title: Vocal Detection: An evaluation between general versus focused models

authors: Tsai, Yi-Na

subjects: vocal detection

abstract: This thesis focuses on presenting a technique on improving current vocal detection methods. One of the most popular methods employs some type of statistical approach where vocal signals can be distinguished automatically by first training a model on both vocal and non-vocal example data, then using this model to classify audio signals into vocals or non-vocals. There is one problem with this method which is that the model that has been trained is typically very general and does its best at classifying various different types of data. Since the audio signals containing vocals that we care about are songs, we propose to improve vocal detection accuracies by creating focused models targeted at predicting vocal segments according to song artist and artist gender. Such useful information like artist name are often overlooked, this restricts opportunities in processing songs more specific to its type and hinders its potential success. Experiment results with several models built according to artist and artist gender reveal improvements of up to 17% when compared to using the general approach. With such improvements, applications such as automatic lyric synchronization to vocal segments in real-time may become more achievable with greater accuracy.

text: Vocal Detection: An evaluation between general versus focused models This thesis focuses on presenting a technique on improving current vocal detection methods. One of the most popular methods employs some type of statistical approach where vocal signals can be distinguished automatically by first training a model on both vocal and non-vocal example data, then using this model to classify audio signals into vocals or non-vocals. There is one problem with this method which is that the model that has been trained is typically very general and does its best at classifying various different types of data. Since the audio signals containing vocals that we care about are songs, we propose to improve vocal detection accuracies by creating focused models targeted at predicting vocal segments according to song artist and artist gender. Such useful information like artist name are often overlooked, this restricts opportunities in processing songs more specific to its type and hinders its potential success. Experiment results with several models built according to artist and artist gender reveal improvements of up to 17% when compared to using the general approach. With such improvements, applications such as automatic lyric synchronization to vocal segments in real-time may become more achievable with greater accuracy.

year: 2011

title: Improving Water Quality through Environmental Policies and Farm Management: an Environmental Economics Analysis of Dairy Farming in  Karapiro Catchment

authors: Ramilan, Thiagarajah

subjects: Water quality

abstract: This research explores the environmental and economic implications of nitrogen discharge abatement from dairy farms. This thesis develops a framework to analyse agri-environmental policies using bio economic modelling. A novel approach has been developed using farm survey data for catchment scale modelling and policy analysis. 

Policy analysis is facilitated by various modelling techniques and software. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to convert data from multiple sources to a common platform for policy analysis. Whole dairy farm system simulations coupled with a Metamodel built on the Overseer software are used to establish the relationship between farm economic returns and nitrogen discharges. This relationship is used to derive abatement costs and resolve policy implementation challenges. Data Envelopment Analysis is used to develop Environmental economic efficiency measures. Finally a stylized model is used to determine spatially optimal riparian buffer strips. 

The results show that the differences in abatement costs and environmental efficiency between farming systems are significant. The adverse effects of information asymmetry can be effectively minimized by adopting differentiated incentives and target monitoring. Riparian buffers are a cost effective abatement tool that complement abatement at the intensive margin. Clear understanding of farm heterogeneity will help to design effective policies.

Techniques for the measurement of policy impact have been successfully developed and add significantly to our knowledge of the underlying relationships. The use of simulated data for agri-environmental policy analysis is versatile and is expected to have several valuable applications. These methods can be applied to other geographic areas and research domains. This thesis provides useful tools for policy makers seeking to develop empirically informed agri environmental policy.

text: Improving Water Quality through Environmental Policies and Farm Management: an Environmental Economics Analysis of Dairy Farming in  Karapiro Catchment This research explores the environmental and economic implications of nitrogen discharge abatement from dairy farms. This thesis develops a framework to analyse agri-environmental policies using bio economic modelling. A novel approach has been developed using farm survey data for catchment scale modelling and policy analysis. 

Policy analysis is facilitated by various modelling techniques and software. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to convert data from multiple sources to a common platform for policy analysis. Whole dairy farm system simulations coupled with a Metamodel built on the Overseer software are used to establish the relationship between farm economic returns and nitrogen discharges. This relationship is used to derive abatement costs and resolve policy implementation challenges. Data Envelopment Analysis is used to develop Environmental economic efficiency measures. Finally a stylized model is used to determine spatially optimal riparian buffer strips. 

The results show that the differences in abatement costs and environmental efficiency between farming systems are significant. The adverse effects of information asymmetry can be effectively minimized by adopting differentiated incentives and target monitoring. Riparian buffers are a cost effective abatement tool that complement abatement at the intensive margin. Clear understanding of farm heterogeneity will help to design effective policies.

