Who are the Urban Planners from KTH?

I takt med att komplexiteten av samhälls- och stadsplaneringen har ökat, har även planerarens rollbeskrivning utvecklats och diversifierats. Politisering av planeringen har beskyllts orsakaatt kompetenser inom planering inte tas tillvara på samt för att osäkerhet spridits inomprofessionen. Utvecklingen verkar dock inte ge utrymme för lösningar av exempelvis dennaproblembeskrivning genom förändringar av professionen på institutionella eller kulturellanivåer. Detta eftersom att bredare kompetensbehov och rollbeskrivningar samt flerinvolverade aktörer komplexifierar nätverken som förbinder planerarna. Vidare försvårarkomplexiteten konkreta definitioner av planerarrollen. Så undersökningar om planerare kanmotiveras av att det underlaget bättre kan avhjälpa analysering om professionens möjligautveckling. Möjligen kan även professionens identitet förändras vid utbildning av nyaplanerare och då blir kunskap om de som söker sig till utbildningarna grundläggande.Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka vem planeraren är, avgränsat tillsamhällsplaneraren från KTH för att svara på hur planerarens bakgrund och intressen kandefiniera samhällsplanerarna som grupp. Utbildningens relevans för samhälls- ochstadsplanering har även det undersökts och den undersökta gruppens relation till planering harbeaktats.I arbetet har en enkät konstruerats för att samla in information om planerarna från KTH.Frågorna i enkäten gav svar som kopplade till frågeställningarna för syftet. Analys avresultatet från enkäten gjordes även för att se hur olika faktorer relaterar till varandra.Ämnesområdena hållbarhet, sociala frågor, engagemang och värderingar har varit av särskiltintresse.Slutsatserna var de att det går att finna några faktorer som troligtvis påverkar vilka somstuderar till planerare på KTH, att planerarnas intressen som relaterar till planering omfattarmycket och att de undersökta intressena inte i stor grad verkar ligga till grund för bland annatvad de arbetar med, samt att utbildningen ger goda arbetsmöjligheter för nästan samtliga somgått den.With the increase of complexity in urban planning, changes in and diversification of theplanner’s role have also taken place. Politicization has been blamed for the neglection of theplanners’ competencies and for causing uncertainty amongst professionals. The developmentseems not to allow for resolvement of this problem as an example, by changes in theprofession on institutional or cultural levels. This since wider needs for competence anddescriptions of the planner’s role together with more parties being involved in planningfurther complicates the networks that connect planning professionals. Complexity also makesthe role of the planner harder to define and therefore research concerning planners can bemotivated as it might, better than further observations of the role of the planner, aid inanalyzing the possible development of the profession. Perhaps the identity of the planners canbe changed with the education of new professionals and that would also further the need forknowledge of those studying planning.The aim of the study has been to investigate who the planner is, delimited to the urban plannerfrom KTH, to give an answer to how the background and the interests of the planner candefine the urban planners as a group. The relevance of the education to urban planning and therespondents’ relation to planning have also been taken into account.A survey was sent out to gather information about the planners from KTH. Results from thequestionnaire mapped to the objectives of the aim of the study and the analysis was made toalso show how different factors relate to each other. The topics of sustainability, social issues,commitment and values were of particular interest.The conclusions where that some factors probably affects who studies urban planning atKTH, that the planners’ interests are many and that they don’t seem to be determining forwhat their occupations are and more, and that the education at KTH gives good workopportunities to almost everyone that has studied there

Who are the Urban Planners from KTH?

