The purpose of this study was to investigate the assumptions held by Saskatchewan educators in the identification of students who are gifted and talented. Elementary school educators from Kindergarten to grade 8 were approached to participate in this study, and were asked to complete a 20-item survey that examined educators assumptions relating to the identification of students who are gifted and talented (Brown, Renzulli, Gubbins, Siegle, Zhang, & Chen, 2005). Findings suggest that there are differences in assumptions relating to the identification of students who are gifted and talented not only between educators of various grades, but also between those educators in different classroom environments (i.e., dedicated, multiple, or no classroom). Educators roles in the classroom include engaging students in authentic assessment procedures, which take into account students day-to-day learning and progress.

The biometric technology is a method for authentication which has been used since several centuries back. This is a technology which offers several different techniques where the human’s unique characteristics are used for identification and verification of the individual. Biometrics are today at a stage of development that is pointing upwards and many individuals that are well aware of the biometric world believes that this is the technology that will take over the security systems used today. Ever since the terror attacks against USA at 2001, USA demanded that all 45 countries that today are not required to have visa when entering the United States must until the end of 2006 implement passports that contains biometrics information. The UN’s air traffic group on the other hand thinks that all counties in the world should use passports with biometric data. The biometric data in the passports are going to be stored in a chip and is in the first hand an image of the individuals face in a cryptic jpg format, but can also be complemented with fingerprints or even signature recognition. Sweden is currently using passports which contain biometric data but so far haven’t any machines that can read this passports been bought. Ulf Hägglund at Precise Biometrics AB believes that as soon as the real use of the biometric passports gets going the biometric technique will be used in a greater extension in the airports. Even though several Swedish airports consider the security technique used in airports today being enough, biometrics can increase the security and at the same time simplify many security processes. Falsification can be reduced when at same time one can be sure that the same passenger who has checked-in is the passenger who boards the airplane and the employee security control can be totally automatized. Generally it can be said that “biometrics is a decent way to increase security in different areas”. / Den biometriska teknologin är en äkthetsbevisningsmetod som har används sedan flera århundraden tillbaka. Detta är en teknologi som erbjuder flera olika tekniker där människans unika karateristiska kännetecken används för identifiering och verifiering av individen. Biometrin befinner sig idag i ett utvecklingsstadie som pekar uppåt och flera personer som är insatta i biometrins värld anser att detta är den teknologi som kommer att ta över det nuvarande säkerhetssystemet. Sedan terrorattentatet mot USA år 2001 har USA begärt att alla 45 länderna som idag inte behöver visum för att komma in till USA måste innan slutet av år 2006 införa pass som innehåller biometrisk information. FN; s luftfartsgrupp anser däremot att alla världens länder bör införa pass med biometrisk data. Den biometriska data som ska finnas i passen ska lagras i ett chip och är främst en avbildning av individens ansikte i krypterad jpg format men kan även tänkas bli kompletterat med fingeravtryck och eventuellt signatur igenkänning . I dagsläget använder sig Sverige av pass med biometrisk data, men än så länge har inte några maskiner som kan avläsa dessa pass köpts in. Ulf Hägglund på Precise Biometrics AB tror att så snart användandet av de biometriska passen kommer igång på riktigt kommer även den biometiska tekniken att användas i större utsträckning på flygplatser. Trotts att flera svenska flygplatser idag anser att den säkerhetsteknik som används på flygplatserna idag räcker, kan man genom att använda sig av biometri öka säkerheten samtidigt som man förenklar många säkerhetsprocesser. Falsifieringen minskar samtidigt som man kan försäkra sig om att det alltid är samma passagerare som checkat- in som stiger på planet och säkerhetskontrollerna för de anställda kan bli total automatiserad. I stort kan man säga att ”biometrin är ett hyggligt steg mot att förbättra säkerheten inom olika områden”.

IEEE 802.11 wireless networks are plagued with problems of unauthorized access. Left undetected, unauthorized access is the precursor to additional mischief. Current approaches to detecting intruders are invasive or can be evaded by stealthy attackers. We propose the use of spectral analysis to identify the type of wireless network interface card (NIC). This mechanism can be applied to support the detection of unauthorized systems that use NICs which are different from that of a legitimate system. We focus on two functions, active scanning and dynamic rate switching, required by the 802.11 standard that are implemented in the hardware and software of the wireless NIC. We show that the implementation of these functions influence the transmission patterns of a wireless stream that are observable through traffic analysis. Furthermore, differences in the behavior of a wireless stream caused by differences in the implementation of these functions are exploited to establish the identity of a NIC. Our mechanism for NIC identification uses signal processing to analyze the periodicity embedded in the wireless traffic caused by active scanning and rate switching. A spectral profile is created from the periodic components of the traffic and used for the identity of the wireless NIC. We show that we can discern between NICs manufactured by different vendors and NICs within the same manufacturer using the spectral profile.

