Robust Time Difference Estimation for Unknown Microphone Positions with Reverberation

In this thesis a system is developed for robust time difference estimation for multiple microphones in reverberant environments, without any knowledge of the 3D positions of the microphones or the room. RANSAC is used to find line segments in sets of frames containing a number of the largest GCC-PHAT peaks. Focus is on real experiments with one moving sound source continuously playing music. The estimated time differences can be used to find the microphone positions, track the sound source, and estimate flat surfaces in the room. The system has been evaluated on real data with manually annotated ground truth in order to estimate the precision of the system in terms of true positives and false positives. The algorithms have also been incorporated into a system that takes a number of sound files as input and produces the microphone positions, sound path motion and reverberant structures. The complete system has been evaluated on real data with promising results

Montecore, un roman unique

This essay is a study of the translation from Swedish to French of the novel Montecore, The silence of the tiger by Jonas Hassen Khemiri. I have compared a number of Gallicisms (words or idioms borrowed from French) chosen in the original text with their translations in the French version. Using the theories on translation procedures of Vinay and Darbelnet from Stylistique comparée du français et de l’anglais (1999[1958]), I have distinguished the strategies employed by the translators in the translation of the Gallicisms. I have also discussed the effects of the translation on the target text, the effects of normalisation in particular. Moreover, I have identified a few methods applied by the translators to compensate for the traits of normalisation on the target text. During my research I have discovered that the translation of the Gallicisms present in my study is more or less impossible. The effect of the Gallicisms in the original text remains untranslatable, regardless of which ”procédé technique de la traduction” (technical translation procedure) that has been used, oblique or direct. However, I notice that the translators have managed, by other means, to convey a certain absurdity from the original text to the French readers

Friluftslivets plats i skolan : Uppfattningar från fem skolledare

The basis for this study was my own conception of a weakening of recreational activities in the Swedish secondary school. The aim of the study was to look into five school leaders’ ideas of recreational activities. The school leaders’ who participated came from various municipalities in two different counties, southern Värmland and northern Västra Götaland (former Skaraborg). In order to collect the school leaders’ perceptions of the subject, qualitative interviews were conducted. Theoretical models produced by Pierre Bourdieu and his thoughts of habitus together with Abraham Malsows hierarchy of needs have left their mark on this study. The study showed that the school leaders perceived several positive qualities from recreational activities, such as fellowship, it´s relaxing effect, calmness and the physical aspect that comes from being in nature. Despite this, recreational activities occurred irregularly, which was mainly due to organizational reasons, such as the schedule involving several lessons with different teachers, which makes it hard to practice outdoor life for any great length of time. Costs and lack of equipment are also mentioned as limiting. Several school leaders mentioned the PE teacher’s enthusiasm as an important factor affecting the amount of outdoor life in school

Arizona, White Hills [01]

Black and white photograph by Cliff Segerblom of the old mining camp of White Hills, Arizona, now a ghost town

Righteousness in the Gospel of Matthew Literal meanings and theological functions of 'righteousness' and righteous'

This thesis examines the concept of righteousness in the Gospel of Matthew. The research explores the literal meanings and theological functions of the noun ’righteousness’ and the adjective ’righteous’ through a descriptive and comparative study of all the pericopes which include these words. The research also includes relevant information about the historical context of the text as well as the central theological themes which relate to the subject. In the research on the literal meanings, it seems that both words primarily occur in ethical teaching and that the concept of righteousness in Matthew is closely related to human conduct (e.g. Matt 5:20; 6:1). This ethic is connected to faithfulness towards the law as interpreted by Jesus. However, there could be aspects of a divine gift by grace in some of the pericopes (Matt 5:6; 6:33). It is clear that the theological functions of the concept of righteousness are both soteriological and eschatological. This is evident from the different contexts in many of the pericopes which often contain teaching about salvation or are connected to the ’kingdom’. In the final discussion, the focus is placed on a critique of the sharp division between grace and demand which often occurs in commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew. Here I relate my results to the arguments developed by Benno Przybylski. An inclusive and holistic view of righteousness is proposed where grace and demand are intertwined with each other. Finally some further implications for the research are developed where the importance of not reading the gospel of Matthew through the eyes of Paul is highlighted

Saint Thomas, Nevada [01]

Black and white photograph showing a desolate area normally under Lake Mead in Nevada, during a drought in the mid-1950s