bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of Extrospective Systems for Mobile Robotic Vehicles.
Authors:   , McClymont Johnny Robert Keogh 
Published: November 2021

<p>Extrospection is the process of receiving knowledge of the outside world through the senses. On robotic platforms this is primarily focussed on determining distances to objects of interest and is achieved through the use of ranging sensors. Any hardware implemented on mobile robotic platforms, including sensors, must ideally be small in size and weight, have good power efficiency, be self-contained and interface easily with the existing platform hardware. The development of stable, expandable and interchangeable mobile robot based sensing systems is crucial to the establishment of platforms on which complex robotic research can be conducted and evaluated in real world situations. This thesis details the design and development of two extrospective systems for incorporation in the Victoria University of Wellington's fleet of mobile robotic platforms. The first system is a generic intelligent sensor network. Fundamental to this system has been the development of network architecture and protocols that provide a stable scheme for connecting a large number of sensors to a mobile robotic platform with little or no dependence on the existing hardware configuration of the platform. A prototype sensor network comprising fourteen infrared position sensitive detectors providing a short to medium distance ranging system (0.2 - 3 m) with a 360' field of view has been successfully developed and tested. The second system is a redesign of an existing prototype full-field image ranger system. The redesign has yielded a smaller, mobile version of the prototype system capable of ranging medium to long distances (0 - 15 m) with a 22.2' - 16.5' field-of-view. This ranger system can now be incorporated onto mobile robotic platforms for further research into the capabilities of full-field image ranging as a form of extrospection on a mobile platform.</p>
Decadal Shoreline Stability in Eastbourne, Wellington Harbour
Authors:   , Olson David 
Published: November 2021

<p>Mixed Sand and Gravel (MSG) Beach research in recent decades has overwhelmingly focussed on open-oceanic environments, however, those found in fetch limited settings remain poorly understood. This thesis has examined spatial and temporal morphological change through such a system in Eastbourne, Wellington Harbour, New Zealand. This site has only recently prograded following several decades of erosion. This accretion has been the result of a northward migrating gravel front, which is introducing gravel sized sediment into the previously sandy system resulting in significant changes in beach morphology and volume. The aim of this study is to quantify these spatial and temporal changes and to assess shoreline stability on a decadal timescale. Additionally it aims to ascertain whether the current progradation is a long term change to the system or the result of a short term sediment increase. This assessment has been conducted in the form of topographic surveying, grain size and aerial photograph analysis. The topographic surveying and grain size analysis provides an accurate description of beach morphology. This is compared to the established MSG beach morphology models for the open coast, but operating on a smaller scale because of the lower energy fetch-limited environment of the study area. Aerial photograph analysis is used to show the longer term changes in beach width and the northern migration of the gravel fraction of the sediment supply regime. The spatial analysis results show that the beach morphology is highly variable. In the embayments that are more exposed to oceanic swell waves beach profiles are broad and steep, and in the beaches in the northern sections of the coastline which are more sheltered from oceanic swell waves, profiles are flat and narrow. The temporal results show that the coastal accretion observed through the study area has been initially rapid, followed by sustained increased beach width. These results suggest that the morphological variation on this coastline is part of a long term adjustment to a change in sediment supply, initiated by tectonic uplift and subsequently driven by longshore sediment transport. The observed mechanism of longshore transport has been suggested to be a function of sediment properties, relative wave energy and bathymetry/topography. The findings of this research are used to develop a conceptual model of shoreline evolution for the study area in response to changes that have occurred over the last 154 years.</p>
Children’s Memory for Mild Emotional Information: Positive and Negative Emotional Information and Associations with Temperament
Authors:   , McIvor Janelle L. 
Published: November 2021

<p>The 2 aims of the current study were to investigate 1) children’s memory for positive and negative emotional information and 2) the influence of temperament on the type of emotional information recalled. Seventy-five children aged 61-77 months participated in a staged event, “Visiting the Pretend Zoo”. Approximately 6-9 days later children participated in a memory interview. Parents/caregivers completed a temperament questionnaire. Children recalled more negative relative to positive emotional information. Children higher in Effortful Control (EC) recalled more negative emotional information relative to children lower in EC. This indicates that EC may play an important role in children’s memory. No other effects of temperament were identified. Limitations of the current study are discussed followed by directions for future study.</p>
Integrating Sensory Experience in Parametric Architecture through a Phenomenal Lens
Authors:   , Lee Yirao 
Published: November 2021

