The main objective for this degree project was to analyze the Endpoint Security Solutions developed by Cisco, Microsoft and a third minor company solution represented by InfoExpress. The different solutions proposed are Cisco Network Admission Control, Microsoft Network Access Protection and InfoExpress CyberGatekeeper. An explanation of each solution functioning is proposed as well as an analysis of the differences between those solutions. This thesis work also proposes a tutorial for the installation of Cisco Network Admission Control for an easier implementation. The research was done by reading articles on the internet and by experimenting the Cisco Network Admission Control solution. My background knowledge about Cisco routing and ACL was also used. Based on the actual analysis done in this thesis, a conclusion was drawn that all existing solutions are not yet ready for large-scale use in corporate networks. Moreover all solutions are proprietary and incompatible. The future possible standard for Endpoint solution might be driven by Cisco and Microsoft and a rude competition begins between those two giants.

A design of speech recognition system for Chinese names has been established in this thesis. By identifying surname first, that is an unique feature of the Chinese names, the classification accuracy and computational time of the system can be greatly improved. This research is primarily based on hidden Markov model (HMM), a technique that is widely used in speech recognition. HMM is a doubly stochastic process describing the ways of pronumciation by recording the state transitions according to the time-varing properties of the speech signal. The results of the HMM are compared with those of the segmental probability model (SPM) to figure out better option in recognizing base-syllables. Under the conditions of equal segments, SPM not only suits Mandarin base-syllable structure, but also achieves the goal of simplifying system since it does not need to find the best transformation of the utterance. A speaker-independent 3000 Chinese names recognition system has been implemented based on the Mandarin microphone database recorded in the laboratory environment.

This thesis proposed two nonparametric statistical tests, based on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance and L2 mallows disatnce. To implement the proposed tests, nonparametric bootstrap method is employed to approximate the distributions of the test statistics to construct the corresponding bootstrap confidence interval procedures. Monte-Carlo simulations are performed to investigate the actual type I error of the proposed bootstrap procedures. It is found that the type I error of the bootstrap BC confidence interval procedure is close to the nominal level when censoring is not heavy and the boosttrap percentile confidence interval procedure works well when Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance is used to characterize the equivalence. When the data is heavily censored, the procedures based on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance have very conservative type I errors, while the procedures based on the Mallows distance are very liberal. / Thesis (Ph.D, Mathematics & Statistics) -- Queen's University, 2007-08-01 10:43:32.345

Why do some employees go out of their way to follow prescribed information security protocols, while others all but ignore organizational information security measures? A body of research known as organizational citizenship behavior provides insight into this issue. Theories of organizational citizenship behavior draw mainly from the psychological and sociological disciplines. They are used to explain the behaviors of employees who act in the best interest of the company, even when they don’t have to. Examples of citizenship behaviors include information sharing, voluntary reduction of compensation, and relinquishment of power for the benefit of the organization (Nathanson & Becker 1973). Although organizational citizenship behavior has seen little exposure in the area of organizational information security compliance, it stands to provide exceptional explanatory power in this area. Information security practices, such as creating difficult passwords or conducting virus scans, are generally seen as additional tasks which require extra effort while offering no gains in personal productivity (Shropshire et al., 2006; Warkentin et al., 2004; Warkentin et al., 2006). These activities could be construed as out-of-role-behaviors because employee compliance may not be mandatory. Furthermore, it is difficult to enforce information security standards (Whitman, 2003). Thus, it would appear that those who follow information security protocols are motivated by something other than financial compensation. Currently, there has been little work toward integrating endpoint security with theories of organizational citizenship behavior. This may be due to two reasons: although it embodies a relatively mature stream of research, organizational citizenship behavior has seen little exposure within the information systems context; secondly, the behavioral aspects of endpoint security remain a critical but overlooked aspect of organizational information security. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to develop a theoretical model for predicting individual compliance with organizational information security practices. The results could be used by managers to more accurately predict adherence to information security practices and to better manage and motivate employees. Such a model might also be of utility in the area of employee selection and screening; recent political and economic events have caused an increase in demand for employees who can be trusted to safeguard sensitive information. This study provides a substantial contribution to knowledge by empirically testing a predictive model for information security compliance among employees. The findings associated with this research are offered in the form of recommendations for future theoretical and empirical research. Practical implications for entrepreneurs and policymakers are also discussed.

