In the use of medication and pharmaceutical products, non‐compliance is a major problem. One thing we can do something about is making sure consumers have the information they need. This thesis investigates how remote communication technology can be used to improve the availability for expressive advice‐giving services. Special attention is given to the balancing of expressiveness and availability. A solution is presented that uses 3D visualisation in combination with audio and video communication to convey advice on complex pharmaceutical products. The solution is tested and evaluated in two user studies. The first study is broad and explorative, the second more focused and evaluative. The solution was well received by participating subjects. They welcomed the sense of personal contact that seeing the communicating party over video link produced and appreciated the expressive power and pedagogical value of the 3D materials. Herbert Clark’s theory of use of language is suggested as a framework for the analysis of the dynamics of the relationship between consumer and advisor. / <p>Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic-2008:31.</p>

This thesis deals with a web-based lecture browser. Its goal is to facilitate the access to information with the use of modern speech and multimedia technologies. Technologies used for this browser are discussed. Video recordings play a very important role in the browser, and therefore the big portion of this work is aimed at the digital video and methods of its delivery using streaming servers. Solutions of similar multimedia browsers are mentioned. The reader is acquainted with the browser design. This includes describing the various components of the browser and how their mutual synchronization is done. The final version of the browser is introduced and the problems that occurred during the development process and deployment into service are mentioned. In the conclusion of this work the future development of the web-based lecture browser is discussed.

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de solução do problema de deteção de tomada de câmera de vídeos MPEG-1 e MPEG-2. A abordagem proposta está baseada na aplicação de diversas heurísticas para eliminação de quadros semelhantes, de forma a extrair um conjunto de quadros que representam os cortes entre tomadas de câmera vizinhas. Essas heurí­sticas analisam informações no domínio compactado, obtidas diretamente do fluxo de dados codificado dos ví­deos, como forma de eliminar o processo de descompressão MPEG e diminuir o volume de dados manipulados durante a análise. A observação dos valores assumidos pelas diversas métricas utilizadas demonstrou a existência de padrões falsos de corte relacionados à história do processo de codificação do ví­deo. Por esta razões, as análises das informações codificadas para detecção das tomadas de câmera procuram identificar padrões estabelecidos pelo processo de codificação, considerados assinaturas dos codificadores. Para distinção entre quadros com características de corte, de quadros com características influenciadas pelo codificador, são propostas filtragens para suavizar a influência dessas assinaturas nos valores obtidos pelas métricas de caracterização de similaridade. / [en] This works presents a proposal for finding shot cuts in MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 videos. The proposed approach is based on heuristics for eliminating similar frames and thus extracting a set of frames positioned at cuts points. These heuristics analyze the compressed data, retrieved from MPEG video streams, without any decompression, thus saving time and space during the shot finding process. The existence of false cut patterns is noticed by studying the data returned by the chosen metrics. In face of such false positives (related to choices made during the history of the video encoding process), the analysis of the compressed data tries to identify patterns in the encoded stream, considered as compressor signatures. To distinguish between cut frames and frames characterized by the encoding process, some filters are proposed in order to alleviate the compressor influence on the similarity metrics results.

Tallungskogar utsätts ofta av skador från älg, detta är ett återkommande problem för många skogsägare. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om någon föryngringsmetod, plantering eller självföryngring uppvisade mindre andel skador av älg i tallungskog. Studien undersökte även om tallarnas höjd och om beståndet är röjt eller ej har påverkan på skademängden. Studien genomfördes genom en fältundersökning kring Gålsjöbruk i Västernorrlands län.Mellan dem inventerade variablerna kunde ingen signifikant reltion påvisas förutom ett p-värde mellan oröjd och röjd självföryngring, den låga datamöngden kan ha varit en bidragande del. Trender visade att stamantalet kan bidra till skillnader i mängden skadade tallar, där större mängd totalt antal stammar bidrar till mindre andel skadade tallar.Denna studie kan användas som stöd eller vägledning till när man bestämmer vilken föryngringsmetod man väljer för sitt framtida tallbestånd. Resultaten kan dock inte användas som facit utan mängden av utomstående faktorer bidrar till skademängden.

No description available.

Based on an analysis of the existing literature, we extracted important features regarding 3D file organization and layout. In this way, three separate 3D file browsing techniques were evaluated in a comparison study. Block3D uses a priority weighting scheme to elevate and display files in a grid-based structure. Cluster3D uses sets of animated racks to display files. TreeCubePlus3D visualizes files and directories using groups of semi-transparent cubes within a larger cube-like structure. Across all techniques, each file was represented as a thumbnail image of the file's image, document or document with pictures data. The thumbnails were also augmented with meta-information such as filename and relevancy information to simulate a realistic search. Our experiment explores the effectiveness of each 3D file browsing technique in a manual file searching task. Our evaluation is based on task completion time and a post-questionnaire used to gather subjective feedback on each technique in terms of user preference. The results indicate that users completed the manual file search task significantly faster using Block3D than both TreeCubePlus3D and Cluster3D. Subjective ranking also showed users preferred the Block3D technique.

