<p>The aim of this thesis project was to migrate an existing excel-based application, used</p><p>to analyze energy use and carbon dioxide emission of companies, to a web-based application.</p><p>Special development questions were put around which software development process,</p><p>solution stack and user interface to be used according to the company needs. The spiral</p><p>lifecycle model has been chosen because it provides a clear view of the process and has the</p><p>concept of early prototypes. A solution stack based on Linux, Apache, PHP and MySQL has</p><p>been chosen because such approach has met the company requirements in terms of cost,</p><p>security, support, and maintenance. As a result, the developed web-based system overcomes</p><p>the problems normally found in excel-based applications, such as application deployment and</p><p>maintenance, and provides a more usable and richer user interface.</p>

<p>Most software is now developed by professional programmers, and the millions of users of “shrink-wrapped” applications never meet the developers. The skills of professional programmers are obviously required in many software development projects. However, there are also reasons, ranging from practical and economical to philosophical and educational, why people without this background may want to develop their own applications or tailor applications to their own use.</p><p>The general purpose programming languages and development tools used by professional programmers are not suitable for people outside this profession. Instead, people outside this profession need more high-level tools that allow them to express solutions using domain and task specific terms. Despite the accumulated experience from such environments within the end-user programming community, creating a new application development environment for a domain or task remains a large development task, and can be too time-consuming and costly to be found worthwhile.</p><p>This thesis presents an approach to reducing the effort needed in developing extensible application composition environments for end users. We use the term “end user” in the same way as the end-user programming community, to denote a person who wants to develop an application or tailor an application to a specific use, without needing professional programming skills. The work in the thesis was initiated based on experience from development of proof-of-concept implementations of such environments in two European research projects. With this background, a set of user and developer roles are identified and organised into a value chain for development of such environments. Further, the approach combines the research areas of component-based software engineering and end-user programming to propose an overall architecture, component frameworks and tools suitable to support development of such environments. The validity of the results is established through partial prototyping of the frameworks and tools, combined with qualitative analyses of how these can be fully implemented and of their suitability for their intended purpose.</p><p>The main contributions of this thesis are:</p><p>• a value chain for development of application composition environments, with identification and description of tasks of each of the identified developer roles;</p><p>• an overall architecture for developing extensible application composition environments based on component frameworks;</p><p>• architecture of two component frameworks defining mechanisms and rules of behaviour for components ensuring extensibility at runtime and edit time;</p><p>• definition and description of a set of UML stereotypes for modelling domain frameworks based on the component frameworks, and a mapping to Java/JavaBeans allowing a code generator tool to produce part of the implementation;</p><p>• definition and description of tools which use the model of a domain framework as input and partially transform the work of creating composition environments and editors for domain objects from a programming task to a configuration task.</p>

To protect the environment and save human lives, the detection of various hazardous toxins of biological or chemical origin has been a major challenge to the researchers at Oregon State University. Living fish cells can indicate the presence of a wide range of toxins by reactions such as changing color and shape changes. A research team in Electrical and Computer Engineering Department is developing a hybrid detection device (Cytosensor) that combines biological reaction and digital technology. The functions of Cytosensor can be divided into three parts, which are real-time image acquisition, data processing and statistical data analysis. User-friendly Web-Based Distributed Applications (WBDA) for Cytosensor offer various utilities. WBDA allow the users to control and observe the local Cytosensor, search and retrieve data acquired by the sensor network, and process the acquired images remotely using only a web browser. Additionally, these applications minimize the user's exposure to dangerous chemicals or biological products. This thesis describes the design of a remote controller, system observer, remote processor, and search engine using JAVA applets, XML, Perl, MATLAB, and Peer-to-Peer models. Furthermore, the implementations of image segmentation technique in MATLAB and the Machine Vision Algorithm in JAVA for independent web-based processing are investigated. / Graduation date: 2003