The goal of development of sound database for marine fishes in Taiwan not only preserves data, but also wants to provide a common ground of data sharing to increase the efficiency for the study of fish behavior, automatic recognition, localization, and tracking. In order to provide the sound quality in terms of signal-to-noise ratio to users, the fish sound recording will be analyzed before uploading. Because most available data were recorded either in the field or in fish tank, the fish sounds were extracted by using two different automatic detection methods. If fish sound recordings were from the field, the Time Endpoint Detection was applied by the processing a 0.5-s time frame with 50 % overlapping. Then the energy of the time frame was obtained by the sum of square of amplitude and the median of the energy plus a standard deviation was established as the threshold to extract fish sounds. If the recording was made in the fish tank, the Frequency Endpoint Detection was applied by 0.5-s time frame with 50 % overlapping. Then each time frame will be transformed into spectrum and the energy ratio of each frequency will be calculated from the spectrum. Finally the information entropy was obtained from the energy ratio and the detection threshold was set on standard deviation above the median of the information entropy. From two different automatic detection methods, the sound quality was presented in the signal-to-noise ratio, which was the average power of signal divided by average power of the background noise. The fish sound database was a 3-Tier system and developed by PHP and MySQL. In order to reduce the storage size and maintain the integrity of data, the Relational Model was applied. Firstly, the recording data were conceptually represented as Entity-Relationship Diagram(ERD). Secondly, the ERD was transformed to relational schemas. Thirdly, the schemas was normalized by first, second, and third forms. To improve the users¡¦ efficiency the sound database provides three interfaces. One was data uploading, another was data searching according to the keyword of creature name, recording area, and recording time, the other was data comparing by recording number.

Thesis (PhD) -- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The process route for the production of base and platinum-group metals from natural sulfide ores commonly requires the conversion of high-iron furnace matte into an iron-lean converter matte. This is followed by pre-treatment through cooling of the iron-lean molten matte, physical processing of the solidified matte and hydrometallurgical metal extraction. Lonmin is the third largest producer of platinum-group metals in the world and utilizes Peirce-Smith converters for blowing high-iron furnace matte with air to a final iron concentration or endpoint. The molten matte is water granulated and solidification occurs via fast-cooling. The solidified matte is ground in a closed circuit ball mill with hydrocyclone classification and subjected to first stage atmospheric leaching. The specification of an ideal or desirable converter iron endpoint requires careful consideration. Most importantly, it must ensure the crystallization of converter matte with mineralogical qualities that are within the setpoints of the downstream unit processes and techniques. An additional consideration is for the final blown converter matte to achieve an optimum bulk concentration of the base metals Ni and Cu and platinum-group metals Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru and Ir. Mattes characteristic of variable iron endpoints were regularly produced at the Lonmin converter plant section. Uncertainty by plant metallurgists in knowing the desirable iron endpoint, particularly within the context of the Lonmin base metal refinery, and poor control has had detrimental effects on the mineralogical quality of the final matte and hence on the processing characteristics of the solidified matte particles downstream. A desirable iron endpoint required investigation, selection and implementation at Lonmin. The primary focus of this study was therefore to quantify the effect of a specific iron endpoint on the mineralogy and mineral chemistry of solidified