This report represents a concentrated effort that determines the feasibility of audible pedestrian signals. These signals are devices which give auditory cues to help the visually impaired cross safely at difficult intersections. Surveys were sent out to over 100 organizations, audible signal manufacturers, and cities who have knowledge of the devices, and responses were analyzed. The devices were found to be feasible but only at certain complex and confusing intersections. Twelve criteria for the installation of the devices were developed as were twelve criteria for the operation of the devices. Buzzers, constant tones, bird calls, and voice signals were examined by obtaining information from traffic engineers who had experience with each sound. It was determined that intermittent tones were the most effective for human localization. For the most widely used devices, cost data were developed for the products, installation, and maintenance. A partial listing of the U.S. and foreign cities which have the devices was compiled along with a partial listing of audible signal manufacturers. The problems the visually impaired face as well as their suggested solutions are listed. Topics for further study include the use of hand-held devices which activate sound signals at intersections and the development of tone schemes for 4-leg and multi-leg intersections which are not north south and east-west. An additional topic for future study is the development of tone schemes for traffic circles. / Master of Science

The increase in globalization and trade among larger industrialized countries and smaller developing countries has increased the awareness and need to better communicate risk and hazard information for consumer and manufacturing products. The purpose of this research was to examine cultural differences associated with risk communication and risk perception. The research observed cultural differences in hazard perception associated with color, signal words, and symbols among industry workers from the United States of America and the Republic of Ghana. The research also examined the perception of risk associated with general everyday statements as well as locus of control. A total of 96 industry workers from both the USA and the Republic of Ghana participated in this study (USA = 46, Ghana = 50). Four different hypotheses were tested in this research. The hypotheses that were tested focused on risk perception (21 items) and locus of control (9 items), hazard perception and attention-getting for 6 symbols (carefulness, severity of injury implied, and understanding were also measured for the symbols) and 16 hazard signs. A pair wise comparison was used in one portion of the study in which 120 different signal word and color combination hazard signs were used. A nine-point Likert-type scale was used to evaluate the risk perception items. A four point Likert-type scale was used to measure locus of control. The results from the study concluded that there are significant differences between the two cultures and the way individuals perceive risk, perceive hazards associated symbols, evaluate hazard signs, and locus of control. A total risk perception score as well as individual risk perception scores were calculated for the 21 items using an independent sample t-test. The results for the total risk perception revealed significant differences between the two groups (t (84) = 6.43, p < .0001) with the participants from the USA having an overall higher risk perception with the mean equaling 6.39 and the participants from Ghana equaling 5.28. Significant findings such as those from the risk perception portion of this study as well as other significant findings in this study will contribute to suggested guidelines and implications for safety training in a global work environment. Such guidelines and implications include using the SKULL symbol instead of the MR YUCK symbol to communicate hazard in Ghana and suggesting that the BOLT and ELECTRIC SHOCK symbol can be used interchangeably. / Master of Science

In the traffic engineering field today, much attention is being given to the area of intersection control. The intersection has long been recognized as the most critical element in our highway system. Accidents, delay, wasted fuel and congestion are greatest at intersections. The variable having the greatest effect on traffic flow at an intersection or in a network of intersections is the traffic signal timing. In recent years, several computer programs have been developed to aid the traffic engineer in signal timing. This thesis examines the effect of the signal timing plans generated by one of the more widely used programs, TRANSYT 7, on the energy consumption of two signalized networks. Also examined are the relationships of delay and stops to fuel consumption. The TRANSYT 7 program was used to generate signal timing plans over a range of cycle lengths and stop penalties. The TRANSYT 7 signal timing plans were entered into NETSIM, a microscopic traffic simulation program, to determine their effect on fuel consumption in the two study networks. / Master of Science

This thesis examines the video game Death Stranding through the framework of Umberto Eco’s semiotics theories, exploring the game's use of signs. We investigate how signs within the game function and communicate complex notions to players, using a close reading method to analyze specific elements of the game's design and narrative. The research begins with an overview of the game and its reception, noting its complex gameplay mechanics, intricate plot, and thematic depth. The motivation for this study stems from the desire to bridge semiotics and game design, providing a new perspective on how games can communicate complex ideas effectively. In the discussion section, we delve into specific case studies from the game, including the map system as a communicational model, the semantic implications of characters and in-game terminology like 'Bridge' and 'Fragile', and the metaphorical usage of these terms. We also examine how these correlations between content and expression switch in certain cases. Finally, the conclusion synthesizes the findings, suggesting that the application of Eco's semiotics provides valuable insights into the design of video games. The thesis argues that semiotic analysis can enhance the development of games with profound narratives and themes, similar to Death Stranding.

Yes / Routine administrative data have been used to show that patients admitted to hospitals over the weekend appear to have a higher mortality compared to weekday admissions. Such data do not take the severity of sickness of a patient on admission into account. Our aim was to incorporate a standardized vital signs physiological-based measure of sickness known as the National Early Warning Score to investigate if weekend admissions are: sicker as measured by their index National Early Warning Score; have an increased mortality; and experience longer delays in the recording of their index National Early Warning Score. Methods: We extracted details of all adult emergency medical admissions during 2014 from hospital databases and linked these with electronic National Early Warning Score data in four acute hospitals. We analysed 47,117 emergency admissions after excluding 1657 records, where National Early Warning Score was missing or the first (index) National Early Warning Score was recorded outside ±24 h of the admission time. Results: Emergency medical admissions at the weekend had higher index National Early Warning Score (weekend: 2.53 vs. weekday: 2.30, p