Modular exponentiation and modular multiplication are the most used operations in current cryptographic systems. Some well-known cryptographic algorithms, such as RSA, Diffie-Hellman key exchange, and DSA, require modular exponentiation operations. This is performed with a series of modular multiplications to the extent of its exponent in a certain fashion depending on the exponentiation algorithm used. Cryptographic functions are very likely to be applied in current applications that perform information exchange to secure, verify, or authenticate data. Most notable is the use of such applications in Internet based information exchange. Smart cards, hand-helds, cell phones and many other small devices also need to perform information exchange and are likely to apply cryptographic functions. A hardware solution to perform a cryptographic function is generally faster and more secure than a software solution. Thus, a fast and area efficient modular exponentiation hardware solution would provide a better infrastructure for current cryptographic techniques. In certain cryptographic algorithms, very large precisions are used. Further, the precision may vary. Most of the hardware designs for modular multiplication and modular exponentiation are fixed-precision solutions. A scalable Montgomery Multiplier (MM) to perform modular multiplication has been proposed and can operate on input values of any bit-size, but the maximum bit-size should be known and is the limiting factor. The multiplier can calculate any operand size less than the maximal precision. However, this design's parameters should be optimized depending on the operand precision for which the design is used. A software application was developed in C to find the optimized design for the scalable MM module. It performs area-time trade-off for the most commonly used precisions in order to obtain a fast and area efficient solution for the common case. A modular exponentiation system is developed using this scalable multiplier design. Since the multiplier can operate on any operand size up to a certain maximum value, the exponentiation system that utilizes the multiplier will inherit the same capability. This thesis work presents the design and implementation of an exponentiation algorithm in hardware utilizing the optimized scalable Montgomery Multiplier. The design uses a parallel exponentiation algorithm to reduce the total computation time. The modular exponentiation system experimental results are analyzed and compared with software and other hardware implementations. / Graduation date: 2002

Thesis (Ph.D. (Electrical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Afhandlingen 'videreuddannelse af lærere - muligheder og positioneringer i arbejdet' undersøger betydningen af videreuddannelse af skolelærere, når de er tilbage på deres skoler efter endt videreuddannelsesforløb. Det undersøges, hvad lærerne oplever at lære, hvilke former for viden, der oparbejdes og hvordan disse vidensformer har mulighed for at genlæres i praktisk handling og blive til viden for praksis. Det undersøges ligeledes, hvordan lærerne har mulighed for at positioneres sig som videreuddannede lærere blandt ikke-videreuddannede-lærere, og de vanskeligheder der kan opstå i den proces. Tilgangen til undersøgelsen er socialkonstruktivistisk og der redegøres for metodologiske overvejelser med henblik på transparens. Teoretisk anlægges en kulturpsykologisk læringsforståelse og et samhandlingsteoretisk fokus. Hermed konstrueres blikke på læringsforståelser og læringsudbytte i et videreuddannelsesperspektiv tilligemed tydeliggørelser af de relationelle forhold, der er af betydning for etablering af en position som videreuddannet. Med henblik på at udforske en hermeneutisk inspireret metode, analyseres det empiriske materiale ad to omgange; først en 'delanalyse', ud fra en tematisk inddeling. Derefter finder en 'helhedsanalyse 'sted. Analysen betragter interviewene som hele fortællinger og anvender dermed en narrativ tilgang. De to analyser sammenholdes og muliggør en samlet forståelse af undersøgelsens komplekse genstand: Hvilken betydning har videreuddannelse for praksis. Afhandlingen kan konkludere, at videreuddannelsen tillægges stor, især personlig, betydning. Når der opstår problemer, opstår de i mødet med skolens dagligdag - i mødet, hvor lærerne står med et vidensoverskud, som der ikke findes anvendelse for på skolen.