I takt med att komplexiteten av samhälls- och stadsplaneringen har ökat, har även planerarens rollbeskrivning utvecklats och diversifierats. Politisering av planeringen har beskyllts orsakaatt kompetenser inom planering inte tas tillvara på samt för att osäkerhet spridits inomprofessionen. Utvecklingen verkar dock inte ge utrymme för lösningar av exempelvis dennaproblembeskrivning genom förändringar av professionen på institutionella eller kulturellanivåer. Detta eftersom att bredare kompetensbehov och rollbeskrivningar samt flerinvolverade aktörer komplexifierar nätverken som förbinder planerarna. Vidare försvårarkomplexiteten konkreta definitioner av planerarrollen. Så undersökningar om planerare kanmotiveras av att det underlaget bättre kan avhjälpa analysering om professionens möjligautveckling. Möjligen kan även professionens identitet förändras vid utbildning av nyaplanerare och då blir kunskap om de som söker sig till utbildningarna grundläggande.Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka vem planeraren är, avgränsat tillsamhällsplaneraren från KTH för att svara på hur planerarens bakgrund och intressen kandefiniera samhällsplanerarna som grupp. Utbildningens relevans för samhälls- ochstadsplanering har även det undersökts och den undersökta gruppens relation till planering harbeaktats.I arbetet har en enkät konstruerats för att samla in information om planerarna från KTH.Frågorna i enkäten gav svar som kopplade till frågeställningarna för syftet. Analys avresultatet från enkäten gjordes även för att se hur olika faktorer relaterar till varandra.Ämnesområdena hållbarhet, sociala frågor, engagemang och värderingar har varit av särskiltintresse.Slutsatserna var de att det går att finna några faktorer som troligtvis påverkar vilka somstuderar till planerare på KTH, att planerarnas intressen som relaterar till planering omfattarmycket och att de undersökta intressena inte i stor grad verkar ligga till grund för bland annatvad de arbetar med, samt att utbildningen ger goda arbetsmöjligheter för nästan samtliga somgått den.With the increase of complexity in urban planning, changes in and diversification of theplanner’s role have also taken place. Politicization has been blamed for the neglection of theplanners’ competencies and for causing uncertainty amongst professionals. The developmentseems not to allow for resolvement of this problem as an example, by changes in theprofession on institutional or cultural levels. This since wider needs for competence anddescriptions of the planner’s role together with more parties being involved in planningfurther complicates the networks that connect planning professionals. Complexity also makesthe role of the planner harder to define and therefore research concerning planners can bemotivated as it might, better than further observations of the role of the planner, aid inanalyzing the possible development of the profession. Perhaps the identity of the planners canbe changed with the education of new professionals and that would also further the need forknowledge of those studying planning.The aim of the study has been to investigate who the planner is, delimited to the urban plannerfrom KTH, to give an answer to how the background and the interests of the planner candefine the urban planners as a group. The relevance of the education to urban planning and therespondents’ relation to planning have also been taken into account.A survey was sent out to gather information about the planners from KTH. Results from thequestionnaire mapped to the objectives of the aim of the study and the analysis was made toalso show how different factors relate to each other. The topics of sustainability, social issues,commitment and values were of particular interest.The conclusions where that some factors probably affects who studies urban planning atKTH, that the planners’ interests are many and that they don’t seem to be determining forwhat their occupations are and more, and that the education at KTH gives good workopportunities to almost everyone that has studied there

Att prioritera trygga resor över trygga beslutsprocesser - En pilotstudie om Participatory Value Evaluation-metodens förmåga att behandla trygghet

It is becoming more important that transport agendas acknowledge complex social sustainability matters like feelings of safety and security. For developing knowledge in this context today, participatory descriptive assessments hold a strong position. However, quantitative methods providing popular transport appraisals, have a clearer impact focus, but struggle with encompassing social sustainability matters. Filling the methodological gap that exists between the participatory descriptive tradition and the quantitative impact tradition, can be vital in moving methods closer to public and policy demands and norms. This work uses independent interdisciplinary collaboration and assesses the appropriateness of the Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) method for encompassing feelings of safety and security in public transport in the context of Stockholm, Sweden. The PVE method evaluates projects through participation and quantifies results without relying monetary valuation, while allowing for norms to be detected. By using in depth descriptive information as PVE input, this study aims to provide a methodological contribution by analysing the PVE method in a new complex setting with modifications made. Descriptive results from the PVE method is regarded to still advance knowledge on feelings of safety and security, while improving the impact focus of appraisals by evaluating projects. The method can benefit from a focus on transparency, attractive participation and quality in results and the amendment here called ‘re-categorisation’ was found necessary for PVE appraisals. Incentives to keep flawed processes can be found in political and policy realms and with no actor controlling the intersectoral (and interdisciplinary) issue of feelings of safety and security, traditions can have a strong impact. However, this study shows feasibility in improving appraisals given the contemporary public and policy standards

Att prioritera trygga resor över trygga beslutsprocesser - En pilotstudie om Participatory Value Evaluation-metodens förmåga att behandla trygghet

It is becoming more important that transport agendas acknowledge complex social sustainability matters like feelings of safety and security. For developing knowledge in this context today, participatory descriptive assessments hold a strong position. However, quantitative methods providing popular transport appraisals, have a clearer impact focus, but struggle with encompassing social sustainability matters. Filling the methodological gap that exists between the participatory descriptive tradition and the quantitative impact tradition, can be vital in moving methods closer to public and policy demands and norms. This work uses independent interdisciplinary collaboration and assesses the appropriateness of the Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) method for encompassing feelings of safety and security in public transport in the context of Stockholm, Sweden. The PVE method evaluates projects through participation and quantifies results without relying monetary valuation, while allowing for norms to be detected. By using in depth descriptive information as PVE input, this study aims to provide a methodological contribution by analysing the PVE method in a new complex setting with modifications made. Descriptive results from the PVE method is regarded to still advance knowledge on feelings of safety and security, while improving the impact focus of appraisals by evaluating projects. The method can benefit from a focus on transparency, attractive participation and quality in results and the amendment here called ‘re-categorisation’ was found necessary for PVE appraisals. Incentives to keep flawed processes can be found in political and policy realms and with no actor controlling the intersectoral (and interdisciplinary) issue of feelings of safety and security, traditions can have a strong impact. However, this study shows feasibility in improving appraisals given the contemporary public and policy standards