<p>‘Parametricism’ has come to play a major role in contemporary architectural design and is now considered the dominant style for avant-garde practice. This thesis argues that despite parametricism’s unique capacity to articulate programmatic complexity, visual and intellectualized imperatives at the loss of experiential imperatives have limited parametricism as a medium through which architecture is produced, promoted, and evaluated. Architect Juhani Pallasmaa believes that this leads to the deprivation of vital human existential questions that enable us to relate to our built environment and that provide meaning to that environment. This thesis explores how parametric architecture can further develop by addressing the deficiencies that Pallasmaa has described, to further incorporate a sense of temporality, experiential depth and personal belonging. Based on these critical examinations, the second half of the thesis includes design experiments which test the integration of sensory experiences within parametric design. Archives New Zealand has been selected as the vehicle for this design exploration because throughout history, archives have symbolically represented important spaces in cities to express the re-connection of our history and culture. Today, however archives are often perceived as little more than secular storage for objects and documents. The thesis tests how the interior design of a nation’s archives can be conceived through parametricism, while also incorporating symbolic and phenomenological imperatives. This thesis concludes with five interior design experiments that are each derived from this experimental design process. The five interiors illustrate the mediation between parametric and phenomenal imperatives. These experiments conclude that through critical application of sensory imperatives, we may reconnect our human existence within the parametric world.</p>
Redefining the Vernacular in the Hybrid Architecture of Malaysia
Authors:   , Sim Stefanie 
Published: November 2021

<p>The objective of the thesis is to view the presence of vernacular architecture as a strong sub current of modern praxis in Malaysia. Vernacular architecture has played a pivotal role in shaping architecture and in defining perceptions of modernity. It is the vernacular interaction and negotiation with regional and global influences that has generated the complex and hybrid nature of Malaysian architecture. The notion of the ‘vernacular’ has a negative and pejorative connotation and is commonly described as simplistic, unrefined and undeveloped. Contrary to that, the thesis reveals the complex cultural, social, intellectual and functional identities of Malaysian vernacular structures. The term ‘vernacular’ is constantly evolving and is not limited to the past but lives on in contemporary architecture. The thesis suggests that the presence of vernacular concepts do not dissipate as a result of hybrid interactions between different cultures but rather evolve during this creative process. Significant events that transpire throughout the history of the country play a crucial role in shaping and altering vernacular architecture. Colonisation and migration contribute to the complex architectural identity of Malaysia as diverse cultural influences are introduced and imposed onto native traditions. Change is inevitable in a living society. However, change can be seen as either disruptive or as part of a continuum. Through critical comparisons and case studies, the thesis argues that the vernacular is continually evolving as a product of cultural regeneration. It is from the parallels drawn between the vernacular and architecture introduced by foreigners that allow for the comprehension of these new building types as well as the acceptance of alternate lifestyle.</p>
Breathing Through their Noses: Candidate Selection and Role Adaptation amongst First-Term MPs in the New Zealand Parliament
Authors:   , Barnes Steven 
Published: November 2021

<p>Sir Keith Holyoake, New Zealand Prime Minister from 1960 to 1972, famously counselled first-term Members of Parliament to ‘breathe through their noses’, suggesting that it was in their best interests to keep their heads down and mouths shut. Perhaps this recommendation is instrumental in the low profile of first-term MPs in New Zealand and the subsequent dearth of information available about these individuals. Within political science, scholarly attention has tended to focus on the ‘power holders’ – senior leaders and those perceived to have the most influence. In New Zealand, this has resulted in a growing field of literature about prime ministers, party leaders, and the few parliamentarians who reach cabinet. This thesis steps back from power holders to shed light on new MPs. It is important to know who new MPs are. Within parliamentary systems MPs often serve long apprenticeships before being promoted to the senior positions of their party and government. Thus MPs who enter parliament today may hold significant influence in the future. However, very little is known about legislators when they enter parliament. Do all Members of Parliament wish to become ministers or prime ministers, or do they have more modest aspirations, such as being the best local MP they possibly can? By understanding the motivations of our neophyte politicians we can better understand the types of people who are likely to become significant political actors in the future. This study aims to understand how and why individuals become MPs and how they adapt to the role once they have been elected. This thesis uses information gained from two rounds of interviews conducted with first-term Members of Parliament during their first nine months in office. Thus this research presents an insight into how MPs view candidate selection and follows them through their first few months in the job as they reconcile their pre-election expectations with the roles expected of MPs. The result is an account of how individuals become MPs and the roles they develop once elected.</p>
Pulling Teeth
Authors:   , Smith Sam 
Published: November 2021