Nanostrukturierte Materialien zeichnen sich dadurch aus, dass sie aus sehr kleinen Baueinheiten zusammengesetzt sind. Typischerweise liegt die Grössenordnung dieser Bausteine im Bereich von einigen Nanometern. Ein Nanometer entspricht 10-9 Meter. Dadurch bekommen nanostrukturierte Materialien oft verbesserte, vielfach sogar ganz neue Eigenschaften, die für viele heutige wie auch zukünftige Anwendungen von Vorteil sind.<br /> <br /> Ein Weg, um solche nanostrukturierte Materialien herzustellen, ist die sogenannte &bdquo;Templatierungsmethode&ldquo;. Das Templat besteht aus einem einzelnen Molekül, einer Ansammlung von Molekülen oder aus einem festen Objekt. Beim Aufbau des nanostrukturierten Materials wirkt das Templat als Schablone oder als Gussform und beeinflusst damit die Struktur des Endproduktes. Normalerweise besteht dieser Prozess aus mehreren Schritten. Zuerst wird der Raum um das Templat mit dem Ausgangsstoff umhüllt oder ausgefüllt, dann wird der Ausgangsstoff chemisch in das gewünschte Endprodukt umgewandelt, wobei das Templat die Endform kontrolliert und am Schluss wird das Templat entfernt. Das geschieht meistens durch Erhitzen. Als Ausgangsstoff können dabei einzelne Moleküle verwendet werden, die sich leicht in das Endprodukt umwandeln lassen, oder aber vorgeformte Partikelchen, die nur noch zur entsprechenden Form angeordnet werden müssen.<br /> <br /> In dieser Arbeit wurden poröse Metalloxid-Kügelchen hergestellt, die aus einem Gemisch aus Titanoxid und entweder Aluminium-, Gallium- oder Indiumoxid bestehen. Als Template wurden poröse Kunststoffkügelchen eingesetzt, die man sonst für Chromatographiezwecke braucht. Bei der Synthese wurden die Poren der Kunststoffkügelchen mit dem Ausgangsmaterial gefüllt und mit Wasser in ein amorphes Netzwerk umgewandelt. Danach werden die Kügelchen erhitzt, wobei das Kunststofftemplat zersetzt wird. Gleichzeitig wird das amorphe Gerüst in stabile, kristalline Wände umgewandelt, die die Form der Kügelchen auch dann noch behalten, wenn das Templat verschwunden ist. Mit einem ähnlichen Prozess wurden auch Kügelchen aus Cer-Zirkonoxid erhalten. Als Ausgangsstoff wurden dabei aber vorgeformte Cer-Zirkonoxid-Nanopartikel eingesetzt, die in die Poren der Kunststofftemplatkügelchen hinein diffundieren. Diese Cer-Zirkonoxid-Nanopartikel lassen sich auch für die Herstellung von porösen Pulvern verwenden, wobei dann nicht Polymerkügelchen, sondern hochgeordnete Ansammlungen von Block Copolymeren als Template verwendet werden.<br /> <br /> Form, Struktur und Eigenschaften all dieser Materialien wurden systematisch unter Anwendung verschiedenster Analysemethoden untersucht. Die auf Titanoxid-basierten Kügelchen wurden auch auf ihre photokatalytische Verwendung zum Abbau von umweltschädlichem 2-Chlorophenol untersucht. Die Cer-Zirkonoxid-Kügelchen wurden für die Herstellung von Wasserstoff aus Methanol getestet. Wasserstoff gilt als hoffungsvoller, sauberer Energieträger der Zukunft und kommt in Brennstoffzellen zum Einsatz. / Nanostructured materials are the materials having structural features on the scale of nanometers i.e. 10-9 m. the structural features can enhance the natural properties of the materials or induce additional properties, which are useful for day to technology as well as the future technologies<br /> <br /> One way to synthesize nanostructured materials is using templating techniques. The templating process involves use of a certain &ldquo;mould&rdquo; or &ldquo;scaffold&rdquo; to generate the structure. The mould is called as the template, can be a single molecule or assembly of molecule or a larger object, which has its own structure. The product material can be obtained by filling the space around the template with a &ldquo;precursor&rdquo;, transformation of precursor into the desired material and then removal of template to get product. The precursor can be any chemical moiety that can be easily transformed in to the desired material. Alternatively the desired material is processed into very tiny bricks or &ldquo;nano building blocks (NBB)&rdquo; and the product is obtained by arrangement of the NBB by using a scaffold. <br /> <br /> We synthesized porous metal oxide spheres of namely TiO2-M2O3: titanium dioxide- M-oxide (M = aluminum, gallium and indium) TiO2-M2O3 and cerium oxide-zirconium oxide solid solution. We used porous polymeric beads as templates. These beads used for chromatographic purposes. For the synthesis of TiO2-M2O3 we used metal- alkoxides as precursor. The pore of beads were filled with precursor and then reacted with water to give transformation of the precursor to amorphous oxide network. The network is crystallized and template is removed by heat treatment at high temperatures. In a similar way we obtained porous spheres of CexZr1-xO2. For this we synthesized nanoparticle of CexZr1-xO2 and used then for the templating process to obtain porous CexZr1-xO2 spheres. <br /> <br /> Additionally, using the same nanoparticles we synthesized nano-porous powder using self-assembly process between a block-copolymers scaffold and nanoparticles. <br /> <br /> Morphological and physico-chemical properties of these materials were studies systematically by using various analytical techniques <br /> <br /> TiO2-M2O3 material were tested for photocatalytic degradation of 2-Chlorophenol a poisonous pollutant. While CexZr1-xO2 spheres were tested for methanol steam reforming reaction to generate hydrogen, which is a fuel for future generation power sources like fuel cells. All the materials showed good catalytic performance.