converter matte. A fundamental examination of the solidification process upon cooling was regarded as critical to an in-depth understanding of the attained mineralogy and mineral chemistry as a function of a specific iron endpoint. It became equally important to quantify the effect of the resultant mineralogy, and hence iron endpoint, on the physical property of mineral structures in relation to downstream grinding, liberation and leaching characteristics. Despite considerable industry context, limited in-depth and coherent studies on the effect of a specific iron endpoint on fast-cooled converter matte systems were found in both industrial and scholarly literature. Previous findings in literature offered a limited quantitative understanding of the effect on mineralogy and mineral chemistry. Phase and cooling equilibria of multi-component, iron endpoint specific Ni-Cu-S matte systems were also not fully available. These would have been particularly useful in understanding the complexities of converter matte solidification as a function of iron endpoint. Physical property knowledge of converter matte mineral structures was hardly available and even less so in relation to grinding, liberation and leaching processes. A comprehensive investigation was therefore required to address these extensive knowledge gaps with respect to fastcooled converter matte systems in an industrial framework. Three Peirce-Smith converter production samples, representative of the extent in variability of iron endpoints attained at the converter plant, were used in a systematic investigation coupled to a novel combination of modern analytical techniques, computational thermochemistry and metallurgical testwork. The modern analytical techniques included the application of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy tomography. Computational thermochemistry was applied through the use of MTDATA phase diagram software. Metallurgical testwork involved laboratory batch grinding at various specific energies. Closely associated leach experiments were also considered relevant to this wide-ranging investigation. The Peirce-Smith converter samples investigated were indicative of mattes that attained specific endpoints of 5.17%, 0.99% and 0.15 weight% Fe. The highest combined bulk concentration of the important base and platinum-group metals was achieved in the matte which attained a specific iron endpoint of 0.99%. The mineralogy of all three converter mattes was dominated by nickel sulfide mineral structures matched to the natural mineral of heazlewoodite. Mineral structures of copper sulfide, NiCu-alloy, spinel and OsRu-alloy were also constituents of the different converter mattes. The attainment of a specific iron endpoint was found to result in measurable mineralogical differences with respect to relative mineral abundances, external morphological characteristics and mineral chemistry. The mineralogical differences were particularly distinct between mineral structures of the high (5.17%) and low (0.99% and 0.15%) iron mattes. Subtle mineralogical differences were evident between mineral structures of the low iron mattes. The 0.99% Fe matte was characteristic of a significantly higher NiCu-alloy relative abundance, compared to the 5.17% Fe matte. The NiCu-alloy structures were found to act as the primary collectors of the economically significant platinum-group metals. Mineralogical observations were used to develop an understanding of the underlying mineralization mechanism of NiCu-alloy structures. High-fidelity color and grayscale 3D reconstructions were produced of the resultant mineralized structures. It was shown theoretically that variations in iron endpoint specific starting compositions of oxygen-free liquid matte systems alter the solidification pathway towards the eutectic. Moreover, a quantitative understanding of liquid phase solidification of the high and low iron matte systems, including oxygen, was developed to within ±2.5 oC. Most of the specific energy available for grinding was expended breaking the nickel sulfide matrix, particularly of the high iron matte. The breakage rates of copper sulfide mineral structures in the 5.17% Fe matte were calculated to be higher than