Whether entrepreneurial opportunity is objectively existed or it could be deliberately created is still a disputable issue in academic filed. However, increasing number of scholars tend to conclude that entrepreneurial opportunity comes from a process of recognition, discovery and creation by alerted entrepreneurs. Based on this point, it seems to be obvious that entrepreneurs must have some kind of knowledge and abilities, poses special source of information and involved in certain social networks. So that they can easily find those opportunities that other can¡¦t. In this study, I apply Ardichivili¡¦s(2003) opportunity identification and development theory to discuss this issue through a viewpoint of human capital and social capital. Seven entrepreneurs were interviewed to conduct the survey, and the content is analyzed through six coding unit to show the following results: 1. The general human capital is intermediately positive to opportunity recognition and highly positive to opportunity development. 2. The specific human capital is highly positive to both opportunity recognition and opportunity development. 3. The weak-tie network is highly positive to opportunity recognition but low positive to opportunity development. 4. The strong-tie network is highly positive to both opportunity recognition and opportunity development. 5. Entrepreneurial human capital is mediated by social capital to have positive effects on opportunity recognition and opportunity development.

A new system identification algorithm, multiple autoregressive exogenous (ARX) inputs-based Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy model, is developed to identify nonlinear behavior of structure-magnetorheological (MR) damper systems. It integrates a set of ARX models, clustering algorithms, and weighted least squares algorithm with a TS fuzzy model. Based on a set of input-output data that is generated from building structures equipped with MR dampers, premise parameters of the ARX-TS fuzzy model are determined by clustering algorithms. Once the premise part is constructed, consequent parameters of the ARX-TS fuzzy model are optimized by the weighted least squares algorithm. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ARX-TS fuzzy model, it is applied to a three-, an eight-, a twenty-story building structures. It is demonstrated from the numerical simulation that the proposed ARX-TS fuzzy algorithm is effective to identify nonlinear behavior of seismically excited building structures equipped with MR dampers. A new semiactive nonlinear fuzzy control (SNFC) algorithm is developed through integration of multiple Lyapunov-based state feedback gains, a Kalman filter, and a converting algorithm with TS fuzzy interpolation method. First, the nonlinear ARX-TS fuzzy model is decomposed into a set of linear dynamic models that are operated in only a local linear operating region. Based on the decomposed models, multiple Lyapunov-based state feedback controllers are formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) such that the structure-MR damper system is globally asymptotically stable and the performance on transient responses is guaranteed. Then, the state feedback controllers are integrated with a Kalman filter and a converting algorithm using a TS fuzzy interpolation method to construct semiactive output feedback controllers. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SNFC algorithm, it is applied to a three-, an eight-, and a twenty-story building structures. It is demonstrated from the numerical simulation that the proposed SNFC algorithm is effective to control responses of seismically excited building structures equipped with MR dampers. In addition, it is shown that the proposed SNFC system is better than a traditional optimal algorithm, H2/linear quadratic Gaussian-based semiactive control strategy.

Based on the model of Perceptions of Organizational Politics by Ferris, Russ and Fandtand (1989), this study tries to understand, through ¡§party identification¡¨ as a moderator variable, whether party identification in practical politics has a managerial insight in organizational politics. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between perceptions of organizational politics and organizational commitment, as well as whether party identification has a moderating effect. Data for this study is drawn from the secondary data, 1632 sample size collected by Dr. Chin-ming Ho and his research team throughout 2002. It is found using the multivariate analysis 1) perceptions of organizational politics are negatively associated with organizational commitment, 2) perceptions of organizational politics are negatively associated with normative commitment, 3) perceptions of organizational politics are negatively associated with affective commitment, 4) perceptions of organizational politics are partially positively associated with continuance commitment 5) perceptions of organizational politics have a significant effect on organizational commitment in every dimension, 6) party identification has no significant differences in perceptions of organizational politics and organizational commitment, 7) party identification has a moderating effect on perceptions of organizational politics and organizational commitment; namely, the difference of party identification has a significant effect on perceptions of organizational politics and organizational commitment.

In this paper, we propose tag antennas and reader antennas, which are suitable for radio frequency identification system. Antennas operating in the ISM and the UHF bands are designed. The antenna dimensions are minimized by employing the meander-line technology. Adopting the concepts of Yagi-Uda antennas, We use parasites to increase the antenna gain and to create an end-fire radiation pattern. The fact that the design comes without a ground plane can achieve cost down of the antenna. Higher antenna gains allow a greater effective read-zone distance. Also, the directional radiation pattern eliminates the degradation of performance due to multi-path loss. The design of tag antennas shows good performances in terms of both cost and antenna characteristics for radio frequency identification systems. The reader antennas are designed. Etching a slit in a square patch can achieve the requirement of circular polarization. It can effectively reduce the polarization mismatch when the tags are point to different orientation. Therefore the reliability of system operation will be improved. The antenna performance is measured by the experiments. Moreover, it will be compared with the simulation. In the latter part of paper, the simulation of the power coupling will be carried out. According to the result of power coupling simulation, we analyze and discuss which factor will affect the reliability of the identification. Identification failure will be effectively avoided and a robust identification system can be built if the analyses are properly employed.