Att prioritera trygga resor över trygga beslutsprocesser - En pilotstudie om Participatory Value Evaluation-metodens förmåga att behandla trygghet

It is becoming more important that transport agendas acknowledge complex social sustainability matters like feelings of safety and security. For developing knowledge in this context today, participatory descriptive assessments hold a strong position. However, quantitative methods providing popular transport appraisals, have a clearer impact focus, but struggle with encompassing social sustainability matters. Filling the methodological gap that exists between the participatory descriptive tradition and the quantitative impact tradition, can be vital in moving methods closer to public and policy demands and norms. This work uses independent interdisciplinary collaboration and assesses the appropriateness of the Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) method for encompassing feelings of safety and security in public transport in the context of Stockholm, Sweden. The PVE method evaluates projects through participation and quantifies results without relying monetary valuation, while allowing for norms to be detected. By using in depth descriptive information as PVE input, this study aims to provide a methodological contribution by analysing the PVE method in a new complex setting with modifications made. Descriptive results from the PVE method is regarded to still advance knowledge on feelings of safety and security, while improving the impact focus of appraisals by evaluating projects. The method can benefit from a focus on transparency, attractive participation and quality in results and the amendment here called ‘re-categorisation’ was found necessary for PVE appraisals. Incentives to keep flawed processes can be found in political and policy realms and with no actor controlling the intersectoral (and interdisciplinary) issue of feelings of safety and security, traditions can have a strong impact. However, this study shows feasibility in improving appraisals given the contemporary public and policy standards

Who are the Urban Planners from KTH?

I takt med att komplexiteten av samhälls- och stadsplaneringen har ökat, har även planerarens rollbeskrivning utvecklats och diversifierats. Politisering av planeringen har beskyllts orsakaatt kompetenser inom planering inte tas tillvara på samt för att osäkerhet spridits inomprofessionen. Utvecklingen verkar dock inte ge utrymme för lösningar av exempelvis dennaproblembeskrivning genom förändringar av professionen på institutionella eller kulturellanivåer. Detta eftersom att bredare kompetensbehov och rollbeskrivningar samt flerinvolverade aktörer komplexifierar nätverken som förbinder planerarna. Vidare försvårarkomplexiteten konkreta definitioner av planerarrollen. Så undersökningar om planerare kanmotiveras av att det underlaget bättre kan avhjälpa analysering om professionens möjligautveckling. Möjligen kan även professionens identitet förändras vid utbildning av nyaplanerare och då blir kunskap om de som söker sig till utbildningarna grundläggande.Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka vem planeraren är, avgränsat tillsamhällsplaneraren från KTH för att svara på hur planerarens bakgrund och intressen kandefiniera samhällsplanerarna som grupp. Utbildningens relevans för samhälls- ochstadsplanering har även det undersökts och den undersökta gruppens relation till planering harbeaktats.I arbetet har en enkät konstruerats för att samla in information om planerarna från KTH.Frågorna i enkäten gav svar som kopplade till frågeställningarna för syftet. Analys avresultatet från enkäten gjordes även för att se hur olika faktorer relaterar till varandra.Ämnesområdena hållbarhet, sociala frågor, engagemang och värderingar har varit av särskiltintresse.Slutsatserna var de att det går att finna några faktorer som troligtvis påverkar vilka somstuderar till planerare på KTH, att planerarnas intressen som relaterar till planering omfattarmycket och att de undersökta intressena inte i stor grad verkar ligga till grund för bland annatvad de arbetar med, samt att utbildningen ger goda arbetsmöjligheter för nästan samtliga somgått den.With the increase of complexity in urban planning, changes in and diversification of theplanner’s role have also taken place. Politicization has been blamed for the neglection of theplanners’ competencies and for causing uncertainty amongst professionals. The developmentseems not to allow for resolvement of this problem as an example, by changes in theprofession on institutional or cultural levels. This since wider needs for competence anddescriptions of the planner’s role together with more parties being involved in planningfurther complicates the networks that connect planning professionals. Complexity also makesthe role of the planner harder to define and therefore research concerning planners can bemotivated as it might, better than further observations of the role of the planner, aid inanalyzing the possible development of the profession. Perhaps the identity of the planners canbe changed with the education of new professionals and that would also further the need forknowledge of those studying planning.The aim of the study has been to investigate who the planner is, delimited to the urban plannerfrom KTH, to give an answer to how the background and the interests of the planner candefine the urban planners as a group. The relevance of the education to urban planning and therespondents’ relation to planning have also been taken into account.A survey was sent out to gather information about the planners from KTH. Results from thequestionnaire mapped to the objectives of the aim of the study and the analysis was made toalso show how different factors relate to each other. The topics of sustainability, social issues,commitment and values were of particular interest.The conclusions where that some factors probably affects who studies urban planning atKTH, that the planners’ interests are many and that they don’t seem to be determining forwhat their occupations are and more, and that the education at KTH gives good workopportunities to almost everyone that has studied there

