This research investigates signal processing involving a single electromagnetic vector-sensor, with an emphasis on the problem regarding signal-selective narrowband direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation in the presence of interference. The approach in this thesis relies on a high-resolution ESPRIT-based algorithm. Unlike spatially displaced arrays, the sensor cannot estimate the DOA of sources using phase differences between the array elements, as the elements are spatially co-located. However, the sensor measures the full electromagnetic field vectors, so the DOA can be estimated through the Poynting vector. Limited information is available in the open literature regarding signal-selective DOA estimation for a single electromagnetic vector-sensor. In this thesis, it is shown how the Uni-Vector-Sensor-ESPRIT (UVS-ESPRIT) algorithm that relies on a time-series invariance and was originally devised for deterministic harmonic sources can be applied to non-deterministic sources. Additionally, two algorithms, one based on cyclostationarity and the other based on fourth-order cumulants, are formulated based on the UVS-ESPRIT algorithm and are capable of selectively estimating the source DOA in the presence of interference based on the statistical properties of the sources. The cyclostationarity-based UVS-ESPRIT algorithm is capable of selectively estimating the signal-of-interest DOA when the sources have the same carrier frequency, and thus overlap in frequency. The cumulant-based UVS-ESPRIT algorithm devised for this sensor relies on the independent component analysis algorithm JADE and is capable of selectively estimating the signal-of-interest DOA through the fourth-order cumulants only, is robust to spatially colored noise, and is capable of estimating the DOA of more sources than sensor elements. / Master of Science / Electromagnetic vector-sensors are specialized sensors capable of capturing the full electromagnetic field vectors at a single point in space. Direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation is the problem of estimating the spatial-angular parameters of one or more wavefronts impinging on an array. For a single electromagnetic vector-sensor, the array elements are not spatially displaced, but it is still possible to estimate the direction-of-arrival through the Poynting vector, which relates the electric and magnetic field vectors to the direction of propagation of an electromagnetic wave. Although direction-of-arrival estimation is a well-established area of research, there is limited discussion in the open literature regarding signal-selective DOA estimation in the presence of interference for a single electromagnetic vector-sensor. This research investigates this problem and discusses how the high-resolution Uni-Vector-Sensor-ESPRIT (UVS-ESPRIT) algorithm may be applied to non-deterministic sources. ESPRIT based algorithms capable of selectively estimating the source DOA are formulated based on the cyclostationarity and higher-order statistics of the sources, which are approaches known to be robust to interference. The approach based on higher-order statistics is also robust to spatially colored noise and is capable of estimating the DOA of more sources than sensor elements. The formulation of the UVS-ESPRIT for higher-order statistics relies on the application of the independent component analysis algorithm JADE, an unsupervised learning technique. Overall, this research investigates signal-selective direction-of-arrival estimation using an ESPRIT-based algorithm for a single electromagnetic vector-sensor.

This thesis is dedicated to the development of new energy detectors employed in the detection of unknown signals in the presence of non-Gaussian and non-independent noise samples. To this end, an extensive study has been conducted on di erent energy detection structures, and novel techniques have been proposed which are capable of dealing with these problematic situations. The energy detector is proposed as an optimum solution to detect uncorrelated Gaussian signals, or as a generalized likelihood ratio test to detect entirely unknown signals. In both cases, the background noise must be uncorrelated Gaussian. However, energy detectors degrade when the noise does not ful ll these characteristics. Therefore, two extensions are proposed. The rst is the extended energy detector, which deals with the problem of non-Gaussian noise; and the second is the preprocessed extended energy detector, used when the noise also possesses non-independent samples. A generalization of the matched subspace lter is likewise proposed based on a modi cation of the Rao test. In order to evaluate the expected improvement of these extensions with respect to the classical energy detector, a signalto- noise ratio enhancement factor is de ned and employed to illustrate the improvement achieved in detection. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the uncertainty introduced by the unknown signal duration can decrease the performance of the energy detector. In order to improve this behavior, a multiple energy detector, based on successive subdivisions of the original observation interval, is presented. This novel detection technique leads to a layered structure of energy detectors whose observation vectors are matched to di erent intervals of signal duration. The corresponding probabilities of false alarm and detection are derived for a particular subdivision strategy, and the required procedures for their general application to other possible cases are indicated. The experiments reveal the advantages derived from utilizing this novel structure, making it a worthwhile alternative to the single detector when a signi cant mismatch is present between the original observation length and the actual duration of the signal. / Moragues Escrivá, J. (2011). New energy detector extensions with application in sound based surveillance systems [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/11520

Individual pro-social behaviour has been explored by academics and others in a variety of situations and contexts. Why people act selflessly on behalf of strangers is an intriguing topic and has not been studied in the specific context of the Crown courts before. This study has three phases. The first allows independent witnesses to describe their emotions, decision-making and motivations for taking part in the criminal justice process where there is no overt benefit for themselves to do so. The study identifies three key points in the witnesses’ journey through the process and tests the reactions of the witnesses at these points. This approach allows any changes in their thinking to be recorded and analysed. The second phase of the research asks other participants who have not been witnesses to imagine themselves becoming aware of three different scenarios where a violent crime is occurring. These participants are asked to think about their reactions to each scenario, and if they expect themselves to act as witnesses, asks what their motivations would be. The imagining witnesses’ reflections are compared to those of the real witnesses from Phase 1. Finally, phase three disseminates the results from phases one and two to senior professionals working in the criminal justice sector. Their thoughts and suggestions are also applied to the results to identify and encourage best practise.