A greater than 10-fold increase in Canada goose (Branta canadensis) populations over the past several years has resulted in concerns over grazing impacts on grass seed production in the mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon. This study was designed to develop methods to quantify and statistically analyze goose-grazing impacts on seed yields of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Yield-mapping-system equipped combines, incorporating global positioning system (GPS) technology, were used to measure and map yields. Image processing of ground-level photography to estimate crop cover and other relevant observations were spatially located via GPS to establish spatial-temporal goose grazing patterns. We sampled each field semi-monthly from mid-winter through spring. Spatially located yield data, soils information, exclosure locations, and grazing patterns were integrated via geographical information system (GIS) technology. To avoid concerns about autocorrelation, a bootstrapping procedure for subsampling spatially contiguous seed yield data was used to organize the data for appropriate use of analysis of variance. The procedure was used to evaluate grazing impacts on seed yield for areas of fields with different soils and with differential timing and intensity of goose grazing activity. We also used a standard paired-plot procedure, involving exclosures and associated plots available for grazing. The combination of spatially explicit photography and yield mapping, integrated with GIS, proved effective in establishing cause-and-effect relationships between goose grazing and seed yield differences. Exclosures were essential for providing nongrazed controls. Both statistical approaches were effective in documenting goose-grazing impacts. Paired-plots were restricted by small size and few numbers and did not capture grazing impacts as effectively as comparison of larger areas to exclosures. Bootstrapping to subsample larger areas of yield for comparison was an effective method of avoiding autocorrelation of data while better representing impacts within a field. Occasional yield increases, ranging from 1 to 5 percent, were recorded following goose grazing. Goose grazing generally resulted in seed yield reductions, ranging up to 20 percent. Later and more intensive grazing tended to increase yield reductions. Newly seeded tall fescue tended to be the most sensitive to grazing. Established perennial ryegrass tended to be more resilient. / Graduation date: 2003

Nur ein Bruchteil der in den Schlagwortnormsätzen abgelegten Informationen wird von heutigen OPACs für die Benutzerrecherche nutzbar gemacht. Wie man das Input-Output-Verhältnis der bibliothekarischen Erschließungsleistung verbessern kann, wird am Beispiel der ISO-Ländercodes gezeigt. Diese werden nicht nur in Datensätzen für Geographika erfasst, sondern z.B. auch bei Personen und Körperschaften. Macht man sie im OPAC recherchierbar, so können sie als Basis für eine Einschränkung nach dem geographischen Raum dienen. Dadurch erhöht sich der Recall bei Anfragen vom Typ "Tourismus in Baden-Württemberg" oder "Klima in Afrika" teils dramatisch, ohne dass sich die Precision verschlechtern würde. Denn über die Ländercodes wird auch Literatur zu kleineren geographischen Einheiten gefunden (z.B. Landkreise, Städte, Landschaften), die bei einer einfachen Schlagwortsuche ausgeblendet bleiben. Im HEIDI-Katalog der UB Heidelberg und im Primo-Katalog der UB Mannheim wurde die Ländercode-Recherche vor kurzem prototypisch in Form eines Drill-down-Menüs realisiert.

We investigate whether usability aspects affect the design and development of the browsing experience in electronic commerce applications. The study is limited to the generic electronic commerce activities and does not address the financial perspective. As background we studied the electronic commerce domain, interaction design and information systems development methodologies. Within a quasi-experimental research design we then developed two experimental websites to test our hypotheses that the usability principles of consistency, structured information and navigation affect the users of a website: one adhering and one violating these principles. Respondents were required to record their perceptions of both using a questionnaire. We found that usability issues had a minimal influence on the perceived success of the websites. It is thus only one of many factors that needs to be considered in the design and development of a successful electronic commerce website, and cannot be treated as an isolated add-on. / Kotzé, P. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)

We investigate whether usability aspects affect the design and development of the browsing experience in electronic commerce applications. The study is limited to the generic electronic commerce activities and does not address the financial perspective. As background we studied the electronic commerce domain, interaction design and information systems development methodologies. Within a quasi-experimental research design we then developed two experimental websites to test our hypotheses that the usability principles of consistency, structured information and navigation affect the users of a website: one adhering and one violating these principles. Respondents were required to record their perceptions of both using a questionnaire. We found that usability issues had a minimal influence on the perceived success of the websites. It is thus only one of many factors that needs to be considered in the design and development of a successful electronic commerce website, and cannot be treated as an isolated add-on. / Kotzé, P. / Information Science / M. A. (Information Science)