A TinyOS-enabled MICA2-based wireless neural interface

Existing approaches used to develop compact low-power multichannel wireless neural recording systems range from creating custom-integrated circuits to assembling commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PC-based components. Custom-integrated-circuit designs yield extremely compact and low-power devices at the expense of high development and upgrade costs and turn-around times, while assembling COTS-PC-technology yields high performance at the expense of large system size and increased power consumption. To achieve a balance between implementing an ultra-compact custom-fabricated neural transceiver and assembling COTS-PC-technology, an overlay of a neural interface upon the TinyOS-based MICA2 platform is described. The system amplifies, digitally encodes, and transmits neural signals real-time at a rate of 9.6 kbps, while consuming less than 66 mW of power. The neural signals are received and forwarded to a client PC over a serial connection. This data rate can be divided for recording on up to 6 channels, with a resolution of 8 bits/sample. This work demonstrates the strengths and limitations of the TinyOS-based sensor technology as a foundation for chronic remote biological monitoring applications and, thus, provides an opportunity to create a system that can leverage from the frequent networking and communications advancements being made by the global TinyOS-development community

Embedded Neural Recording With TinyOS-Based Wireless-Enabled Processor Modules

To create a wireless neural recording system that can benefit from the continuous advancements being made in embedded microcontroller and communications technologies, an embedded-system-based architecture for wireless neural recording has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The system consists of commercial-off-the-shelf wireless-enabled processor modules (motes) for communicating the neural signals, and a back-end database server and client application for archiving and browsing the neural signals. A neural-signal-acquisition application has been developed to enable the mote to either acquire neural signals at a rate of 4000 12-bit samples per second, or detect and transmit spike heights and widths sampled at a rate of 16670 12-bit samples per second on a single channel. The motes acquire neural signals via a custom low-noise neural-signal amplifier with adjustable gain and high-pass corner frequency that has been designed, and fabricated in a 1.5-μm CMOS process. In addition to browsing acquired neural data, the client application enables the user to remotely toggle modes of operation (real-time or spike-only), as well as amplifier gain and high-pass corner frequency

Embedded Neural Recording With TinyOS-Based Wireless-Enabled Processor Modules

To create a wireless neural recording system that can benefit from the continuous advancements being made in embedded microcontroller and communications technologies, an embedded-system-based architecture for wireless neural recording has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The system consists of commercial-off-the-shelf wireless-enabled processor modules (motes) for communicating the neural signals, and a back-end database server and client application for archiving and browsing the neural signals. A neural-signal-acquisition application has been developed to enable the mote to either acquire neural signals at a rate of 4000 12-bit samples per second, or detect and transmit spike heights and widths sampled at a rate of 16670 12-bit samples per second on a single channel. The motes acquire neural signals via a custom low-noise neural-signal amplifier with adjustable gain and high-pass corner frequency that has been designed, and fabricated in a 1.5-μm CMOS process. In addition to browsing acquired neural data, the client application enables the user to remotely toggle modes of operation (real-time or spike-only), as well as amplifier gain and high-pass corner frequency

Collecting High-Rate Data Over Low-Rate Sensor Network Radios

Embedded systems can already capture data produced at high rates, and embedded CPU and sensor performance are still rapidly improving. Radio technology, however, can not keep pace, and will not in the future due to known physical limits of shared communication channels. This leads to a fundamental gap between the data a sensor network node can collect and the data it can transmit back for analysis. VanGo, our software system for data collection, uses flexible transcoding to narrow this gap. To make effective use of channel bandwidth, data reduction software must run on sensor nodes. However, to calibrate how data reduction software should run, that same software should be capable of running on the back end on real data received from the network. In VanGo, users decide where data processing occurs. To show that transcoding helps, we evaluate two radically different applications: acoustic collection and the measurement of neural activity. Among our findings is that in bandwidth-limited environments, proactive filtering of some of our signal can result in collecting three times the signal energy than we could by removing silent periods alone