in the 0.15% Fe matte at 25kWh/t specific energy. The degree of copper sulfide liberation was shown to be higher for the 5.17% Fe matte than for the 0.15% Fe matte at the same specific energy of grinding. A higher degree of Ni extraction and Cu cementation could be achieved when leaching low iron matte particles. The production of converter matte attaining a specific iron endpoint of 0.99% was found to be the most suitable with respect to endpoint selection criteria. A practical iron endpoint range of 1.6% to 1.0% was recommended for the production of converter matte with a resultant mineralogical quality within the constraints of the Lonmin base metal refinery. This study offers an integrated understanding of base and platinum-group metals production as a function of a desirable iron endpoint at Lonmin. This was not previously available in metal production literature. New technology for the monitoring and consistent control of such a practical iron endpoint range can subsequently be implemented. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die prosesroete vir die produksie van onedel en platinumgroepmetale uit natuurlike swawelertse vereis gewoonlik die omsetting van ’n ysterryke hoogoondmat in ’n ysterarm omsettermat. Hierna volg voorbehandeling deur die afkoeling van die ysterarm gesmelte mat, fisiese verwerking van die soliede mat, en hidrometallurgiese metaalekstraksie. Lonmin is die derde grootste produsent van platinumgroepmetale ter wêreld en gebruik Peirce-Smith-omsetters om ysterryke hoogoondmat met lug te blaas totdat dit ’n finale ysterkonsentrasie- of ystereindpunt bereik. Die gesmelte mat word met water granuleer, en solidifikasie vind deur middel van snelafkoeling plaas. Die soliede mat word in ’n geslotekringbalmeul met hidrosikloonklassifikasie gemaal en aan eerstestadium- atmosferiese loging onderwerp. Die spesifikasie van ’n ideale of gewenste ystereindpunt verg deeglike oorweging. Bowenal moet dit verseker dat die omsettermat kristalliseer met mineralogiese eienskappe wat binne die setpunte van die eenheidsprosesse en - tegnieke verder af in die prosesstroom val. ’n Bykomende oorweging is dat die uiteindelike geblaasde omsettermat ’n optimale massakonsentrasie van die onedel metale Ni en Cu en die platinumgroepmetale Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru en Ir moet bevat. Matte met die kenmerke van wisselende ystereindpunte is gereeld by die Lonminomsetteraanleg geproduseer. Die onsekerheid van metallurge by die aanleg oor die gewenste ystereindpunt – veral binne die konteks van die Lonmin-raffinadery vir onedel metale – sowel as swak beheer het ’n nadelige uitwerking gehad op die mineralogiese gehalte van die uiteindelike mat, en dus ook op die verwerkingskenmerke van die soliede matdeeltjies verder af in die prosesstroom. Die bepaling van die gewenste ystereindpunt het sorgvuldige ondersoek, seleksie en toepassing deur Lonmin vereis. Hierdie studie is dus hoofsaaklik uitgevoer om die uitwerking van ’n spesifieke ystereindpunt op die mineralogie en minerale chemie van soliede omsettermat te kwantifiseer. ’n Grondliggende ondersoek na die solidifikasieproses by afkoeling is as noodsaaklik beskou vir ’n diepgaande begrip van die verworwe mineralogie en minerale chemie as ’n funksie van ’n spesifieke ystereindpunt. Mettertyd het dit egter ewe belangrik geword om die uitwerking van die gevolglike mineralogie, en dus die ystereindpunt, op die fisiese eienskappe van minerale strukture met betrekking tot maling-, vrystellings- en loogprosesse verder af in die prosesstroom te kwantifiseer. Ondanks heelwat bedryfskonteks, het nóg bedryfs- nóg vakkundige literatuur veel diepte- en samehangende studies oor die uitwerking van ’n spesifieke ystereindpunt op snelafgekoelde omsettermatstelsels opgelewer. Vorige bevindinge in die literatuur het boonop ’n beperkte kwantitatiewe begrip van die uitwerking op mineralogie en minerale chemie getoon. Die fase- en afkoelingsekwilibriums van ystereindpuntspesifieke Ni-Cu-S-matstelsels met veelvuldige komponente was ook nie ten volle beskikbaar nie. Dít sou veral goed te pas gekom het om die kompleksiteite van omsettermatsolidifikasie as ’n funksie van ystereindpunt te verstaan. Kennis van die