The purpose of this thesis is to raise awareness about the contribution historic signs make to the experience of a place. Illuminated signage has played a key role in the development of the American landscape. The relationship between illuminated signage and sense of place is complex. Because of the ephemeral nature of signs and the public perception of them as advertising tools, the preservation community frequently overlooks signs. By examining three case studies, this thesis presents three different approaches to the preservation of illuminated signage. The first case study is the 2002 New Mexico Route 66 Neon Sign Restoration Project. This case uses Route 66 to examine the preservation of original material in original location. The second case study is the 2002 Amendment to the New York City Zoning Regulations, which mandates signage saturation in Times Square. This case examines the preservation of the experience of Times Square by protecting the historical use of innovative signage. The third case study is the 1996 installation of restored illuminated signs by the Neon Museum in Las Vegas at the Fremont Street Experience. This case examines the collections approach to preserving original Las Vegas illuminated signs in an outdoor museum setting as public works of art. While these three case studies evaluate iconic locations, the lessons are broadly applicable. The preservation approaches outlined here illustrate that every situation is unique and requires a full analysis of the context of the sign. Preservationists should evaluate signage within their local communities by examining the artistry and materiality of the signs. However, it is equally important to evaluate the overall community context of the signs. In order to preserve the experience of historic illuminated signage, it is imperative that preservationists and the general public understand that there are numerous approaches to safeguarding these works and that the time to take action is now. / text

I detta arbete används ett normkritiskt perspektiv för att undersöka mångfalden som presenteras ur ett urval bilderböcker publicerade mellan år 2016-2021. Arbetet kommer fokusera på några av de normer som bilderboken presenterar gällande bland annat genus, funktionsvariationer och kultur.  Vidare kommer bilderbokens multimodala kommunikationssätt att analyseras utifrån metodansatsen semiotisk modalitet och vidare granskas genom kvantitativa och kvalitativa analysmetoder. Detta för att belysa textens och illustrationens likvärdighet i den multimodala kommunikationen.  I min process har ett urval på nio böcker tagits fram och kritiskt granskats utifrån normkritiska kriterier och genom både konventionella och ikoniska tecken för att på så sätt skapa en så heltäckande analys som möjligt. Som avslutning presenteras resultatet av denna undersökning där också normer och/eller teman som återkommer, eller inte uppmärksammas, i flera av böckerna tas upp. Vidare belyses vikten av förskolepedagogens förståelse för bilderboken, normkritik och inkludering. Vikt läggs vid att pedagogen själv skall förstå varför regelbundna reflektioner och analyser av materialet förskolan erbjuder barnen bör göras. / This thesis uses a norm-critical perspective to highlight the diversity presented from a selection of picture books published by swedish authors between the years 2016-2021. The work will focus on some of the norms that the picture book presents regarding, among other things, gender, functional variations and culture Furthermore, the picture book's multimodal communication method will be analyzed on the basis of the method approach semiotic modality and further examined through quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. This is to highlight the importance of the text and the equivalence of the illustration in the multimodal communication. In my process, a selection of nine books has been selected and critically examined on the basis of norm-critical criteria and through both conventional and iconic signs in order to create as comprehensive an analysis as possible. In conclusion the results of this study are presented where norms and/or themes that recur, or are not noticed, are also addressed in several of the books. Furthermore, the importance of the preschool educator's understanding of the picture book, norm criticism and inclusion is highlighted. Emphasis is placed on the educators understanding why regular reflections and analyzes of the material the preschool offers the children should be made.

The thesis is focused on the emotional states classification in the Matlab program, using neural networks and the classifier which is based on a combination of Gaussian density functions. It deals with the speech signal processing; the prosodic and spectral signs and the MFCC coefficients were extracted from the signal. The work also deals with the quality evaluation of individual signs of which the most suitable were chosen in order to provide the correct classification of emotional states. In order to identify the emotional states, two different methods were used. The first method of classification was the use of neural networks with differently selected parameters, and the second method was the use of the Gaussian mixture model (GMM). In both methods, a database of emotional utterances was divided into the training group and the test group. The testing was based on a method independent of the speaker. The work also includes the comparison of individual analyzed methods as well as the representation and comparison of the results. The conclusion comprises a proposition for the best parameters and the best classifier for the recognition of the speaker’s emotional state.

This master's thesis deals with the localization, detection and recognition of traffic signs. The possibilities of selection of areas with possible traffic signs occurrence are analysed. The properties of different kinds of features used for traffic signs recognition are described next. It focuses on the features based on histogram of oriented gradients. Some possible classifiers are discussed, in the first place the cascade of support vector machines, which are used in resulting system. A description of the system implementation and data sets for 5 types of traffic signs is part of this thesis. Many experiments were accomplished with created system. The results of the experiments are very good. New datasets were acquired from approximately 9 hours of processed video sequences. There are about 13 500 images in these datasets.

This thesis focuses on changes in the height of articulation in Czech Sign Language affected by coarticulation. The theoretical base of the thesis originates from both Czech and foreign linguistic literature devoted to phonological processes in speech. One part of the thesis is basic insight into the issues of phonological processes in sign languages. The research of the height of articulation in Czech Sign Language affected by coarticulation follows the recent studies dedicated on changes in height of articulation of speakers of Dutch, American, Australian and New Zealand Sign Languages (Ormel, Crasborn, Kooij 2013; Tyrone, Mauk 2010; Grosvald, Corina 2012a; Russell, Wilkinson, Janzen 2011; Lucas et al. 2002; Schembri et al. 2009). The goal of the research is to describe the changes in height of articulation by the one-handed lexical signs with the place of articulation in the head area (the target signs KNOW and REMEMBER) affected by their phonetic context. The data were collected during the recordings of sign langugae production of 15 participants, all speakers of Czech Sign Language. 1400 tokens of target signs were excerpted and analysed in total. Results of research are compared with the present findings on coarticulation in foreign sign languages. Key words: Czech Sign Language, production...