<p>Pulling Teeth is a 13x half hour comedy series in the vein of 30 Rock and Green Wing ... New graduate Rob Hutchinson hates the global view that all dentists are money hungry sadists who would kill a kitten just for kicks. Rob strives to use the clinic to prove the world wrong, and maybe in the process he'll win the romantic attention of Kate. But it's going to be difficult with the staff he inherits. South African playboy dentist Joost Pint is too clueless to know that he is out of line when working on patients in nothing but socks and a plastic gold crown. Receptionist Kate Barker's need for superiority makes her blind to Rob’s awkward advances, but absolutely fine with selling clinic supplies on the black market ...</p>
Strengthening Local Government and Community Governance in New Zealand
Authors:   , Reid Michael 
Published: November 2021

<p>The role of local government and specifically the concept of community governance have been the focus of much attention in recent years. For much of its history, local government was typically viewed by governments and citizens as a conservative sector, valued for its dependability rather than for innovation and its services rather than for its role in promoting community well-being. Public sector reform, globalisation and increasing demands by citizens have increased awareness of, and appreciation for, the potential for local governments to work with other organisations to address complex policy and management issues. These pressures have compelled the sector to innovate, and venture into areas that were previously considered to be outside its remit. Local governments the world over have therefore undergone extensive programmes of reform, often aiming to reorient councils from service delivery roles to broader roles concerned with community well-being, strengthening community leadership, and steering local and regional service providers towards local goals and strategic objectives. This trend has been characterised as a shift from local government to ‘community governance’ (Rhodes 1997, Stoker 2000). Local government in New Zealand is no exception. The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) broadened local government’s powers and purposes, introducing a collaborative, citizen-centred style of working within a framework oriented to securing community well-being and sustainable development. This research examines the concept and practice of local and community governance, internationally and in New Zealand. Its focus is the local government reforms introduced in New Zealand over the last two decades, and specifically the role of community governance. It uses several research methods to assess options for strengthening community governance in practice. The primary method is the development of a model which examines 10 dimensions of the New Zealand system to assess the degree to which they are able to achieve community governance. In addition, the approach to community planning undertaken by a sample of local authorities is examined to assess the degree to which councils are using this mechanism as an instrument for strengthening community governance. Further, a number of local government participants were invited to answer a range of questions about three alternative governance scenarios designed to test whether or not there is an ‘ideal’ local government structure for achieving community governance.</p>
Modelling of Quaternary Glacier Extent and Climate in Tasmania, Australia
Authors:   , O'Donnell Rebecca Joan 
Published: November 2021

<p>The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of Quaternary glaciations in Tasmania, and to assess their climatic significance. During the Quaternary, Tasmania experienced ice cap development in the West Coast Range and Central Plateau, with smaller cirque and valley glaciers developing on surrounding mountains. Geomorphic evidence indicates at least four glacial advances occurred. A 500 m resolution, three-dimensional thermomechanical ice-sheet model was used to reconstruct and simulate these glacier fluctuations. The model, while a simplification of reality, provided a framework in which to understand the genesis of contemporary landforms and former glacial climate conditions in Tasmania. Input specifications of basal topography, temperature and precipitation were required, with the latter two interpolated from present-day datasets. Numerous experiments were carried out, involving systematic alterations to temperature and precipitation, basal sliding and atmospheric temperature lapse-rates. Modelled output was compared to empirical evidence with the aim of optimizing the parameters (temperature, precipitation) from which model mismatch was minimised. An annual temperature reduction of 6' C is required for glaciers to form in Tasmania. When temperatures cool beyond this threshold, an ice mass develops over the Central Highlands, Central Plateau, West Coast Range and other mountains. In all but the most extensive glaciations, the Central Plateau ice field consists of a relatively thin carapace of ice, and the thickest and most dynamic glaciers develop in the deep valleys of the Central Highlands. The model shows that ice readily flows down the west-facing valleys from the Central Highlands to join with West Coast Range glaciers. A temperature reduction between 7 and 9' C, with corresponding regional precipitation changes of between +/-50% and an increase in orographic precipitation is required to simulate the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice cover. Earlier glacial advances require larger coolings of up to 11.25' C depending on the regional precipitation conditions prescribed. Mismatches between geomorphic evidence and modelled reconstructions probably result from model grid size issues and parameters not accommodated by the model such as wind-blown snow redistribution. This means that temperature reductions derived from the model may have been overestimated. Despite these limitations, reconstructed temperatures compare well to some multi-proxy palaeo-temperature records from Tasmania, although the cooling identified was larger than that recorded in nearby ocean sediments.</p>
Inter-Organisational Knowledge Sharing in the Public Sector: The Role of Social Capital and Information and Communication Technology
Authors:   , Jansen van Vuuren Sally 
Published: November 2021