fisiese eienskappe van die minerale strukture van omsettermat was kwalik beskikbaar, terwyl selfs minder inligting oor maling-, vrystellings- en loogprosesse opgespoor kon word. Daarom was ’n omvattende ondersoek nodig om hierdie beduidende kennisleemtes met betrekking tot snelafgekoelde omsettermatstelsels in ’n nywerheidsraamwerk aan te vul. Drie Peirce-Smith-omsetterproduksiemonsters wat die wisselende bestek van ystereindpunte by die omsetteraanleg verteenwoordig, is in ’n stelselmatige ondersoek gebruik, tesame met ’n vernuwende kombinasie van moderne ontledingstegnieke, gerekenariseerde termochemiese bewerkings en metallurgiese toetswerk. Die moderne ontledingstegnieke sluit onder andere in hoëresolusie-transmissie-elektronmikroskopie (HRTEM) en gefokusdeioonstraalskandering-elektron-mikroskopie (FIB SEM) tomografie. Die gerekenariseerde termochemiese bewerkings is met behulp van MTDATAfasediagramsagteware uitgevoer. Metallurgiese toetswerk het die maling van laboratoriumlotte teen verskillende spesifieke energieë behels. Nou verwante loogproefnemings is ook as relevant vir hierdie omvattende studie beskou. Die bestudeerde Peirce-Smith-omsettermonsters het op matte met spesifieke eindpunte van 5.17%, 0.99% en 0.15 gewig% Fe gedui. Die hoogste gekombineerde massakonsentrasie van die belangrike onedel en platinumgroepmetale is in die mat met ’n spesifieke ystereindpunt van 0.99% gevind. Die mineralogie van ál drie omsettermatte is oorheers deur die minerale strukture van nikkelsulfied, wat met die natuurlike mineraal heazlewoodiet ooreenstem. Die verskillende omsettermatte het ook die minerale strukture van kopersulfied, NiCu-allooi, spinel en OsRu-allooi bevat. Daar is bevind dat die verkryging van ’n spesifieke ystereindpunt tot meetbare mineralogiese verskille in die relatiewe volopheid van minerale, die eksterne morfologiese kenmerke sowel as minerale chemie lei. Die mineralogiese verskille was veral duidelik te sien tussen die minerale strukture van die ysterryke (5.17% Fe) en ysterarm (0.99% en 0.15% Fe) matte. Fyn mineralogiese verskille is ook tussen die minerale strukture van die ysterarm matte bespeur. Die 0.99% Fe-mat het tipies beduidend meer NiCu-allooi as die 5.17% Fe-mat bevat. Die NiCu-allooistrukture tree oënskynlik op as die hoofversamelaars van die ekonomies belangrike platinumgroepmetale. Mineralogiese waarnemings is gebruik om ’n begrip te ontwikkel van die onderliggende mineralisasiemeganisme van NiCuallooistrukture. Die gevolglike gemineraliseerde strukture is met behulp van driedimensionele rekonstruksies met hoë kleurgetrouheid sowel as in grysskaal voorgestel. Daar is teoreties aangetoon dat variasies in ystereindpuntspesifieke beginsamestellings van suurstofvrye vloeibare matstelsels die solidifikasieroete na die eutetikum wysig. Daarbenewens is die vloeifasesolidifikasie van die ysterryke en ysterarm matstelsels, wat suurstof insluit, op sowat ±2.5 oC gekwantifiseer. Die meeste van die spesifieke energie wat vir maling beskikbaar was, is gebruik om die nikkelsulfiedmatriks te breek, veral vir die ysterryke mat. Berekeninge toon dat die breektempo’s van die minerale strukture van kopersulfied by die 5.17% Fe-mat hoër was as by die 0.15% Fe-mat teen ’n spesifieke energie van 25 kWh/t. Die mate van kopersulfiedvrystelling was hoër by die 5.17% Fe-mat as by die 0.15% Fe-mat by dieselfde spesifieke energie vir maling. ’n Hoër mate van Ni-ekstraksie en Cu-sementasie is verkry toe ysterarm matdeeltjies geloog is. Wat eindpuntseleksiemaatstawwe betref, is die produksie van ’n omsettermat met ’n spesifieke ystereindpunt van 0,99% as die mees geskikte aangewys. ’n Praktiese ystereindpuntbestek van 1.6% tot 1.0% word aanbeveel vir die produksie van ’n omsettermat met ’n gevolglike mineralogiese gehalte wat binne die perke van die Lonmin-raffinadery vir onedel metale val. Hierdie studie bied ’n geïntegreerde begrip van die produksie van onedel en platinumgroepmetale as ’n funksie van ’n gewenste ystereindpunt by Lonmin. Hierdie inligting was nie voorheen in literatuur oor metaalproduksie beskikbaar nie. Nuwe tegnologie vir die monitering en konsekwente beheer van so ’n praktiese ystereindpuntbestek kan dus op grond hiervan in werking gestel word.

