Temporal hybridity: Mixing live video footage with instant replay in real time

Copyright @ 2010 ACMIn this paper we explore the production of streaming media that involves live and recorded content. To examine this, we report on how the production practices and process are conducted through an empirical study of the production of live television, involving the use of live and non-live media under highly time critical conditions. In explaining how this process is managed both as an individual and collective activity, we develop the concept of temporal hybridity to explain the properties of these kinds of production system and show how temporally separated media are used, understood and coordinated. Our analysis is examined in the light of recent developments in computing technology and we present some design implications to support amateur video production.The research was partly made possible by a grant from the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems to the Mobile Life VinnExcellence Center, in partnership with SonyEricsson, Ericsson, Microsoft Research, Nokia Research, TeliaSonera and the City of Stockholm

Mobile Life: A Research Foundation for Mobile Services

The telecom and IT industry is now facing the challenge of a second IT-revolution, where the spread of mobile and ubiquitous services will have an even more profound effect on commercial and social life than the recent Internet revolution. Users will expect services that are unique and fully adapted for the mobile setting, which means that the roles of the operators will change, new business models will be required, and new methods for developing and marketing services have to be found. Most of all, we need technology and services that put people at core. The industry must prepare to design services for a sustainable web of work, leisure and ubiquitous technology we can call the mobile life. In this paper, we describe the main components of a research agenda for mobile services, which is carried out at the Mobile Life Center at Stockholm University. This research program takes a sustainable approach to research and development of mobile and ubiquitous services, by combining a strong theoretical foundation (embodied interaction), a welldefined methodology (user-centered design) and an important domain with large societal importance and commercial potential (mobile life). Eventually the center will create an experimental mobile services ecosystem, which will serve as an open arena where partners from academia and industry can develop our vision an abundant future marketplace for future mobile servíces

About the aesthetics of the landscape : perspectives on the concept of aesthetics and its relation to landscape architecture

I det här examensarbetet undersöks estetikbegreppet och dess relation till landskapsarkitekturen. För att skapa ett solitt ramverk genomfördes en littera- turöversikt med utgångspunkt i filosofins estetik. Utifrån litteraturöversikten utvecklades en modell för hur man kan förhålla sig till estetiska frågor. Med hjälp av den utarbetade modellen kunde därefter estetikens relation till just landskapsarkitekturen studeras. Resultatet visade att begreppet estetik är brett och innefattar mer än det skö- na. Centralt för den moderna estetiken är att den estetiska upplevelsen är subjektiv och således beror till stor del på mottagaren. Utöver mottagarens disposition påverkas den estetiska upplevelsen av kontexten. För att beskriva den estetiska upplevelsens olika delar med ett språk som passar estetikens na- tur användes begrepp från akustiken. Begreppen klangbotten och rumsklang beskriver mottagarens respektive omgivningens disposition. Det som utmärker landskapsarkitekturens relation till estetikbegreppet är en hög komplexitetsnivå. Landskapet innehåller okontrollerbara liksom förän- derliga variabler, vilka inverkar på landskapets rumsklang. Därtill är motta- garens klangbotten gällande landskapsarkitekturens mångbottnad. Utifrån arbetets resultat förstås att estetiska frågor kopplade till landskapsarkitektur kräver en förståelse för hur sammansatt den estetiska upplevelsen är liksom att estetiken finns bortom logikens regler. Dessutom tycks ett välfungeran- de språk och en levande diskussion vara viktigt för att kunna hantera frågor kopplade till estetik.In this master thesis, the concept of aesthetics and its relation to landscape architecture is investigated. To create a solid framework, a literature review was conducted, focusing on the philosophy of aesthetics. Based on the review, a model for how one can relate to aesthetic questions was made. The model was then applied on the field of landscape architecture. The result shows that the concept of aesthetics is wide and includes more than beauty. Central to the modern philosophy is that the aesthetic experience is subjective. Thus, the aesthetic experience depends a lot on the individual. Besides the individual factors, the aesthetic experience is also affected by the context. To describe the experience with a suitable language, concepts from the field of acoustics were used. The Swedish words klangbotten (soundboard) and rumsklang (room acoustics) describe the individual’s and the context’s dis- position respectively. The landscape architecture’s relation to the concept of aesthetics is defined by a high level of complexity. The landscape is characterized by uncontrolla- ble and changeable factors which affect the landscape’s rumsklang. Further, the klangbotten of the individual concerning landscape is multifaceted. The result of the thesis communicates that a thorough understanding for the complex- ity of aesthetic questions related to landscape architecture is vital for people handling these matters. Also, one must know that the field exist beyond the rules of logic, that it works on another level. Furthermore, a well-functioning language and an ongoing discussion seem to be important when addressing aesthetic questions