<p>This thesis explores the dynamics of knowledge sharing, through the context of interorganisational collaboration in the public sector. The growth of collaboration across public sector organisations places increasing importance on knowledge sharing, yet it is an area that has historically proved difficult for the sector. Knowledge sharing research increasingly emphasises the importance of social capital in facilitating and influencing knowledge sharing behaviours, yet the public sector’s approach to knowledge sharing has predominantly focussed on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools. The aim of this research is to better understand the dynamics of knowledge sharing, and the roles that social capital and ICT play in knowledge sharing. This is a contemporary and important research topic. Public sector commitment to increasing collaboration requires a strong focus on inter-organisational knowledge sharing. This multiple-case, multi-method research incorporates a research design that blends qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The research extends and deepens current understanding of the dynamics of knowledge sharing and contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the areas of knowledge sharing, social capital, and ICT. It also provides valuable empirical evidence relating to public sector based sharing at the inter-organisational level. The research found that social capital is a significant concern for collaborative teams. Factors such as trust, group identity and shared purpose and goals were identified as important considerations for team members. Despite the sector’s focus on ICT tools as key knowledge sharing mechanisms, the actual availability of tools was limited. Further, individuals’ use of tools was low due to their perceptions of the available tools as difficult to use and of limited usefulness. A key outcome of the research was the development of a conceptual framework that can be used to support the work of academics and practitioners engaged in the field of collaboration and knowledge sharing. The framework identifies six important antecedents that influence the development of social capital, and the availability and use of ICT. These antecedents include collaboration design, leadership, the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of ICT, and individual technical ability. The final antecedent identifies individual’s commitment to the ‘intrinsic value of public sector work’ as a key collaboration factor.</p>
Controls on Spatial and Temporal Variation in Snow Accumulation on Glaciers in the Southern Alps, New Zealand
Authors:   , Purdie Heather 
Published: November 2021

<p>Mountain glaciers are already responding to climatic warming, and are expected to make a substantial contribution to sea-level rise in the coming decades. The aim of this investigation in the New Zealand Southern Alps was to improve our understanding of snow accumulation variability on mid-latitude maritime glaciers, in order to allow for better estimation of future glacier mass balance. The specific aim was to investigate snow accumulation processes at a range of spatial and temporal scales, focussing on synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation influences, moisture sources for snow accumulation and local-scale dependencies of snow accumulation in relation to topography. A range of methods were utilised including direct measurement, snow and ice core analysis, statistical analysis and modelling. Snow accumulation in the Southern Alps was found to be derived predominantly from the Tasman Sea, and deposited during low pressure troughs and fronts. Although precipitation increased with elevation, wind processes redistributed this mass. On a ~monthly timescale this redistribution caused an unexpected result, namely that wind deflation of snow on Franz Josef Glacier countered the effects of greater accumulation, and total accumulation was similar at both Franz Josef and Tasman Glaciers over this period. These processes make it challenging to simulate snow accumulation patterns by simply extrapolating snowfall over an orographic barrier from lowland climate station data. On an inter-annual basis, temperature, especially during the ablation season, had most influence on net accumulation, and warm summers served to homogenise winter variability. Consequently, atmospheric circulation patterns that affect summer temperature, for example the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) also influence inter-annual variability in net accumulation. Together, these results highlight the dependence of maritime glaciers in the New Zealand Southern Alps on the prevailing westerly circulation. Although some uncertainty surrounds how global warming will affect atmospheric circulation and synoptic weather patterns, the results of this research indicate that New Zealand glaciers can be expected to lose significant mass in the coming decades if the current positive trend in the SAM continues, and if La Niña events (positive ENSO) become more frequent.</p>