Adolescence is characterized by systematic and dramatic physical and behavioural changes, the most noticeable physical growth is the rapid increase in stature marked by peak height velocity (PHV). Anecdotally, many people are aware that as youth pass through their adolescent growth spurt there is a perceived period of physical awkwardness; however, there is no scientific agreement as to whether a period of awkwardness associated with the adolescent growth actually exists. Previous research has focused on the development of general motor performance or gross motor coordination. Increases in strength during adolescence may mask the effect of a stage of adolescent awkwardness on general motor performance tasks. To detect adolescent awkwardness it is necessary to measure either performance of skills that specifically do not depend on strength, or body awareness. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether female adolescents’ awareness of their body size and movement was influenced by biological maturation, and whether adolescent awkwardness could be detected in performance of sport specific skills independent of strength. An endpoint matching task was used to measure awareness of foot position in space by measuring the distance (mm) between a reference and matching endpoint position (endpoint matching error (EME)) with eyes either open or closed. The Johnson wall volley and a ball juggling task were used to measure soccer specific skill and coordination. Thirty six female youth soccer players, aged 10-14 years, were recruited. Age at PHV was predicted from measures of age, height, leg length and weight. Three groups were identified: pre-PHV (n=6), PHV (n=5) and post –PHV (n=25). Mean group differences were assessed using ANOVA. It was found that when the endpoint matching task was performed with eyes open there was no significant difference in mean EME between groups (p > 0.05). With eyes closed the PHV group performed worse than the pre-PHV and post-PHV groups. The Post-PHV group significantly (p < 0.05) decreased their EME (22.2 ± 13.9) compared to the PHV group (32.8 ± 17.6) but no difference was found with the Pre-PHV group (27.5 ± 15.7). On the wall volley test the Post-PHV group performed significantly (p < 0.05) better compared to the PHV group but not the Pre-PHV group. The Post-PHV group performed significantly (p < 0.05) better on the ball juggling task compared to both the Pre-PHV and the PHV groups. In conclusion, the results suggest that in the year around PHV body awareness, as measured by EME, may plateau or decrease and that soccer skill performance plateaus. This plateau or decrease in body awareness and soccer skills involving coordination is likely temporary; participants in this study who were > 6 months past PHV had significantly better body awareness and soccer skill performance than those participants who were within 6 months of PHV. The results from the endpoint matching task also indicate that a measure of body size and movement awareness has the potential to be used to measure changes in body awareness during the adolescent growth spurt. The results of this study suggest that teenage clumsiness could exists. However, a definitive study with larger maturity groups followed over time is required to confirm this statement.

