title: Tipple: location-triggered mobile access to a digital library for audio books

authors: Hinze, Annika

subjects: computer science

abstract: This paper explores the role of audio as a means to access books in a digital library while being at the location referred to in the books. The books are sourced from the digital library and can either be accompanied by pre-recorded audio or synthesized using text-to-speech. The paper details the functional requirements, design and implementation of Tipple. The concept was extensively tested in three field studies.

text: Tipple: location-triggered mobile access to a digital library for audio books This paper explores the role of audio as a means to access books in a digital library while being at the location referred to in the books. The books are sourced from the digital library and can either be accompanied by pre-recorded audio or synthesized using text-to-speech. The paper details the functional requirements, design and implementation of Tipple. The concept was extensively tested in three field studies.

year: 2013

title: STRATUS: Towards returning data control to cloud users

authors: Ko, Ryan K.L.

subjects: Cloud security

abstract: When we upload or create data into the cloud or the web, we immediately lose control of our data. Most of the time, we will not know where the data will be stored, or how many copies of our files are there. Worse, we are unable to know and stop malicious insiders from accessing the possibly sensitive data. Despite being transferred across and within clouds over encrypted channels, data often has to be decrypted within the database for it to be processed. Exposing the data at some point in the cloud to a few privileged users is undoubtedly a vendor-centric approach, and hinges on the trust relationships data owners have with their cloud service providers. A recent example of the abuse of the trust relationship is the high-profile Edward Snowden case. In this paper, we propose a user-centric approach which returns data control to the data owners – empowering users with data provenance, transparency and auditability, homomorphic encryption, situation awareness, revocation, attribution and data resilience. We also cover key elements of the concept of user data control. Finally, we introduce how we attempt to address these issues via the New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)-funded STRATUS (Security Technologies Returning Accountability, Trust and User-centric Services in the Cloud) research project.

text: STRATUS: Towards returning data control to cloud users When we upload or create data into the cloud or the web, we immediately lose control of our data. Most of the time, we will not know where the data will be stored, or how many copies of our files are there. Worse, we are unable to know and stop malicious insiders from accessing the possibly sensitive data. Despite being transferred across and within clouds over encrypted channels, data often has to be decrypted within the database for it to be processed. Exposing the data at some point in the cloud to a few privileged users is undoubtedly a vendor-centric approach, and hinges on the trust relationships data owners have with their cloud service providers. A recent example of the abuse of the trust relationship is the high-profile Edward Snowden case. In this paper, we propose a user-centric approach which returns data control to the data owners – empowering users with data provenance, transparency and auditability, homomorphic encryption, situation awareness, revocation, attribution and data resilience. We also cover key elements of the concept of user data control. Finally, we introduce how we attempt to address these issues via the New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)-funded STRATUS (Security Technologies Returning Accountability, Trust and User-centric Services in the Cloud) research project.

year: 2015

title: eDNA-based detection of New Zealand freshwater mussel (kākahi) populations using digital PCR

authors: Ferris, Kelsey

subjects: eDNA

abstract: Globally, freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered taxa due to pollution, nutrient loading, habitat fragmentation, and species introduction attributable to anthropogenic activities. New Zealand freshwater mussels (kākahi) are ecological engineers and integral species in freshwater ecosystems. However, kākahi populations are expected to decline 70% by 2024 in part due to their unique reproductive cycle involving an obligatory phoretic relationship with declining native fish. Kākahi distribution and abundance throughout New Zealand is poorly understood due to time-consuming surveying techniques of concealed and morphologically cryptic species. A rapid and reliable method is required for the detection and identification of these ‘Threatened’ kākahi populations for conservation and management. Therefore, this study aimed to i) validate an environmental DNA (eDNA) based detection method for New Zealand freshwater mussels using digital PCR (dPCR); ii) determine the most appropriate sampling season for kākahi eDNA; and iii) determine whether eDNA could be used to detect effects of fish barriers on kākahi distribution.
In vivo trials determined that filtration of field samples within 24 hours of collection minimised eDNA degradation and that prefiltration effectively removed inhibitory detritus and glochidia. The lowest concentration of eDNA which could accurately be detected to infer abundance (≥3.2 copies/µL) or presence (0.32-3.19 copies/µL) of kākahi eDNA was determined.  Duplicate field samples were collected from the Waingaro River and Kahuhuru Stream at sites downstream of fish barriers and upstream of low-flow or all-flow barriers in December, May, and August to investigate spatial and temporal variation in eDNA concentrations. As hypothesised, December was the most effective month to sample, yielding the highest eDNA concentrations due to reduced dilution and heightened water temperatures. Based on eDNA, kākahi species distribution did not appear correlated with fish barriers, but all-flow barriers likely impeded fish host movement to significantly reduce the total kākahi eDNA concentrations found upstream. 
eDNA detection can be used by regional councils to effectively infer presence/absence of kākahi populations and direct further conventional surveying efforts to the most impactful locations. This method allows rapid determination of distribution and densities at a national scale to aid conservation management of this taonga (treasured) species.

text: eDNA-based detection of New Zealand freshwater mussel (kākahi) populations using digital PCR Globally, freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered taxa due to pollution, nutrient loading, habitat fragmentation, and species introduction attributable to anthropogenic activities. New Zealand freshwater mussels (kākahi) are ecological engineers and integral species in freshwater ecosystems. However, kākahi populations are expected to decline 70% by 2024 in part due to their unique reproductive cycle involving an obligatory phoretic relationship with declining native fish. Kākahi distribution and abundance throughout New Zealand is poorly understood due to time-consuming surveying techniques of concealed and morphologically cryptic species. A rapid and reliable method is required for the detection and identification of these ‘Threatened’ kākahi populations for conservation and management. Therefore, this study aimed to i) validate an environmental DNA (eDNA) based detection method for New Zealand freshwater mussels using digital PCR (dPCR); ii) determine the most appropriate sampling season for kākahi eDNA; and iii) determine whether eDNA could be used to detect effects of fish barriers on kākahi distribution.
In vivo trials determined that filtration of field samples within 24 hours of collection minimised eDNA degradation and that prefiltration effectively removed inhibitory detritus and glochidia. The lowest concentration of eDNA which could accurately be detected to infer abundance (≥3.2 copies/µL) or presence (0.32-3.19 copies/µL) of kākahi eDNA was determined.  Duplicate field samples were collected from the Waingaro River and Kahuhuru Stream at sites downstream of fish barriers and upstream of low-flow or all-flow barriers in December, May, and August to investigate spatial and temporal variation in eDNA concentrations. As hypothesised, December was the most effective month to sample, yielding the highest eDNA concentrations due to reduced dilution and heightened water temperatures. Based on eDNA, kākahi species distribution did not appear correlated with fish barriers, but all-flow barriers likely impeded fish host movement to significantly reduce the total kākahi eDNA concentrations found upstream. 
eDNA detection can be used by regional councils to effectively infer presence/absence of kākahi populations and direct further conventional surveying efforts to the most impactful locations. This method allows rapid determination of distribution and densities at a national scale to aid conservation management of this taonga (treasured) species.

year: 2020