The main objective of this thesis was to understand the environmental variables that affect humans psychological states when it comes to stress. More specifically, the environmental variables at the company Maintpartner AB's  new Swedish headquarters office in Årsta, Stockholm, a company concentrated on customized industrial maintenance and operation service. In my thesis I found evidence that open-plan solutions would be a stressor due to increase disturbance from coworkers. Open-plan offices could also be perceived as a stressor because of the limitation in personal control. Through implementing nature and/or integrating it via visual escape the space could be perceived as more attractive and less crowded. Maintpartner AB's administrative personnel has highly individual work tasks and therefore a need for customized workplaces.  This resulted in a design concept with separated office rooms, individually designed to meet the staffs individual need. Some areas are designed to work as meeting areas for work or social related encounters

Bibliography: leaves 220-224. / 224 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Statistics, 1997?

Copy of author's previously published article included. / Bibliography: leaves 160-164. / iv, 164 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis is concerned with the analysis of data from series of plant variety trials. These involve the evaluation of varieties in designed experiments at a number of locations and possibly over several years. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Applied Mathematics, 1999

This thesis looks at the problem of reconstructing a single surface representation from multiple range images acquired from a terrestrial laser scanner. A solution to this problem is important to industries such as mining, where accurate spatial measurement is required for mapping and volumetric calculations. Laser scanners for 3D measurement are now commercially available and software for deriving useful information from the data these devices generate is essential. A reconstruction technique based on an implicit surface representation of the range images and a polygonisation algorithm called marching triangles has been implemented in software and its performance investigated. This work improves upon the existing techniques in that it takes into account the particular differences of terrestrial range data as compared with data from small scale laser scanners. The implementation is robust with respect to noisy data and environments and requires minimal user input. A new approach to 3D spatial indexing is also developed to allow rapid evaluation of the true closest point to a surface which is the basis of the signed distance function implicit surface representation. A new technique for locating step discontinuities in the range image is presented, which caters for the varying sampling densities of terrestrial range images. The algorithm is demonstrated using representative range images acquired for surface erosion monitoring and for underground mine surveying. The results indicate that this reconstruction technique represents an improvement over current techniques for this type of range data. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1169106 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science, 2005

This thesis looks at the problem of reconstructing a single surface representation from multiple range images acquired from a terrestrial laser scanner. A solution to this problem is important to industries such as mining, where accurate spatial measurement is required for mapping and volumetric calculations. Laser scanners for 3D measurement are now commercially available and software for deriving useful information from the data these devices generate is essential. A reconstruction technique based on an implicit surface representation of the range images and a polygonisation algorithm called marching triangles has been implemented in software and its performance investigated. This work improves upon the existing techniques in that it takes into account the particular differences of terrestrial range data as compared with data from small scale laser scanners. The implementation is robust with respect to noisy data and environments and requires minimal user input. A new approach to 3D spatial indexing is also developed to allow rapid evaluation of the true closest point to a surface which is the basis of the signed distance function implicit surface representation. A new technique for locating step discontinuities in the range image is presented, which caters for the varying sampling densities of terrestrial range images. The algorithm is demonstrated using representative range images acquired for surface erosion monitoring and for underground mine surveying. The results indicate that this reconstruction technique represents an improvement over current techniques for this type of range data. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1169106 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science, 2005

Design culture is tentatively embracing the acoustic conditions and auditory awareness of spaces and objects, thus creating new opportunities for spatial sound practitioners. This thesis examines the making of seven spatial sound design projects in diverse milieux and an eighth project - the establishment of an electroacoustic studio within a school of architecture and design. The projects and the studio are considered models for the ways in which electroacoustic practices might advance the auditory spatial awareness of students and researchers in the academy, and the general community through an interlocking program of teaching, research and events. The creation of the projects and establishment of the studios also articulate a transformation in my own practice from composer to design researcher. Five of the projects are intended to engender in listeners a greater awareness of the acoustic environment and the auditory spatial qualities of those environments, whi ch listeners daily inhabit. Supporting these project studies is a discussion on issues and conditions of making and materials to elucidate my approach to creating spatial sound designs in diverse milieux. Two of the projects investigated the auditory spatial awareness of different communities in Melbourne, with the view of establishing ideas about the auditory culture and the actual environments of that experience. The final project is a facility to house a community of practitioners who aspire to privilege the auditory design and experience of space, through a series of research, teaching and performance activities. While evaluating just how my practice transformed over the course of the projects, I also propose that the combination of the Studio's main elements is critical to the advancement of sound-based research and design as a design discipline. Note to audio and visual materials - This thesis was accompanied by a custom-built multi-channel sound playback environment using Max/MSP and Flash. For further details on this player and Quicktime files, contact lawrence.harvey@rmit.edu.au.

