In this report, we describe an application which we created for AndroidOS whose task is to make it easier to find a gym partner. The application (aptly named Icebreaker) is meant to make it easier for people to socially interact in the gym by pairing them and allowing them to make contact through predetermined messages. The goal is to make it easier for the user to get help or find a training partner. The help can either come from another user of the application or from a personal trainer at the gym, who will also use the application. The social interaction part of the application has been implemented and the application works as intended with a test group of six users. This was the core part of the project. Other minor components such as a point system, profile page, and parts of a page with functionality focused on the actual training are not fully implemented. / I denna rapport beskrivs en applikation som har designats för operativsystemet Android som ska underlätta för användarna att hitta och para ihop sig med en gympartner. Applikationen ska hjälpa folk att socialt interagera på gymmet. Användare ska, när de parat ihop sig via förutbestämda meddelanden, kunna hjälpa varandra med allt möjligt. Allt från ett par repetitioner på bänkpressen, till ett längre träningspass. Utöver detta ska applikationen också användas av gympersonal. Medlemmar ska på detta sätt erbjudas möjligheten att få hjälp av personliga tränare. Kommunikationsdelen är implementerad och applikationen fungerar som tänkt med en testgrupp bestående av sex användare. Denna del är den viktigaste delen av detta projekt. Andra mindre delar som ett betygsystem, profilsida och delar av en träningssida är inte helt implementerade.

With  the  ever  expanding  development  and  use  of  technology,  smartphones  enjoy  an increase in use mainly as people’s personal devices. This study aims to turn smartphones into  co-located  devices  through  a  serious  game  with  the  goal  of  breaking  the  ice  when groups meet for the first time. A prototype for a game named ICE (Interactive Co-located Events) was made and evaluated with a group of 14 people in a laboratory setting. Through questionnaires,  a  focus  group  and  observations,  it  became  clear  that  the  game  works  to break down barriers between people, but didn’t succeed in supporting people to truly get to know each other. This was mainly due to the competitive aspect of the game and the time limit  set  for  it.  Future  implementations  of  the  game  could  have  these  removed  to  see  if games  like  these  can  take  the  next  step  and  go  beyond  breaking  down  barriers  between people.

This thesis assesses the potential success of the United States’ newly assumed role as chairman of the Arctic Council in light of its own record of development in Alaska, its only Arctic territory. Using primary and secondary qualitative research, perspectives from multiple stakeholders are analyzed to assess the United States’ current capabilities in the Arctic versus its rhetoric and responsibilities. To gauge this more effectively, the theory of problem-solving capacity is used to analyze the United States’ potential capacity in the Arctic Council, while the theory of environmental security is used to analyze the United States’ level of investment and commitment to Alaska. With development in Alaska minimal at best and local communities at risk from environmental impacts, the ideal tool for addressing these deficiencies is identified to be icebreakers operated by the United States Coast Guard. Impediments to acquiring sufficient icebreaking capacity are explored, with the conclusion that if the United States is to take effective action on the Arctic stage, investment in icebreakers and therefore the environment and inhabitants of the Arctic is necessary. Not doing so reveals the USA’s agenda to be empty rhetoric and consequently this lost opportunity for leadership may lead to catastrophic results for the region.