Techniques for the measurement of policy impact have been successfully developed and add significantly to our knowledge of the underlying relationships. The use of simulated data for agri-environmental policy analysis is versatile and is expected to have several valuable applications. These methods can be applied to other geographic areas and research domains. This thesis provides useful tools for policy makers seeking to develop empirically informed agri environmental policy.

year: 2008

title: Te Tāhū o Ranginui: Whakatūria te Whare Kōkōrangi

authors: Tuahine, Hōhepa

subjects: Whānau Mārama

abstract: I ngā rā o tuawhakarere he matatau te Māori ki ngā nekeneke o te Whānau Mārama. Ko ngā mātauranga katoa e whai take ana ki te Whānau Mārama i pupuritia e ngā iwi. I whai take tēnei mātauranga i roto i ngā mahi katoa. Ko te onoono me te hauhake huawhenua, ko te hī ika, ko te takahi haere i te whenua, ko te pakanga, ko ngā tikanga ōkawa. Ka tohu hoki i ngā peka o te tau, me ngā mahi o ia rā. Ko ngā nekeneke o te Whānau Mārama ngā kaitohu, ngā kaiārahi i ngā waka o tāukiuki. Mā te āta mātai i ngā whetū, ka whakatere i te mata whānui o Tangaroa. Otirā, ka nōhia ngā moutere o te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. I whakaakoria motuhaketia tēnei mātauranga i roto i ngā whare wānanga e kīa rā, ko te whare kōkōrangi.
He whare kōkōrangi, ā, he tohunga kōkōrangi ō ngā iwi katoa, kāore he mātauranga i tua atu i taua whare me ōna tohunga. Engari, nō te taenga mai o te Pākehā i ngā tau whakamutunga o te rau tau tekau mā waru ka raupatuhia te whenua, ka motu ai te here ki ngā tūrangawaewae. Ka mimiti haere tēnei mātauranga. Tae rawa ake ki ngā tau o te 1900, i noho mū ngā whare kōkōrangi o te Māori me te mea nei i kapia te tatau e kore e huaki anō. Heoi, tērā ētahi kairangahau Māori e nanao atu ana kia kumea taua tatau nā e huaki anō ai te whare kōkōrangi, e hahūtia anō ai ōna mātauranga katoa, kei noho mōteatea haere ake nei. E koke ana ētahi rangahau o mohoa nei kia kohikohi i ngā mātauranga Whānau Mārama o te Māori kia whakahaumanutia, kia whakaorangia tēnei āhuatanga o te Māori.
He tuhinga tēnei ka tākoha atu ki taua kohikohinga, ā, ko tōna matū he wetewete i ngā kura huna kei ngā mātauranga Māori ā-waha. Mā te tātari whakataukī, waiata me te karakia, ka kitea mēnā kei ēnei taonga o te Māori te oranga tonutanga o te Whānau Mārama. Otirā, ka kitea mēnā e taea tēnei whare te whakatū ki te ao hurihuri nei kia huaki anō ai te tatau hei kuhutanga ake mā te Māori.

Traditionally Māori maintained extensive knowledge of the night sky, and made detailed observations of the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars and the movements of the various celestial bodies. This knowledge influenced all aspects of traditional Māori life including planting and harvesting, fishing, travel, warfare, ceremony and seasonal and daily activity. It was their understanding of the night sky that enabled the ancestors of the Māori to traverse the largest expanse of ocean in the world to settle the islands of the Pacific. Māori astronomical knowledge was taught within the whare kōkōrangi, institutions specifically established for the purpose of astronomy and its related fields.
All tribal groups had their own whare kōkōrangi under the instruction of astronomical experts, and these institutions were seen as the pinnacle of Māori learning. However with the arrival of European settlers in the late eighteenth century and the negative impacts of colonisation, Māori astronomical knowledge began to erode. By the 1900s the whare kōkōrangi were no longer in use and this crucial part of Māori society seemed to have been lost to time. Yet, rather than lamenting the loss of this knowledge base, a number of Māori researchers are beginning to explore the field with the long-term vision of re-establishing the whare kōkōrangi.
Currently there is significant research being undertaken that is searching for the remaining fragments of Māori astronomical knowledge in an attempt to re- discover and revitalise this field. This thesis is part of this new movement and in particular seeks to understand how Māori knowledge is imbedded and encoded within the Māori language. By analysing a number of traditional Māori proverbs, songs and incantations, this thesis argues that much of the record of Māori astronomy can be reconfigured and re-established. Furthermore, the whare kōkōrangi can once again be central in the knowledge base and in the lives of all Māori.

