Today, a rapid development towards fuel efficient technological aids for vehicles is in progress. One step towards this is the development of platooning systems. The main concept of platooning is to let several heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) drive in a convoy and share important information with each other via wireless communication. This thesis describes one out of three subsystems in a project developed to handle the process from raw sensor data to control signal. The goal of the project is to achieve a safe and smooth control with the main purpose of reduced fuel consumption. This subsystem processes the raw sensor data received from the different HDVs. The purpose is to estimate the positions and velocities of the vehicles in a platoon, taking into account that packet-loss, out of sequence measurements and irrelevant information can occur. This is achieved by filtering the information from different sensors in an Extended Kalman Filter and converting it into a local coordinate system with the origin in the ego vehicle. Moreover, the estimates are sorted and categorized into classes with respect to the status of the vehicles. The result of the thesis is useful estimates that are independent of outer effects in a local reference system with origin in the host vehicle. This information can then be used for further sensor fusion and implementation of a Model Predictive Controller (MPC) in two other subsystems. These three subsystems result in a smooth and safe control with an average reduced fuel consumption of approxi- mately 11.1% when the vehicles drive with a distance of 0.5 seconds in a simulated environment. / Dagens utveckling inom fordonsindustrin fokuserar mer och mer påutveckling av bränsleeffektiva hjälpmedel. Ett steg i denna riktning är utvecklingen av platooningsystem. Huvudkonceptet med platooning är att låta flera tunga fordon köra i följd i en konvoj och dela viktig information med varandra via trådlös kommuni- kation och en automatiserad styrstrategi. Detta examensarbete beskriver ett utav tre delsystem i ett projekt som är utvecklat för att hantera en process från rå sensordata till styrsignaler för fordonen. Målet är att uppnå en säker och mjuk reglering med huvudsyftet att reducera bränsleförbrukningen. Det här delsystemet behandlar mottagen sensordata från de olika fordonen. Målet med delsystemet är att skatta positioner och hastigheter för fordonen i konvojen med hänsyn till att förlorad, försenad eller irrelevant information från det trådlösa nätverket kan förekomma. Detta uppnås genom filtrering i ett Extended Kalman Filter och konvertering till ett lokalt referenssystem med origo i det egna fordo- net. Utöver detta sorteras informationen och kategoriseras in i olika klasser efter fordonens status. Examensarbetet resulterade i användbara skattningar oberoende av yttre om- ständigheter i ett lokalt referenssystem med origo i det egna fordonet. Denna information kan användas vidare för ytterligare sensorfusion och implementering av en modellbaserad prediktionsregulator (MPC) i två andra delsystem. De tre delsystemen resulterade i en mjuk och säker reglering och en reducerad bränsleför- brukning med i genomsnitt 11.1% då fordonen körde med 0.5 sekunders avstånd i en simulerad miljö.

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Body doubling is a mechanism that lets individuals work alongside someone on a monotonous task that they might not be able to focus on when they work alone. The person they work alongside is called a body double. It could be considered similar to co-working, but it gives individuals the freedom to work on anything that they want without feeling obligated to interact with the other person. This research aims to understand if body doubling is helpful to the users and how mixed reality body doubling can be a better addition to the existing mode of in-person and video-call based body doubling. In this work, we have recruited 40 participants to perform a user study where we have done a between-groups comparative study between a no body-double, in-person body double, a video-call based body double, and a mixed reality body double modes. Through these studies, we try to analyze if body doubling is helpful, and if so, which mode the participants are more inclined towards. The work also presents a few suggestions for future improvements. / Master of Science / Body Doubling, defined here, is in the context of a productivity strategy where a person is present beside an individual when they are working. This way, when the individual is working on a monotonous task, a person beside them would make them motivated to focus again. The person helping in body-doubling is called a ``Body Double''. This uses the concept of accountability that is felt in the presence of someone. Even though it seems similar to widely popular co-working, where job professionals share an office space to work together, in body-doubling, there is no interaction with the body-double, and in most cases, the two individuals might not be working on the same task. This research aims to understand if body doubling is helpful to users. In this work, we have recruited 40 participants to perform a user study where we have done a between-groups comparative study between a no body-double, in-person body double, a video-call based body double, and a mixed reality body double modes. It tries to show how mixed reality body doubling can be a better addition to the existing mode of in-person and video-call based body doubling. Through the user studies, we try to analyze if body doubling is helpful, and if so, which mode are the participants more inclined towards. The work also presents a few suggestions for future improvements.