Goal conflicts in long-term cropping system trials - the example of carrots

Agricultural research on multiple cropping systems in parallel increases the potential for knowledge transfer between organic and conventional systems. This project aims to develop cropping systems towards greater sustainability through work in long-term trials that have a unique opportunity to contribute to a holistic research perspective. Data on the fourth crop rotation (2007-2012) are now being compiled. This paper presents preliminary results from cultivation of carrots as an example to demonstrate goal conflicts in organic and conventional systems between good nutrient management and good economy on one hand and nematode control and intensive cropping systems (good short-term economy) on the other. Good productivity and sustainable production levels are major overall goals in the project. The conclusion is that more research on nematode susceptibility and propagating at different crops and varieties is very important

Exploiting Sparse Structures in Source Localization and Tracking

This thesis deals with the modeling of structured signals under different sparsity constraints. Many phenomena exhibit an inherent structure that may be exploited when setting up models, examples include audio waves, radar, sonar, and image objects. These structures allow us to model, identify, and classify the processes, enabling parameter estimation for, e.g., identification, localisation, and tracking.In this work, such structures are exploited, with the goal to achieve efficient localisation and tracking of a structured source signal. Specifically, two scenarios are considered. In papers A and B, the aim is to find a sparse subset of a structured signal such that the signal parameters and source locations maybe estimated in an optimal way. For the sparse subset selection, a combinatorial optimization problem is approximately solved by means of convex relaxation, with the results of allowing for different types of a priori information to be incorporated in the optimization. In paper C, a sparse subset of data is provided, and a generative model is used to find the location of an unknown number of jammers in a wireless network, with the jammers’ movement in the network being tracked as additional observations become available

Vegetation for the little ones : can an urban playscape benefit both children and passerines?

Med syftet att skapa en ökad förståelse för hur fungerade lekotoper i urbana miljöer kan utformas undersöktes vilka egenskaper barn respektive tättingar uppskattar hos vegetation. Målet med uppsatsen var att studera om och hur vegetationen i en lekmiljö som både stimulerar barn och gynnar tättingar kan gestaltas. En litteraturöversikt genomfördes för att undersöka vad som utgör en kvalitativ vegetation för barn respektive tättingar. Resultatet från litteraturöversiktens två delar sammanställdes i en syntes som visade att barn och tättingar i hög grad uppskattar samma typ av vegetation. Syntesen visade även att ett flerskaligt perspektiv behöver anläggas vid gestaltning av en miljö som ska gynna både barn och tättingar. Avsaknaden av studier som har undersökt huruvida de två grupperna kan visats på samma plats innebär dock att det är ovisst om en lekotop av det här slaget kan fungera i praktiken. För att vidare öka förståelsen för hur fungerande lekotoper kan utformas behöver kommande studier undersöka i vilken utsträckning barn och tättingar kan nyttja samma yta och vegetation.The purpose of this paper was to increase the knowledge of how urban playscapes with high ecological values can be designed. Children’s and passerines’ respective demands on vegetation was investigated in order to understand if and how the vegetation in an urban playscape can be planned to benefit both groups. A literature review was carried out to gather information. The results from the two different parts of the literature review was then compared in a synthesis showing that children’s and passerines’ in many aspects appreciate the same kind of vegetation. The synthesis also revealed the need for a multi-scale approach when designing an environment for children and passerines. However, the lack of studies investigating if children and passerines can share the same space makes it hard to determine if an urban playscape benefiting both children and passerines can function. In order to further increase the knowledge of how playscapes with high ecological values can be designed, further studies need to investigate to what degree children and passerines can use the same space and vegetation

A comparison of the relative effectiveness of proctoring and peer tutoring procedures

Traditional university modes of instruction have been shown to be less effective than. both PSI and peer tutoring procedures. The present study compared the relative effectiveness of proctors and peer tutors in a PSI type course. Twelve subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental conditions. The within-subject variable was the order of exposure to the teaching. Methods (being proctored, being tutored, or tutoring) and the. between-subject variables were type of teaching method (proctor-ed or peer tutored) and the number of the trial (first or .second test under the assigned teaching condition). An analysis of variance split plot 3.22 of the number of correct answers on the first test of each unit yielded a significant main effect for teaching method; F(1,9) = 17.24, p \u3c .01; and a significant interaction for Teaching Method x Order of Exposure to Teaching Conditions; F(2, 9) = 4.31, p \u3c .05. Analysis of the number of tests taken to reach criterion yielded significant main effects for teaching method; F(1,9) = 7.44, p \u3c .05; and for order of exposure to teaching conditions; F(2,9) = 4.88 p \u3c .05. The results indicate that proctoring resulted in better student performance than did peer tutoring on both measure of course performance. Other methods for easing the application of PSI type procedures to large courses or situations where proctors are unavailable should examined

