To ease development and lower the entry barrier for new adopters many development environments offer visual means to edit complex data. Cyber-physical systems are a perfect candidate for such manipulations since they are usually described in the form of isolated, well defined components that can be manipulated individually. The physical parts of such systems often can be directly translated into real world objects and allowing the developer to interact with those in a familiar manner can greatly increase the usability and agility of the development process. In this thesis we focus on the exploration of interactive manipulation of hybrid system models. Our research examines a solution based on the Acumen simulation environment. We describe the tight integration between the textual model and 3D visualisation, go into detailed analysis of the implementation and use case-studies to illustrate concrete applications

If you cannot measure, you cannot manage. This is an age old saying, but still very true, especially within the current South African cybercrime scene and the ever-growing Internet footprint. Due to the significant increase in cybercrime across the globe, information security specialists are starting to see the intrinsic value of logs that can ‘tell a story’. Logs do not only tell a story, but also provide a tool to measure a normally dark force within an organisation. The collection of current logs from installed systems, operating systems and devices is imperative in the event of a hacking attempt, data leak or even data theft, whether the attempt is successful or unsuccessful. No logs mean no evidence, and in many cases not even the opportunity to find the mistake or fault in the organisation’s defence systems. Historically, it remains difficult to choose what logs are required by your organization. A number of questions should be considered: should a centralised or decentralised approach for collecting these logs be followed or a combination of both? How many events will be collected, how much additional bandwidth will be required and will the log collection be near real time? How long must the logs be saved and what if any hashing and encryption (integrity of data) should be used? Lastly, what system must be used to correlate, analyse, and make alerts and reports available? This thesis will address these myriad questions, examining the current lack of log analysis, practical implementations in modern organisation, and also how a need for the latter can be fulfilled by means of a basic approach. South African organizations must use technology that is at hand in order to know what electronic data are sent in and out of their organizations network. Concentrating only on FreeBSD PF firewall logs, it is demonstrated within this thesis the excellent results are possible when logs are collected to obtain a visual display of what data is traversing the corporate network and which parts of this data are posing a threat to the corporate network. This threat is easily determined via a visual interpretation of statistical outliers. This thesis aims to show that in the field of corporate data protection, if you can measure, you can manage.

Mobile technology has allowed the traditional boundaries that exist between formal learning and informal learning to blend. The purpose of this research is to understand and describe the use of established and new “support networks” and the process of knowledge acquisition and knowledge creation in a formal learning environment. Factors affecting the design, testing and ultimate feasibility of using mobile devices such as cell phones to enhance teaching and learning in well-resourced developed, and under-resourced developing schools are identified. Findings in this study point to the general acceptance of using mobile technology as a readily available vehicle, to provide access to contents and allow learners to contribute to the collective body of knowledge from their own perspective. Copyright 2007, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Batchelor, J 2007, Mobile information communication and technology use in secondary schools : a feasibility study, MEd dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09102007-161045 / > / Dissertation (MEd (Computer Integrated Education))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

The subject of this thesis is open source software and free software in term of utilization for business. The goal is to provide conditions and areas suitable for using of open source software and free software. The theoretical part gives basic terms, a list of organizations active in this area, classification of free software and a comparison of particular free software licenses. The practical part includes results of two inquiries of free software using: 1) personally made inquiry in Czech firms, 2) Internet inquiry of users. Further, a search of available free programmes has been made -- in term of utilization. The main benefit of the work is an evaluation of business opportunities for free software in particular utilization areas and determination of business models suitable for them. In the framework of this work, the author made an Internet portal on free software - to make the results of the work and external sources available to the public.

The objective of this thesis is a complete implementation of the Financial and Property Analysis of Municipalities (FAMA) methodology using open-source Business Intelligence (BI) tools. The FAMA methodology was developed at the Institute of Public Administration and Regional Development at University of Economics in Prague and monitors wide range of aspects of management of municipalities. The main objective of this work is to create an application that would allow users to clearly analyze the management of municipalities with indicators of this methodology, using open source BI tools. The first, theoretical part, consists of two parts. The first half of the theoretical part of this thesis is devoted to the analysis of municipal finances and describes the FAMA methodology itself. Furthermore, methods used by the Ministry of Finance to evaluate municipalities are described. The second half of the theoretical part introduces readers to principles and components used in BI, some of which are used in the actual implementation. The second, practical part, initially deals with selection of suitable open-source BI tools and these tools are subsequently used to create an application that is used to analyze the management of municipalities. The implementation itself is divided into several parts. Firstly an initial study is performed, which is based on analysis of source data and user requirements. Based on the initial analysis, data warehouse is designed. Subsequently, an ETL project is created to process financial reports of municipalities and store them in the data warehouse. After filling the data warehouse, several OLAP cubes are created, which are used for multidimensional data analysis and finally, the presentation layer of the application is introduced and suitable graphical outputs for data presentation are designed. The main contribution of this thesis is the actual implementation of the FAMA methodology using the selected tools. The solution includes all indicators of the methodology and covers financial data of all municipalities of the Czech Republic in the years 2001 to 2012. Due to the scope of this work, a complete solution was made, that is ready for use.