Published Article / This article traces the early development and implementation of an extended curriculum in the Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Following Volbrecht and Boughey (2004) and Boughey (2007), it analyses the programme in the context of the development of Academic Development over two decades. The programme represents a conceptual shift from a foundation year model to a more holistic, integrated intervention which extends to the end of the second year. Prompted primarily by pedagogical and academic considerations, it is also a response to increasing emphasis on throughput and success and to the need to increase and enhance efficiency in Higher Education. The tension between the potential benefits of such a curriculum and challenges and constraints impacting on it is discussed in an attempt to develop a curriculum which is sustainable and which will result in higher success rates and the wider transformation of the curriculum.

Most extended instrumental playing techniques are still deprived of a conventional method of notation. In order to facilitate the utilisation of these unconventional musical elements, a coherent and consistent notation system is developed in this thesis. It comprises chapters on string instruments, wind instruments, percussion instruments, plucked instruments and keyboard instruments. A systematic notation of unconventional instrumental playing techniques has not yet been attempted, nor have all tech-niques subject to this work yet been explained in detail. In order to coherently depict unconventional playing techniques, a set of criteria is defined. These criteria postulate that all developments are supposed to be 1. As exact as possible and 2. As simple as possible while the system may 3. Not be contradictory to traditional notation, but should instead extend and be closely related to it. Further, in order to guarantee that the additions are consistent, they need to be compatible with, and distinct from, all other signs of the system. Each unconventional playing technique is classified and explained in detail. Subsequently, previous methods of its notation are presented and discussed with regard to the previously defined criteria. Finally, a suggestion for the notation that agrees with the postulations is provided. In the next step the application of the developments is then described by presenting examples from compositions that were either produced during the writing of the thesis or revised by replacing old methods of notation with the developments from this thesis. Altogether examples from eight instrumental works that employ the new methods are displayed.

Dissertation made openly available per email from author, 6/8/2016.

This is a theoretical and empirical study of leadership. Although sociologists have contributed important theories and research on authority and power, there is not yet a developed leadership theory in sociology. On the other hand, leadership studies in other disciplines are not satisfying, and they will not be satisfying in the foreseeable future if they adhere to their basic theoretical orientations, e.g. focusing on leadership personal traits and characteristics. I elaborate the important sociological theories that can be used in the study of leadership. I also intend to link sociological theories of leadership to social background analysis. The social backgrounds considered are family status, education, religion, military service, and more. Particular attention is paid to military background and its impact on business, because military has always been such an important social phenomenon but the theories of it have been controversial.The study of leadership inevitably involves both individuals and their groups. With evidence obtained from different data sources on leaders and on business organizations, I studied the impact of military social background of business leaders. This research unpacks the rise of business leaders with military experience in the late 20th century, using a database on the 20th century Great American Business Leaders. This research also measures the organizational performance of these leaders, incorporating information from Standard & Poor's Compustat database. Statistical techniques like logistic regressions and hierarchical linear models are used in the analysis to test various effects on personal and organizational performance. I found that military experience does not help a business leader in aspects like time taken to become a CEO and time to be a CEO, but it does help organizational performance as measured by profitability. Both rank and number of years in the military contribute to profitability. I also found that ex-military business leaders differ from non-military business leaders in certain organizational behaviors, e.g. they are less likely to downsize the organizations.The theory of institutional logics and social background analysis were combined in this study. I also attempted to link institutional logics with theories of rationality. From the idea of institutional leadership and inter-institutional relationship, I suggested a theory of extended rationality.

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An increase in the range and capability of imaging modalities has resulted in greater demands for radiology services. This research investigates how these changes have affected role requirements and role extensions of radiographers and the consequent implications for the educational needs of radiographers. Semi-structured interviews and three successive surveys of NHS radiography managers showed that the adoption and diffusion of extended roles in radiography had increased significantly over a ten year period. Role changes included additions both to the procedures carried out by radiographers, and to the reporting of procedures, e.g. film reporting, once the domain of radiologists, is now undertaken by radiographers in many trusts. Imaging managers’ views on the factors that encouraged or deterred the introduction of extended roles were explored. While many radiographers were keen to adopt new roles, implementation was unlikely without radiological support. Respondents believed the proposed ‘four-tier structure’ would help overcome staffing difficulties, while providing an improved career framework to advance the professional status of radiographers. A key theme was the need for greater clinical knowledge to facilitate transition to advanced practice. Three studies investigated radiography education. The first used a survey to investigate the preparedness for practice of three cohorts of newly qualified radiographers. Graduates recognised the importance of continuing professional development with extended role skills identified as a priority. The second study examined the relationship between contemporary practice and UK undergraduate radiography curricula. Most programmes had responded positively to developing technology. The third study used a survey to investigate the training for extended roles provided by employers. While most provided some training, much was unaccredited, and there was considerable variation in the duration of training for similar roles. The research has documented developments taking place at a time of enormous technological innovation. It provides key data on the changing practice of radiography that will be useful to all stakeholders planning improvements to radiography services. The data lead to a re-definition of practice and recommendations for supporting education and training.