Biologisk bekämpning av potatiscystnematoder : några biologiska bekämpningsorganismer och deras potential för svenskt bruk

Potatiscystnematoderna (PCN) Globodera pallida (vit potatiscystnematod) och G. rostochiensis (gul potatiscystnematod) är sedentära endoparasiter på potatis som kan orsaka stora skördeförluster i potatisodlingar. Båda arterna av PCN är även klassade som karantänskadegörare i Sverige. I dagsläget finns det inga godkända nematicider i Sverige och effekten av PCN-resistenta potatissorter har på vissa håll minskat, vilket medför att biologisk bekämpning kan utgöra en viktig framtida bekämpningsåtgärd mot PCN. I det här arbetet utfördes en litteraturstudie för att undersöka några kontrollorganismer för tillsättande biologisk bekämpning mot PCN och huruvida organismerna är godkända som verksamma ämnen i Sverige. Arbetet avgränsades till att undersöka bakterier och svampar som antingen har verkningssätt mot PCN genom parasitism eller genom att de utsöndrar sekundära metaboliter (antibios) som påverkar PCN negativt. Resultatet visade att bakterierna Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp. och Pasteuria spp. har en kontrolleffekt mot PCN. Verkningssättet från Pseudomonas spp och Bacillus spp sker bland annat genom antibios och från Pasteuria spp genom obligat parasitism. Bland svamparna uppvisade Hirsutella rhossiliensis, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Verticillium leptobactrum, Purpureocillium lilacinum och Trichoderma spp. en bekämpningseffekt mot PCN. Bland dessa var H. rhossiliensis endoparasitär på PCN, medan de övriga svamparna var ägg- och/eller cystparasiter. Samtliga organismer har uppvisat en bekämpningseffekt mot båda arterna av potatiscystnematoder, frånsett Pasteuria spp., H. rhossiliensis och V. leptobactrum som endast uppvisat en kontrolleffekt mot G. pallida. Av dessa biologiska kontrollorganismer fanns det enligt Kemikalieinspektionens (KEMI) bekämpnings-medelsregister arter godkända som verksamma ämnen inom släktena Pseudomonas, Bacillus och Trichoderma. Trichoderma harzianum och Bacillus thuringiensis var de två arter som både omfattades av litteraturstudien och som var godkända som verksamma ämnen enligt KEMI:s bekämpningsmedelsregister. Det är i nuläget svårt att utvärdera vilka kontrollorganismer som har störst bekämpningseffekt eftersom de försök som gjorts har utförts på olika premisser och då inga av försöken utförts i svenska fältförhållanden. Däremot har vissa av organismerna uppvisat egenskaper i litteraturen som kan påverka deras lämplighet som biologiska kontrollorgansimer i svensk potatisodling. Vissa av kontrollorganismerna uppvisade även positiva bieffekter på potatisplantorna som exempelvis att de inducerade systemisk resistens och var tillväxtfrämjande, vilket är positiva egenskaper ur produktionssynpunkt. Slutsatsen som drog är att T. harzianum och B. thuringiensis är två kontrollorganismer som både finns godkända som verksamma ämnen i Sverige och som uppvisat en bekämpningseffekt mot PCN. Dock krävs mer forskning för att säkerställa att isolaten av dessa organismer lämpar sig för svenskt bruk samt i vilka formuleringar de ska appliceras.The potato cyst nematodes (PCN) Globodera pallida (white potato cyst nematode) and G. rostochiensis (yellow potato cyst nematode) are sedentary endoparasites of potato that can cause major yield losses in potato cultivations. Both species of PCN are also classified as quarantine pests in Sweden. At present, there are no approved nematicides in Sweden and the effect of PCN-resistant potato varieties has decreased in some areas, which means that biological control may be an important future control measure against PCN. A literature study was conducted to investigate some control organisms for augmentative biological control against PCN and whether the organisms are approved as active substances in Sweden. The work was limited to investigate bacteria and fungi that either have a mode of action against PCN through parasitism or by producing secondary metabolites (antibiosis) that affects the PCN negatively. The result showed that bacteria within Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp. and Pasteuria spp. have a control effect against PCN. The mode of action of Pseudomonas spp. and Bacillus spp. is through antibiosis and of Pasteuria spp. through obligate parasitism. Among the fungi, Hirsutella rhossiliensis, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Verticillium leptobactrum, Purpureocillium lilacinum and Trichoderma spp. showed a control effect against PCN. Among these, H. rhossiliensis was endoparasitic on PCN, while the other fungi were egg and/or cyst parasites. All organisms showed a control effect against both species of potato cyst nematodes, except for Pasteuria spp., H. rhossiliensis and V. leptobactrum, which only showed a control effect against G. pallida. Out of the studied biological control organisms there were species approved as active substances according to the Swedish Pesticides Register of the Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) in the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Trichoderma. Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus thuringiensis were the two species that were both included in the literature study and approved as active substances according to the Swedish Pesticides Register. Currently, it is difficult to evaluate which control organisms have the greatest control effect since the experiments have been carried out on different premises and since none of the experiments have been carried out in Swedish field conditions. However, some of the organisms have shown characteristics in the literature that may affect their suitability as biological control organisms in Swedish potato cultivation. Some of the control organisms also showed positive side effects on potato plants, such as inducing systemic resistance and promoting growth, which are positive characteristics from a production point of view. The conclusion that was drawn is that T. harzianum and B. thuringiensis are two control organisms that are both approved as active substances in Sweden and have shown a control effect against PCN. However, more research is needed to ensure that the isolates of these organisms are suitable for Swedish use and in which formulations they should be applied