text: Te Tāhū o Ranginui: Whakatūria te Whare Kōkōrangi I ngā rā o tuawhakarere he matatau te Māori ki ngā nekeneke o te Whānau Mārama. Ko ngā mātauranga katoa e whai take ana ki te Whānau Mārama i pupuritia e ngā iwi. I whai take tēnei mātauranga i roto i ngā mahi katoa. Ko te onoono me te hauhake huawhenua, ko te hī ika, ko te takahi haere i te whenua, ko te pakanga, ko ngā tikanga ōkawa. Ka tohu hoki i ngā peka o te tau, me ngā mahi o ia rā. Ko ngā nekeneke o te Whānau Mārama ngā kaitohu, ngā kaiārahi i ngā waka o tāukiuki. Mā te āta mātai i ngā whetū, ka whakatere i te mata whānui o Tangaroa. Otirā, ka nōhia ngā moutere o te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. I whakaakoria motuhaketia tēnei mātauranga i roto i ngā whare wānanga e kīa rā, ko te whare kōkōrangi.
He whare kōkōrangi, ā, he tohunga kōkōrangi ō ngā iwi katoa, kāore he mātauranga i tua atu i taua whare me ōna tohunga. Engari, nō te taenga mai o te Pākehā i ngā tau whakamutunga o te rau tau tekau mā waru ka raupatuhia te whenua, ka motu ai te here ki ngā tūrangawaewae. Ka mimiti haere tēnei mātauranga. Tae rawa ake ki ngā tau o te 1900, i noho mū ngā whare kōkōrangi o te Māori me te mea nei i kapia te tatau e kore e huaki anō. Heoi, tērā ētahi kairangahau Māori e nanao atu ana kia kumea taua tatau nā e huaki anō ai te whare kōkōrangi, e hahūtia anō ai ōna mātauranga katoa, kei noho mōteatea haere ake nei. E koke ana ētahi rangahau o mohoa nei kia kohikohi i ngā mātauranga Whānau Mārama o te Māori kia whakahaumanutia, kia whakaorangia tēnei āhuatanga o te Māori.
He tuhinga tēnei ka tākoha atu ki taua kohikohinga, ā, ko tōna matū he wetewete i ngā kura huna kei ngā mātauranga Māori ā-waha. Mā te tātari whakataukī, waiata me te karakia, ka kitea mēnā kei ēnei taonga o te Māori te oranga tonutanga o te Whānau Mārama. Otirā, ka kitea mēnā e taea tēnei whare te whakatū ki te ao hurihuri nei kia huaki anō ai te tatau hei kuhutanga ake mā te Māori.

Traditionally Māori maintained extensive knowledge of the night sky, and made detailed observations of the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars and the movements of the various celestial bodies. This knowledge influenced all aspects of traditional Māori life including planting and harvesting, fishing, travel, warfare, ceremony and seasonal and daily activity. It was their understanding of the night sky that enabled the ancestors of the Māori to traverse the largest expanse of ocean in the world to settle the islands of the Pacific. Māori astronomical knowledge was taught within the whare kōkōrangi, institutions specifically established for the purpose of astronomy and its related fields.
All tribal groups had their own whare kōkōrangi under the instruction of astronomical experts, and these institutions were seen as the pinnacle of Māori learning. However with the arrival of European settlers in the late eighteenth century and the negative impacts of colonisation, Māori astronomical knowledge began to erode. By the 1900s the whare kōkōrangi were no longer in use and this crucial part of Māori society seemed to have been lost to time. Yet, rather than lamenting the loss of this knowledge base, a number of Māori researchers are beginning to explore the field with the long-term vision of re-establishing the whare kōkōrangi.
Currently there is significant research being undertaken that is searching for the remaining fragments of Māori astronomical knowledge in an attempt to re- discover and revitalise this field. This thesis is part of this new movement and in particular seeks to understand how Māori knowledge is imbedded and encoded within the Māori language. By analysing a number of traditional Māori proverbs, songs and incantations, this thesis argues that much of the record of Māori astronomy can be reconfigured and re-established. Furthermore, the whare kōkōrangi can once again be central in the knowledge base and in the lives of all Māori.

year: 2015