Background Infection with Campylobacter is thought to account for about 5% - 14% of all food and waterborne diarrhoea cases worldwide. By international standards, New Zealand has extremely high rates of campylobacteriosis which are thought to be the highest reported rates worldwide. The incidence has been steadily increasing since 1980 (when the disease became notifiable), reaching a peak of cases in 2003 (396/100,000). Although different surveillance systems complicate international comparisons, New Zealand's particularly high rate still lacks a conclusive explanation. Aims This study investigates the geographical distribution of campylobacteriosis in New Zealand and the relative importance of factors assumed to be affecting the distribution of this disease, including those related to climate, landuse, water and food. The approach aims to explain why certain areas might increase the probability of becoming infected. Methodology A Geographical Information System (GIS) is used to visualise the disease rate, investigate potential disease clustering and identify outliers. Hierarchical regression, including the analysis of residuals, is applied to analyse the variables in their complex interrelation and to investigate whether there is statistical evidence explaining the geographical variation in campylobacteriosis. This study is undertaken at the territorial local authority level, as all required data are available at this spatial scale and covers the period 1997 to 2005. Results and conclusion There is a large geographical variation in campylobacteriosis across New Zealand, ranging from an average annual rate of 97/100,000 to 526/100,000 per territorial local authority (TLA). Generally, there is statistical evidence for global and local clustering of the disease rate. There are upper and lower outliers of campylobacteriosis in New Zealand; however, higher rates primarily appear in the South Island. The hierarchical modelling confirms statistical significance for some of the environmental and sociodemographic variables. The final model explains about 58% of the variation in campylobacteriosis, and the residuals reflect this variation relatively accurately in approximately 75% of all TLAs. Although the evaluation of the results is confronted with a number of challenges, it is concluded that socioeconomic and demographic factors are crucial factors in explaining the observed spatial patterns in the notification data.

Master of Visual Arts / Studio work The Postgraduate Degree Show is held from 6PthP December 2005 to 17PthP December 2005 and my work is installed in the Sculpture Studio (as a gallery space) at Building 29 of Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney. There are three installations of work, each with a series of paintings and object-models. The media I am using are oil on canvas for the paintings and wood for the models. The titles of my exhibition pieces are Project Studio (Stairs), Project Rented Room (Chair), Project Rented Room (Bed), and Project Object. Together they are entitled Project: Spanning the Space of Dislocation. The project explores the perception of space and its representation through painting and installation. The starting point is the image of familiar architectural objects to which I displace the experience of it from one site (my painting studio) to another (the gallery space) through painting as index. I use the technique of ambiguous linear forms in painting and the reflexive reading of orthogonal projective planes in installation to further extend the viewer’s perception of space and objects. The aim is to show that space has a meaningful relationship to objects and bring about a renewed awareness of habitual practice in seeing and representing space. UResearch paperU I have divided my research paper in two chapters. Chapter one explores the issue of spatial representation through ambiguity of simple linear forms and painting as index. My concern is on space being less important to objects in the distinction between space as ground and object as figure. Within this chapter I argue for an extended and a reflexive mode of seeing and representing space and objects instead of for a ground-figure contrast. By mapping my experience on a usual working site and displacing it to another space, I show that my perception of space is extended such that the boundary between the familiar and foreign (that is, space-object distinction) is blurred. Chapter two explores the method of presentation through painting and installation in a gallery and addresses the viewer’s space of perception with the work. I also discuss possible reflexive readings on the projective planes of the work which further extend the perception of it.

Spatial interpretation involves the intelligent processing of images for learning, planning and visualisation. This involves building systems which learn to recognise patterns from the content of unconstrained data such as handwritten schematic symbols, photographic, and video images.The efficiency of spatial interpretation systems is measured not only in terms of their ability to learn to classify patterns, but their computational complexity and capacity to accommodate different patterns. This is reflected in the ease of human factors involved in the interactive process of inputting and manipulating training patterns, particularly if large numbers of patterns are used.This thesis focuses on the theoretical and procedural issues involved in applying machine learning to computer vision for efficient spatial interpretation. Two different approaches to evidential learning are consolidated in how they apply to generalising relational data structures. Relational Evidence Theory integrates information theoretic methods from, decision trees with graph matching methods from constraint interpretation. It offers an evidence-based framework for evaluating and updating relational representations suitable for spatial applications.A new algorithm is developed, Rulegraphs, which combines graph matching with rule-based approaches from machine learning. This algorithm reduces of the cardinality of the graph matching problem by replacing pattern parts by rules. Rulegraphs not only reduce the search space but, also improve the uniqueness of the matching process. The system is demonstrated for difficult two-dimensional pattern recognition and three-dimensional object recognition problems. An empirical comparison with an evidence-based neural network system is conducted.A consolidated learning algorithm based on relational evidence theory (CLARET) is presented which integrates Rulegraph ++ / matching with rule generation techniques from inductive logic programming. The approach utilises the relational constraints in spatial data to optimise the representational hierarchies and search strategies used during learning.An on-line schematic and symbol recognition application is demonstrated for learning to recognise symbols and patterns invariant to rotation, scale, and shift. The classification performance, computational efficiency, and the human factors involved in incrementally training the system are empirically compared with other inductive logic programming techniques.The significance of this work is twofold. Firstly, it extends the applicability of machine learning theories and algorithms into new domains. The techniques complement the image query and retrieval tools currently available in computer vision by offering additional ways of recognising and manipulating spatial information. Secondly, the development of a working schematic system allows for the evaluation of the efficiency of spatial interpretation techniques, and places emphasis on the dialogue between the user and the technology.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Full text release at OhioLINK's ETD Center delayed at author's request