Effect of different inoculation methods in modern and historic cultivars of soybean suitable for cultivation in Sweden

The inclusion of soybean in Swedish crop rotations would enable an increase in legume production in Sweden. Previous attempts to introduce soybean as a crop in Sweden have failed, but in recent years, new attempts have been made under experimental conditions. Soybean cultivars suitable for cultivation in Sweden belong to maturity group (MG) 000, as well as historically Swedish-bred soybean cultivars, such as Bråvalla. However, for these cultivars to fix N, compatible rhizobia such as Bradyrhizobium japonicum are needed. These are not native to Swedish soils and have to be introduced through inoculation. Inoculating seeds can have several beneficial effects on soybean traits, but this varies with the interaction between soybean cultivar, rhizobial strain- or species and environmental factors. Inoculants can have different formulations which have different properties and may affect rhizobial survival and inoculation effect. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the effects the inoculation methods no-, liquid- or peat inoculation had on phenotypic traits and N-fixation in soybean cultivars suitable for cultivation in Swedish climate in both field- and greenhouse conditions. The peat- and liquid inoculants containing B. japonicum, as well as uninoculated control, were tested in a field trial on Gotland, Sweden, on the soybean cultivars Abaca, Gallec, Sussex, and Todeka (all MG 000), and in a greenhouse experiment in Uppsala, Sweden, on the cultivars Abaca, Gallec, Sussex and Bråvalla (historic). Inoculation of the seeds resulted in higher N content and %Ndfa in both the field trial (significant increase) and the greenhouse experiment compared to the uninoculated plants. The peat – and liquid formulations did not differ in performance in the greenhouse experiment, but the peat inoculant did overall perform better than the liquid inoculant in the field trial. This may be an effect of the protective properties of peat supporting rhizobial survival in field conditions. Inoculation of the seeds did not have a significant effect on the traits: plant height, height of the lowest node, leaf biomass, or N content in the leaves at flowering (field trial). However, inoculation significantly affected: TKW, yield, root biomass, stem biomass, root-/ stem biomass ratio, nodule weight, nodule number, and protein yield compared to uninoculated plants. The responses to the inoculants varied between the environments and between cultivars. In comparisons between the greenhouse experiment and the field trial, the traits affected by rhizobial survival (N content, nodule number and nodule weight) were enhanced in the greenhouse experiment, while traits probably limited by light intensity (TKW and yield) were superior in the field trial. The results showed that the interaction between cultivar x inoculation method had a significant effect on: root biomass, stem biomass, root-/stem biomass ratio, nodule number, nodule weight (GH), TKW, yield (GH), N content in biomass and seeds and %Ndfa in biomass and seeds. This thesis demonstrated that peat inoculation was superior over liquid inoculation in Swedish field conditions and that the MG 000 cultivar Sussex in comibination with LegumeFix had the greatest potential for generating high yield and protein yield out of the tested combinations, hence being suggested to Swedish farmers wanting to try soybean cultivation. However, further research is needed to confirm these results