Diploma thesis deals with comparison of commercial and Open Source Business Intelligence (BI) reporting tools. The main aim of the thesis is to provide a list of BI reporting tools and their further comparison. Evaluation is based on a set of criteria. Every criterium has its assigned value that represents the importance of the criterium in a given group. The same procedure is applied on the groups. The final evaluation is based on defined values of these groups. The output of the thesis is a table structured into five parts according to defined groups of criteria. The second part of the thesis walks the reader through the practical showcase of implementation one of the selected tools that is SAP Business Objects Enterprise 4.0. At the beginning, there is a description of report proposal that contains graphical design and functionality requirements. Next part shows the whole process in detail.

eLearning is rapidly spreading into the high school learning environment. This research attempts to find desirable and workable features of an eLearning resource that would sustain high school learning communities. The basis of the instrumental case study was the Cambridge International Examination course offered by an eLearning institution over a period of two and a half years. Data was gathered by means of various questionnaires, focus groups, interviews and quantitative analysis of computer log files of activity. Content analysis was performed by comparing research data with information (such as various eLearning models) obtained from the literature review. Similarities and differences were found in the way eLearning is used by high school learners and teachers versus university students and lecturers. Desirable and workable features were identified and the reasons for these explored. A number of suggestions are made that would contribute to sustaining eLearning for high school learners. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Information Science / unrestricted

Orientadores: Gilmar Barreto, Fabiano Fruett / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T03:17:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lopes_AlisonZille_D.pdf: 13013253 bytes, checksum: f91b8fca62e46bb344377ee363c93ee4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Em um âmbito global, a conquista de maior produtividade na agricultura e pecuária é extremamente importante para combater a pobreza e a fome, uma vez que cerca de 78 % da população pobre do mundo vive na zona rural e depende destas atividades para sobreviver. Neste cenário, na busca por soluções a problemas práticos relacionados à agricultura e pecuária, o acesso à tecnologia é fator determinante, levando países em desenvolvimento a explorarem os benefícios do paradigma open source (livre acesso, modificação e distribuição). No Brasil, a cadeia produtiva de aves é um dos principais setores do agronegócio, que se baseia em um modelo de integração composto principalmente por pequenos produtores, extremamente dependentes das integradoras, financeira e tecnologicamente, e com baixo nível de automação em seus aviários. Entretanto, a automação das instalações avícolas é a principal oportunidade para a melhoria do desempenho produtivo e bem estar das aves, além de permitir o uso racional da propriedade e demais recursos naturais, impactando positivamente na qualidade de vida dos produtores. Assim, este trabalho descreve o projeto e desenvolvimento de um sistema de automação destinado ao monitoramento e controle em instalações destinadas a criação de frangos de corte. Apresentando-se como uma proposta de automação open source software e hardware, este sistema foi concebido com o intuito de atrair contribuições das mais variadas fontes, principalmente do meio acadêmico e de usuários, incitando a discussão e o desenvolvimento de meios técnicos e estruturais necessários a sua implantação e aceitação entre pequenos e médios produtores de frangos de corte. O processo de desenvolvimento deste sistema, conduzido inteiramente através do uso de ferramentas gratuitas ou open source, também se beneficiou pelo emprego da tecnologia de transmissão sem fio Zigbee® e de uma distribuição Linux Embarcado. O padrão Zigbee® favoreceu a abordagem open source ao permitir a elaboração de uma proposta modular de automação; diferentes dispositivos de hardware (módulos) que operam colaborativamente, monitorando o ambiente térmico, controlando os sistemas de climatização e iluminação e registrando informações relacionadas aos planteis. A adoção do Linux embarcado reduziu a preocupação com detalhes do hardware, o que direcionou o foco para o software e sua usabilidade, produzindo um sistema mais atraente a usuários e a desenvolvedores (pesquisadores, estudantes ou entusiastas) interessados em colaborar com o projeto. Durante avaliações conduzidas no protótipo do sistema, este se mostrou estável na execução do monitoramento e controle, além de apresentar custo relativamente baixo frente suas características. Este sistema é o primeiro passo na direção de uma solução de automação sustentável, que ao beneficiar a sociedade, através de um sistema configurável e de fácil utilização, esta contribui pra sua manutenção e evolução. A sustentabilidade desta proposta está vinculada à sua associação a projetos de ensino, pesquisa e, principalmente, extensão universitária, aproximando produtor rural e meio acadêmico, gerando melhoria da produção e qualidade das instalações avícolas ao passo que proporciona aprendizado técnico e científico em uma área de grande importância para a nossa economia / Abstract: In a global context, achieving greater productivity in agriculture is extremely important to combat poverty and hunger, since about 78% of the world¿s poor people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture to survive. In this way, looking for practical solutions to agriculture problems, aiming at improving the quality of life of rural community, the access to technology is a key factor, which has led developing countries to explore the benefits of open source paradigm (free access, modification and distribution). In Brazil, the broiler production chain is one of the main sectors of its agribusiness, based on an integrated production model composed mainly by small producers heavily dependent on the integrated industry, financial and technologically, and with low level of automation in their broiler houses. However, the broiler houses¿ automation is the main opportunity to improve birds¿ productive performance and welfare, and it facilitates the rational use of the property and other natural resources, impacting positively on the broiler farmers¿ quality of life. This work describes the design and development of an automation system for monitoring and control in facilities for raising broiler chickens. Presenting itself as an open source software and hardware automation proposal, this system is designed in order to attract contributions from various sources, mainly from academia and users, by encouraging discussion and the development of technical and structural means to its implementation and acceptance among small and medium producers of broiler chickens. The system¿s development process, conducted entirely through the use of free or open source tools, was also benefited by the adoption of the ZigBee® wireless transmission technology and an embedded Linux distribution. The ZigBee® standard favored the open source approach by enabling the preparation of a modular automation proposal; different hardware devices (modules) that operate collaboratively, monitoring the thermal environment, controlling the climatization and illumination systems and recording information related to breeding stocks. The adoption of embedded Linux reduced the concern with hardware details, which directed the focus to software and its usability, producing a system more attractive to users and developers (researchers, students and enthusiasts) interested to collaborate with the project. During evaluations conducted in the system prototype, it presented a stable behavior in the implementation of monitoring and control activities, as well a relatively low cost before its features. This system is the first step toward a sustainable automation solution, while it benefits society, through a configurable and easy-to-use system, this contributes to its maintenance and evolution. The sustainability of this proposal is linked to its association with educational, research and, mainly, university extension projects, bringing farmers and academia together, improving the production and the quality of broiler facilities while providing technical and scientific learning in an area of great importance to our economy / Doutorado / Automação / Doutor em Engenharia Elétrica

The purpose of this thesis paper was to develop new features in the cloud-native and open-source machine learning platform STACKn, aiming to strengthen the platform's support for conducting reproducible machine learning experiments through provenance, transparency and reusability. Adhering to the definition of reproducibility as the ability of independent researchers to exactly duplicate scientific results with the same material as in the original experiment, two concepts were explored as alternatives for this specific goal: 1) Increased support for standardized textual documentation of machine learning models and their corresponding datasets; and 2) Increased support for provenance to track the lineage of machine learning models by making code, data and metadata readily available and stored for future reference. We set out to investigate to what degree these features could increase reproducibility in STACKn, both when used in isolation and when combined.  When these features had been implemented through an exhaustive software engineering process, an evaluation of the implemented features was conducted to quantify the degree of reproducibility that STACKn supports. The evaluation showed that the implemented features, especially provenance features, substantially increase the possibilities to conduct reproducible experiments in STACKn, as opposed to when none of the developed features are used. While the employed evaluation method was not entirely objective, these features are clearly a good first initiative in meeting current recommendations and guidelines on how computational science can be made reproducible.

The primary object of the master thesis is creating escape route analysis in 3D model of a building. Analysis is created using mainly open source tools like PostgreSQL with PostGIS and pgRouting extensions.