The purpose of this systematic review of using digital activity schedules as an intervention in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities is to determine to what extent the current research shows it to be an effective intervention. For articles to be included in this review, they had to use a digitally presented activity schedule, the activity schedule could not be a task analysis of a single activity or a group visual schedule, and the intervention must have been carried out with individuals with autism or intellectual disabilities. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria totaled 17 studies with a total of 58 participants included. The studies focused on the effects of using digital activity schedules to teach leisure skills, independent living skills, and academic skills across various age groups. Settings of the intervention, ages of participants, varying participant characteristics, and What Works Clearinghouse quality indicator standards in each study are examined. Results show that interventions were heavily concentrated in early childhood age groups, teaching leisure activities, and were often combined with other concurrent interventions. Future research should focus on more interventions implemented with individuals in secondary education, independent living skills, and rigorous methodological standards as defined by the What Works Clearinghouse quality indicators.

To identify potential determinants of emotion socialization (ES) in the socio-cultural context, the current study examined a moderated mediation model whereby parents’ independent and interdependent self-construals were proposed to moderate associations of parents’ beliefs about children’s emotions with parents’ ES, which in turn relate to children’s social competence. Seventy-five Chinese parents (65 mothers, 10 fathers) with children in middle childhood (43 girls, 32 boys; Mage=9.18, SD=1.26) completed translated Chinese versions of the Parents’ Beliefs about Children’s Emotions Questionnaire, the Coping with Children’s Negative Emotions Scale, the Parental Reactions to Children’s Positive Emotions Scale, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Self-Construal Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Measurements were modified to include ego-focused and other-focused positive and negative emotions (i.e., pride, warmth, anger, and shame/guilt). Bivariate correlations, hierarchical multiple regressions, and exploratory analyses using the PROCESS macro were conducted. Parents endorsed both independent and interdependent self-construals, and on average reported significantly higher interdependent than independent self-construals. Chinese parents’ endorsement of independent self-construal may make their beliefs about ego-focused emotions more salient, thereby inducing ES responses aligned with their beliefs. Parents’ interdependent self-construal was related to their ES to other-focused emotions. Chinese parents’ nonsupportive reactions to children’s anger and pride were related to children’s social competence, which suggests that the inhibition of emotions may have some adaptive functions in Chinese society. Overall, findings contributed to the understanding of parental ES in Chinese families and emphasized the role of parents’ self-construal as an individual-level indicator of cultural values in the ES process. / M.S. / Centered around the process through which parents socialize children’s social and emotional competence (emotion socialization, ES), the current study examined how parents’ beliefs about children’s emotions associated with their ES reactions, how their beliefs together with their perceptions of self (self-construal) related to their ES reactions, and how their ES reactions associated with their children’s behaviors in a Chinese sample. Seventy-five Chinese parents (65 mothers, 10 fathers) with children from 7- to 11-year-old (43 girls, 32 boys) completed Chinese versions of questionnaires about their beliefs about children’s emotions, their ES reactions, their self-construal, their perceptions of children’s behaviors, and some demographic information. The associations aforementioned were tested. Chinese parents perceived themselves as both unique entities (independent self-construal) and connected with others (interdependent self-construal), with a higher level of interdependent self-construal. Parents’ endorsement of independent self-construal may spotlight their beliefs about children’s pride and anger, which in turn induce more ES reactions that are consistent with their beliefs. Parents’ interdependent self-construal was related to their ES reactions to children’s feelings of love and shame/guilt. Parents’ nonsupportive reactions to children’s anger and pride were related to children’s higher competence, which suggests that Chinese society may endorse the inhibition of emotions. Overall, findings contributed to the understanding of cross-cultural differences of parental ES between American and Chinese families and the impact of their perceptions of self on their ES reactions.

Yes / This paper explores issues of partnership and participation in research and evaluation, drawing on the experiences of evaluating a move from hostel accommodation to independent supported living for people with mental health difficulties or learning disabilities. The service change project involved a partnership between a local authority and a housing association with over 300 people moving into their own tenancies in newly-built flats and bungalows. The accompanying evaluation was designed on a model of service user participation and action research and was specifically concerned to explore the impact of the changes on people’s actual or perceived social inclusion into local communities. Ten service user and carer researchers, some of whom were directly involved in the move from hostel to independent living, were recruited and worked with ‘professional’ researchers to examine both the process and the outcomes of the move. The work will be viewed through the insights offered by feminist, transformative and participatory approaches to research. The ‘positioning’ of the researcher in relation to boundaries and the construction of the ‘other’ will be considered, emphasising an approach grounded in reflexivity and an acknowledgement of the complex ethical issues involved. A key feature of this study has been the negotiation involved between a complex change project and a participatory evaluation design. Learning points from the work so far will also be considered in terms of their wider application in future evaluations of complex change projects that involve multiple stakeholders.