¡@¡@Taiwan is surrounded by sea, there are coral reefs at both south and north ends, and also at off-shore islands. Coral reef offers habitat and resources for marine animals, that are attracted to in numbers, however due to the limited resources, competitions and conflicts are common among animals. In order to defend the territory on intimidate intruder, some fishes develop vocal mechanism that certain sounds are generated at encounter. The sounds of common Holocendridae fishes at coral reef were studied before, but the sound characteristics of sound were not fully investigated. In this research, sound samples were recorded from Neoniphon sammara, Myripristis murdjan, and Sargocentron spinosissimum(Holocentridae) in an indoor water tank, to understand more about their specific features of sounds generated at disturbance. The identification system of this study was based on Matlab, which extracted the characteristic parameters from the sounds, so the database for comparison can be formed. The sounds can be classified into single pulse and pulse train, and the parameters used are dominant frequency, band width, duration, and pulse repetition rate. As the result, Neoniphon sammara has single pulse frequency of 428.0¡Ó95.0 Hz (mean ¡Ó standard deviation), pulse train frequency of 449.8¡Ó92.4 Hz, Myripristis murdjan has single pulse and pulse train frequency of 375.2¡Ó96.3 Hz and 369.2¡Ó96.0 Hz, and Sargocentron spinosissimum has single pulse and pulse train frequency of 377.6¡Ó93.5 Hz and 387.8¡Ó97.1 Hz. The similarity of sounds between Neoniphon sammara and Myripristis murdjan is 81.3%, between Myripristis murdjan and Sargocentron spinosissimum is 83.6%, and between Neoniphon sammara and Sargocentron spinosissimum is 90.3%. Finally, the identification accuracy of Neoniphon sammara is 78.9%, Myripristis murdjan is 71.4%, and Sargocentron spinosissimum is 38.4%. The low identification accuracy of Sargocentron spinosissimum is due to the high similarity of sounds with Myripristis murdjan, and the number of sound samples is not sufficient.

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is the process of monitoring the state of a structure to determine the existence, location, and degree of damage that may exist within the entire structure. A structure’s health or level of damage can be monitored by identifying changes in structural or modal parameters. In this research, the structure’s health is monitored by identifying changes in structural stiffness. The Adaptive Least Mean Square (LMS) filtering approach is used to directly identify changes in structural stiffness for the IASC-ASCE Structural Health Monitoring Task Group Benchmark problem for both Phase I and II. The research focuses primarily on Phase II of the benchmark problem. In Phase II, modeling error and noise is introduced to the problem making the problem more realistic. The research found that the LMS filter approach can be used to detect damage and distinguish relative severity of the damage in Phase II of the benchmark problem in real time. Even though the LMS filter approach identified damage, a threshold below which damage is hard to identify exists. If the overall stiffness changes less than 10%, then identifying the presence and location of damage is difficult. But if the time of damage is known, then the presence and location can be determined. The research is of great interest to those in the structural health monitoring community, structural engineers, and inspection practitioners who deal with structural damage identification problems.

During the final approach and landing phase of the X-38/Crew Return Vehicle, a steerable parafoil is used to maneuver and land at a targeted ground base under autonomous control. To simulate and verify performance of the onboard Parafoil Guidance, Navigation and Control system (PGNC), a commercial powered parafoil- vehicle, called the Buckeye consisting of a parafoil and vehicle two-body system like the X-38/CRV was modified to accommodate the avionics and scale-downed parafoil for aerodynamic similarity and a series of flight tests were conducted. Dynamic modelling and system identification results for the Buckeye are de- scribed in this dissertation. The vehicle dynamics are modelled as all 8 degrees-of- freedom system comprising 6 states for the parafoil and 2 states for the relative pitch and yaw motion of the vehicle with respect to the parafoil. Modal analysis for the linearized model from the nonlinear model shows the number and order of dynamic modes as well as the system is controllable and observable. For system identifica- tion, the overparameterized Observer/Kalman Filter Identification (OKID) method is applied to identify a linear model of the Buckeye two-body system from the flight data assuming that disturbances at a calm day are represented as periodic distur- bances. The identification results show that the overparameterized OKID works well for powered parafoil-vehicle two-body system identification under calm day condi- tions using flight data. For the data with possible discrete gusts the OKID shows limitation to identify a linearized model properly. Several sensor packages including airdata and Inertial Measurement Unit are designed and installed for the parameters for identification. The sensor packages successfully supply data of the parameters for identification and suggest a feasible, low cost method for the parafoil-vehicle two-body dynamic parameters.