<p>Dye-sensitised solar cells (DSC) have attracted much attention during the last few years due to their high efficiencies and their potentially low production costs. The technology is based on a thin layer of nano sized, high band gap (3.2 eV) TiO2 film. A Ru containing dye (from hereon called the Ru dye) is chemisorbed onto the TiO2 film. This combination acts as the working electrode. The counter electrode consists of a platinum layer which is the catalyst for the regeneration of the Iodine/Iodide electrolyte. The work that is presented here is focused on the results that were obtained during studies of the performance of the DSC under certain reverse bias conditions. When one cell in the series connection in a module is shaded, the current will pass this cell in reverse bias. In such a case the shaded cell will be subjected to a voltage in the reverse direction coming from the other lit cells in the module. This reverse voltage could permanently modify or damage the cell if it is not properly protected. Although the work is focussed on the chemical stability of the dye, various techniques were employed to determine the physical changes in the cell. It was found that a cell that was subjected to a reverse bias of 2 V for 500 min showed a 58% recovery and a cell that was subjected to 4.5 V reverse bias was irreversibly damaged. The UV-vis spectra showed a blue shift (higher energy), the Raman showed no peak at 1713 cm-1 (which indicates the absence of free carboxylate groups) and the FT-IR showed the disappearance of the NC-S absorption band at 2100 cm-1. The combined conclusion is that the &ndash / NCS ligand has been depleted and replaced with I3- ions. When measuring the impedance, the Nyquist plots showed an increase in the charge transfer resistance at the counter electrode when subjected to a reverse bias potential of 2 V. This is confirmed by the Bode plots. This indicates a partial oxidation of the Pt catalyst on the counter electrode. It can therefore be stated with confidence that the changes in the cell after being subjected to a reverse bias potential of 2 V for 500 min are changes on the -NCS bonds on the Ru dye as well as the Pt in the counter electrode.</p>

Most software is now developed by professional programmers, and the millions of users of “shrink-wrapped” applications never meet the developers. The skills of professional programmers are obviously required in many software development projects. However, there are also reasons, ranging from practical and economical to philosophical and educational, why people without this background may want to develop their own applications or tailor applications to their own use. The general purpose programming languages and development tools used by professional programmers are not suitable for people outside this profession. Instead, people outside this profession need more high-level tools that allow them to express solutions using domain and task specific terms. Despite the accumulated experience from such environments within the end-user programming community, creating a new application development environment for a domain or task remains a large development task, and can be too time-consuming and costly to be found worthwhile. This thesis presents an approach to reducing the effort needed in developing extensible application composition environments for end users. We use the term “end user” in the same way as the end-user programming community, to denote a person who wants to develop an application or tailor an application to a specific use, without needing professional programming skills. The work in the thesis was initiated based on experience from development of proof-of-concept implementations of such environments in two European research projects. With this background, a set of user and developer roles are identified and organised into a value chain for development of such environments. Further, the approach combines the research areas of component-based software engineering and end-user programming to propose an overall architecture, component frameworks and tools suitable to support development of such environments. The validity of the results is established through partial prototyping of the frameworks and tools, combined with qualitative analyses of how these can be fully implemented and of their suitability for their intended purpose. The main contributions of this thesis are: • a value chain for development of application composition environments, with identification and description of tasks of each of the identified developer roles; • an overall architecture for developing extensible application composition environments based on component frameworks; • architecture of two component frameworks defining mechanisms and rules of behaviour for components ensuring extensibility at runtime and edit time; • definition and description of a set of UML stereotypes for modelling domain frameworks based on the component frameworks, and a mapping to Java/JavaBeans allowing a code generator tool to produce part of the implementation; • definition and description of tools which use the model of a domain framework as input and partially transform the work of creating composition environments and editors for domain objects from a programming task to a configuration task.

Mobile technology has become much more prevalent in our daily lives, including the lives of young children. Kids are exposed to tablets and phones before they have learned how to read. There are quite a few applications that exist that provide entertainment for such a young audience. However, not all of them are educational applications that teach the user something useful. Such an educational app has been developed for the purposes of providing learning opportunities that will both improve the user’s mind as well as create an engaging and fun experience. The final product resulted in AlphaBoodle, an educational iOS app for kids, ages two to four. The goal of the app is to teach the identification of letters as well as how to write them. This paper steps through the process of creating AlphaBoodle and evaluates the final product through previous research and user testing.