In education and research, references play a key role. They give credit to prior works, and provide support for reviews, discussions, and arguments. The set of references attached to a publication can help describe that publication, can aid with its categorization and retrieval, can support bibliometric studies, and can guide interested readers and researchers. If suitably analyzed, that set can aid with the analysis of the publication itself, especially regarding all its citing passages. However, extracting and parsing references are difficult problems. One concern is that there are many styles of references, and identifying what style was employed is problematic, especially in heterogeneous collections of theses and dissertations, which cover many fields and disciplines, and where different styles may be used even in the same publication. We address these problems by drawing upon suitable knowledge found in the WWW. In particular, we use appropriate lists (e.g., of names, cities, and other types of entities). We use available information about the many reference styles found, in a type of reverse engineering. We use available references to guide machine learning. In particular, we research a two-stage classifier approach, with multi-class classification with respect to reference styles, and partially solve the problem of parsing surface representations of references. We describe empirical evidence for the effectiveness of our approach and plans for improvement of our method. / Ph. D.

Sweden has made a legal commitment to the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and, as such, should ensure children’s rights in urban planning. A vital aspect of a child-friendly city is access to urban green space. However, children’s access to green spaces is threatened by challenges in implementing the CRC in practice; children’s limited opportunities to explore public space; and the general trend of decreasing green spaces in cities. The purpose of this study is threefold: to examine Malmö’s urban planning strategies and their effectiveness in ensuring children’s access to green spaces; to analyse the current state of spatial accessibility; and to identify factors contributing to the perceived child-friendliness of green spaces. A mixed methods approach of content analysis, spatial analysis, observations and in-situ interviews with parents is used to examine children’s access to urban green spaces through various angles. This is further explored through the use of concepts related to spatial justice, children’s right to the city and attributes of a child friendly city. The thesis found ambiguity in the support from Malmö’s plans and strategies related to children’s access to green space and promotion of the child perspective. There seems to be an ambition to work with the child perspective, but challenges in translating this ambition into clear strategies and methods for including children in decisions beyond those relating to schools and kindergartens. Additionally, children were merely implicitly mentioned in relation to green space specifically, which lowers the support for children’s specific access to these spaces. The spatial analysis displayed that neighbourhoods in Malmö have access to some green space, but that the amount of green space differs. The amount of green space was higher in neighbourhoods with a high socioeconomic status and lower in child-dense neighbourhoods, which indicates spatial inequality and displays that children’s access to green space might differ depending on where they live. The perceived child-friendliness of the observed green spaces was largely dependent on the presence of the parents or other trustworthy adults. Additionally, the playground was central in green space usage and perceptions of child-friendliness. Lastly, there was a widespread fear among parents of letting the children visit the green spaces independently. This was related to traffic safety and revealed a duality related to ‘other people’ - strangers were seen as potential threats to their children’s safety, while certain strangers, especially other parents, were seen as increasing the safety of the green space.

This study systematically examined and described the self-initiated learning projects of 20 inmates from the Central Facility of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections. The research questions which guided this study were: (a) what are the characteristics of the learning projects; (b) as perceived by the inmates, what is the impact of the prison environment on self-initiated learning; and (c) what meaning does the experience of self-initiated learning have for the inmates both while incarcerated as well as after release? The study design was naturalistic. The sample for this study was randomly selected from the target population by a random selection technique. The respondents in the sample were interviewed by the investigator who designed and used a 29 item semi-structured interview schedule. Other data collection methods included fieldnotes of the investigator's observations before, during, and after the interviews. The data were analyzed using Spradley’s (l980) ethnographic analysis technique consisting of domains, taxonomies, components, and themes. The study yielded the following major findings or themes relevant to the three research questions. The vast majority of the self-initiated learning projects were growth and development with regard to employment, religion, academic education, and personal development. The main reason for beginning the learning projects was to improve the respondents' attitudes concerning their morals, beliefs, and values. The learning format used in the majority of the learning projects was oral communication. The learning projects were facilitated by the policies, practices, and procedures of the prison. The major problems encountered were the insensitivity of the inmates, inadequate study facilities, and limited resources. Finally, the major institutional and expected community benefits were the job skills acquired and the attitudinal changes concerning the respondents' past criminal involvement. The study concluded the following: Self-initiated learning projects abound in prison as meaningful learning activities for the inmates which tend to supplement the institutionally sponsored programs. Se1f-initiated learning projects have benefit and value for inmates while they are incarcerated and an expected benefit and T value for inmates after they are released. Finally, self-initiated learning projects in the prison setting are not generally conducted in a positive and supportive environment. Implications for future research are also noted. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第24897号 / 工博第5177号 / 新制||工||1988(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科都市社会工学専攻 / (主査)教授 五十嵐 晃, 教授 高橋 良和, 教授 後藤 浩之 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM