Energy Efficient Self-Reconfiguration Scheme for Visual Information based M2M Communication

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is one of the latest technologies to support connectivity among numerous intelligent devices. The intelligence of M2M systems can be enhanced by incorporating visual sensor networks (VSNs) and utilising visual information. The conservation of energy within VSNs is one of the primary concerns for resource constrained scenarios, which can be achieved from targeted threshold based optimisation. However, such optimisation may impact the quality-of-information (QoI), which quantifies the degree to which the visual data is suitable for a given application. To cope with such optimisation challenges, this paper presents a self-reconfiguration scheme for visual sensor nodes to dynamically find optimal configurations as well as guaranteeing satisfactory performance to achieve the given QoI target. The optimisation is achieved by selecting suitable configurations for the removal of feature redundancy which minimises the transmission cost and results in a feasible solution that enhances the energy and bandwidth efficiency for M2M communication. The performance evaluation of the proposed scheme is carried out for different required QoI targets, and it is observed that the proposed scheme outperforms the conventional scheme by providing up to 59.21% energy savings at a QoI target of 30dB

Low-bypass: a long form composition of several movements as well as exploring a single sound source, in this case the jet engine.

Low-bypass (2011) 21’30 (Fixed media - 8 channels) is as part of a portfolio of compositions that form the practice-based element of my PhD. This research explores the compositional and sociological links between forms of commercial beat driven music and the acousmatic tradition which grew up in France during the 40s and 50s. Low-bypass was composed specifically to explore two different areas of my, previously unexplored, compositional practice. These two areas were working with a long form composition of several movements as well as exploring a single sound source, in this case the jet engine. The piece is derived entirely from two-channel and four-channel recordings of jet engines in various states. These recordings were taken while the engines were under their own power as well as ‘at rest’; the motion and sound being generated was a result of the wind blowing through their tremendous turbine blades. The ideas of gesture and interaction were central themes in both the recording and compositional processes. These gestures and interactions resulted in both compositional structuring of sounds as well as the selection and processing of source materials that make up the work. Source and cause within the context of the piece are, by their very nature, abstract. Whilst my previous work has relied more on processing sounds in order to obscure and abstract them from their source, the acousmatic nature of this work relies less on processing and transformation, but instead gives more emphasis to the selection of sound sources and the recording techniques utilised to capture them. Performed at: MTI Team Event 1, De Montfort University (01.10.11) NoiseFloor festival 2011, Staffordshire University (14.01.11) Sound Sight Space and Play conference, De Montfort university (02.06.10) Live at SOUNDkitchen, Birmingham, UK (12.05.11) Released on: amp bit if go recordings (http://www.ampbitifgo.co.uk/amp010.html) (01.12.11

Posttraumatic growth is related to subjective well-being of aid workers exposed to cumulative trauma in Palestine

The present study examined how stress reactions after traumatic events influence subjective well-being (SWB) via the indirect effect of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in two samples of Palestinian professional helpers from the Gaza Strip and West Bank (n = 201). Using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) as a dependent measure of well-being, and PTGI-10, PANAS-20, WHO-5 BREF, and IES-13 questionnaires as independent variables, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine whether: (a) cumulative trauma was negatively and directly related to subjective well-being; (b) levels of trauma were positively and directly related to posttraumatic growth; and (c) PTG was positively and directly related to subjective well-being. The findings suggest that posttraumatic growth contributes to mitigating and buffering (on the order of approximately 10%) the effect of trauma on subjective well-being. PTG seems to be a resource that can help aid workers deal with the consequences of stressful life events. Clinical implications and directions for supervision and training are discussed

Ethically Speaking about Ethics

Bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists face a multitude of ethical considerations when working with human remains. These deliberations range from; the initial recovery of human remains, the analysis of the skeleton, and their final storage conditions, display, repatriation and reburial. Whilst these issues are still pertinent, a number of emerging ethical issues have enhanced the ethical debate. For example, these newer discussions have questioned the applicability of destructive analyses, the display of human remains on social media, and the application of novel digital technologies. Furthermore, as newer techniques and technologies emerge, it becomes difficult for best practices to keep their guidance relevant. As a result, over the past few years, a number of journal articles, books and working guidelines have attempted to address these issues. Therefore, the aim of this presentation is to highlight the existing ethical dilemmas faced by those who work with human remains. In doing so, this presentation will highlight these recent works, and using case studies and these recent ethical standards, this presentation will make recommendations for future best practice

Electrical characteristics of lead phthalocyanine thin films using aluminium schottky barriers and gold ohmic contacts

The d.c. electrical properties of aluminium-lead phthalocyanine-gold sandwich structures have been investigated. Samples show space-charge-limited conductivity when the injecting electrode is gold. When the injecting electrode is aluminium they show the Schottky effect at low voltages and Poole-Frenkel emission at higher voltages. The existence of a Schottky barrier is confirmed by capacitance-voltage measurements. © 1992 Taylor & Francis Ltd