The interaction between a bluff body and the impinging fluid flow, can involve detached boundary layers, massive flow separations, free shear layers, development of recirculation zones and formation of a highly disturbed and complex region downstream of the bluff body, which can be categorized as wake. The present research aims to experimentally investigate such fluid-structure interaction and provide insight into the wake structure of two bluff bodies. To this end, the airwake over the helicopter platform of a Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) polar icebreaker was studied using high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experiments were conducted on a scaled model of the polar icebreaker situated on a costume-built and computer-controlled turntable, which provided the ability to accurately change the incidence angle of the impinging flow with a given rate of change for incidence angle. Quantitative flow field data were obtained in several vertical and horizontal planes. The obtained velocity field was then used to calculate the time-averaged flow structure and turbulence metrics over the helicopter platform of the vessel. The present work compared the effects of two types of inflow conditions: (i) a uniform flow and (ii) a simulated atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) on the flow structure over the helicopter platform of the ship. Moreover, for the bluff scaled model, the effects of the Reynolds number on the wake structure and the flow patterns were investigated. The incidence angle (α) between the oncoming flow and the orientation of the ship varied between 0° to 330° with the increment of 30°. It was observed that higher maximum values of the turbulence intensity were associated with the simulated ABL. Moreover, it was found that for both inflow conditions, the incidence angle of 300o corresponded to the highest turbulence levels over the helicopter platform. Building on the results obtained for a stationary vessel in the simulated ABL, this work aimed to quantify the effects of the unsteady change in the direction of the impinging wind, simulated by rotating the model at a certain rate, . It was observed that the increase of the rate of change of the inflow direction resulted in an increase of the turbulent intensity over the helicopter platform. However, an exception was observed for the case of α = 60°, where clockwise rotation of the ship model with respect to the inflow exposed the helicopter platform to increased turbulent velocity fluctuations, while counterclockwise rotation diminished the flow unsteadiness over the helicopter platform. Moreover, aiming to identify the origins of the unsteady forces applied on bluff elongated plates with high chord-to thickness ratio (c/t = 23) at zero incidence, direct force measurement as well as PIV were used to identify the effect of transverse perforations on the flow-induced loading on the flow structure in the near-wake of the plates. The experiments were conducted in a water channel, where the plates were located at the center of channel, parallel to the upstream flow direction. Plates with various characteristic diameter of the perforation as well as a reference case without perforations were considered. The spectra of the trailing-edge vortex shedding and flow-induced forces were compared and it was observed that the vortex shedding frequencies were in very good agreement with those of the measured flow-induced forces for all considered perforation patterns. Thus, it was determined that the trailing-edge vortex shedding was the main mechanism of generating the unsteady loading on the plates. The staggered patterns of the perforations created a three-dimensional flow structure at the vicinity of the trailing edge and in the near wake, which was investigated using PIV at several data acquisition planes. It was found that in the cross-sectional planes corresponding to the close proximity of the perforations to the downstream edge, the periodic trailing-edge vortex shedding were suppressed. Furthermore, it was observed that for small perforations, the velocity fluctuations in the near wake were enhanced. However, further increase of the perforation diameter led to suppression of the velocity fluctuations. / Graduate

Följande studie är gjord på uppdrag av Sjöfartsverket. I studien undersöktes hur en installation av ett Common Rail-system ombord på isbrytaren Ymer påverkat bränsleförbrukningen samt utsläppen av kväveoxider. Rådata som loggats ombord på Ymer har analyserat och bearbetat. Material och information från tillverkare, besättning samt teknisk chef på Sjöfartsverket, Albert Hagander har använts under studien. Tillsammans med uppmätta mätdata och tidigare gjord litteraturstudie stöds resultaten i studien. Det är ingen slump att system av Common Rail-typ redan är tillämpat inom de flesta branscher så som transport, personbilsindustri och jordbruk. Huvudsyftet med Common Rail är att minska bränsleåtgången samt minska utsläppen genom en renare och mer effektiv förbränning av bränslet.  Huvudsakligen undersöktes hur det nyinstallerade systemet påverkat bränsleförbrukningen och hur bränslebesparingen varierar med belastningen av maskinen. Vidare granskades hur utsläppen av kvävedioxider påverkats efter installationen. Problematiken med ökad NOx-produktion till följd av en högre förbränningstemperatur som Common Railsystemet medför diskuteras i rapporten. De resultat vi kommit fram till att en bränslebesparing kan göras ombord på Ymer genom att ersätta det gamla bränslesystemet med ett bränslesystem av Common Rail-typ. Vidare har installationen medfört andra förbättringar så som fartygsmaskinens reaktion på de många lastväxlingar som förekommer under isbrytning. / The following study has been carried out on behalf of Sjöfartsverket. The study examines how the installation of a common rail system on board the icebreaker Ymer affected fuel consumption and emissions of nitrogen oxides. The raw data logged on board Ymer was analyzed and processed. Materials and information from manufacturers, crew and the technical manager at the Swedish Maritime Administration, Albert Hagander have been used during the study. Together with measured data and previously made research study the findings of the study are supported. It is no coincidence that the system of the common rail type is already applied in most industries such as transport, car industry and agriculture. The main purpose of the Common Rail is to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions through cleaner and more efficient combustion of the fuel. We primarily examined how the newly installed system affected fuel consumption and the fuel savings will vary with the load of the machine. Furthermore, we examined how emissions of nitrogen oxides were affected after installation. The problem of increased NOx production due to a higher combustion temperature as the common rail system entails are discussed in the report. The result that was concluded was that fuel savings can be made on board Ymer by replacing the old fuel system with a common rail fuel type. Furthermore, the installation has brought other improvements such as ship machine's reaction to the many load changes that occur during icebreaking.