Existing endpoint security monitors use agents that must be installed on every computing host or endpoint. However, as the number of monitored hosts increases, agents installation, con figuration and maintenance become arduous and requires more efforts. Moreover, installed agents can increase the security threat footprint and several companies impose restrictions on using agents on every computing system. This work provides a generic agentless endpoint framework for security monitoring of computing systems. The computing hosts are accessed by the monitoring framework running on a central server. Since the monitoring framework is separate from the computing hosts for which the monitoring is being performed, the various security models of the framework can perform data retrieval and analysis without utilizing agents executing within the computing hosts. The monitoring framework retrieves transparently raw data from the monitored computing hosts that are then fed to the security modules integrated with the framework. These modules analyze the received data to perform security monitoring of the target computing hosts. As a use case, a real-time intrusion detection model has been implemented to detect abnormal behaviors on computing hosts based on the data collected using the introduced framework. / Graduate

Är det möjligt att reducera utsläppen av växthusgaser och samtidigt nå en hållbar utveckling? Regionförbundet i Kalmar län antog utmaningen 2006 och är därmed en föregångsregion i arbetet med detta. Till år 2030 är målet att Kalmar län ska bli en fossilbränslefri region. Den största potentialen anses finnas inom nya alternativ till fordonsbränsle. Hushållens sopor innehåller organiskt matavfall som skulle kunna bli fordonsgas. Allt fler biogasmackar öppnas och gasen har vunnit framgång i takt med att kollektivtrafiken gjort satsningar. I Oskarshamns kommun sker i dagsläget ingen utsortering av organiskt matavfall. Hushållsavfallet skickas tillsammans med det organiska matavfallet till förbränning med energiutvinning i Linköping. Syftet med min studie är att göra en utvärdering av miljöpåverkan utifrån två scenarier; förbränning av allt hushållavfall jämfört med att producera biogas av matavfallet och förbränna resterande. Detta sett utifrån potentialen för området i Oskarshamns kommun. Syftet är även att titta på ekonomiska aspekter. Detta är en livscykelanalys där två metoder har använts, Global Warming Potential med ett 100 års perspektiv samt ReCiPe Endpoint. Den funktionella enheten är 1 ton hushållsavfall. Genom att röta det organiska hushållsavfallet och förbränna det övriga kan man minska miljöpåverkan till 74,6 % jämfört med att förbränna allt tillsammans. Växthusgaserna minskar då med 780 kg koldioxidekvivalenter per ton hushållsavfall. Den främsta miljövinsten blir i form av minskande klimatförändringar men att det fordrar ganska omfattande ekonomiska investeringar. / Is it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while achieving sustainable development? The Regional Council in Kalmar County accepted the challenge in 2006 and is thus a leading region in this work. By 2030, the goal is that Kalmar shall become a fossil fuel free region. The greatest potential is considered to be the new alternative to vehicle fuel. Household waste includes organic waste that could become fuel for vehicles. An increasing number of biogas stations have opened and the gas has been successful as the public transports have made investments. In Oskarshamn is there no current sorting of organic waste. Household waste is sent along with the organic food waste to incineration with energy recovery in Linköping. The purpose of my study is to evaluate the environmental impact based on two scenarios: the burning of all household waste compared to producing biogas from food waste and burn the remaining. This is seen by the potential of the area in Oskarshamn. Also examining the economic perspective there is. This is a LCA where two methods were used, the Global Warming Potential with a 100-year perspective and ReCiPe Endpoint. The functional unit is 1 ton of waste. By digesting the organic waste and burning the rest, one can reduce the environmental impact to 74, 6 % compared to burning it all. The greenhouse gases then will decrease by 780 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per ton household waste. The main environmental benefits are in terms of reducing climate change, but it requires quite a significant financial investment

Speech Endpoint Detection, also known as Speech Segmentation, is an unsolved problem in speech processing that affects numerous applications including robust speech recognition. This task is not as trivial as it appears, and most of the existing algorithms degrade at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Most of the previous research approaches have focused on the development of robust algorithms with special attention being paid to the derivation and study of noise robust features and decision rules. This research tackles the endpoint detection problem in a different way, and proposes a novel speech endpoint detection algorithm which has been derived from Chan-Vese algorithm for image segmentation. The proposed algorithm has the ability to fuse multi features extracted from the speech signal to enhance the detection accuracy. The algorithm performance has been evaluated and compared to two widely used speech detection algorithms under various noise environments with SNR levels ranging from 0 dB to 30 dB. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm has also been applied to different types of American English phonemes. The experiments show that, even under conditions of severe noise contamination, the proposed algorithm is more efficient as compared to the reference algorithms.