now, can be explained by the inexperience of the users in Information Technology and resistance to organizational changes, especially to a new approach to these adolescents reeducation. The challenge today is incorporating, efficiently and efficaciously, all these Information Technology in these organizations, with their complex process of production, recognizing their particularities and limitations.