title: Adaptive feature thresholding for off-line signature verification

authors: Larkins, Robert L.

subjects: computer science

abstract: This paper introduces Adaptive Feature Thresholding (AFT) which is a novel method of person-dependent off-line signature verification. AFT enhances how a simple image feature of a signature is converted to a binary feature vector by significantly improving its representation in relation to the training signatures. The similarity between signatures is then easily computed from their corresponding binary feature vectors. AFT was tested on the CEDAR and GPDS benchmark datasets, with classification using either a manual or an automatic variant. On the CEDAR dataset we achieved a classification accuracy of 92% for manual and 90% for automatic, while on the GPDS dataset we achieved over 87% and 85% respectively. For both datasets AFT is less complex and requires fewer images features than the existing state of the art methods, while achieving competitive results.

text: Adaptive feature thresholding for off-line signature verification This paper introduces Adaptive Feature Thresholding (AFT) which is a novel method of person-dependent off-line signature verification. AFT enhances how a simple image feature of a signature is converted to a binary feature vector by significantly improving its representation in relation to the training signatures. The similarity between signatures is then easily computed from their corresponding binary feature vectors. AFT was tested on the CEDAR and GPDS benchmark datasets, with classification using either a manual or an automatic variant. On the CEDAR dataset we achieved a classification accuracy of 92% for manual and 90% for automatic, while on the GPDS dataset we achieved over 87% and 85% respectively. For both datasets AFT is less complex and requires fewer images features than the existing state of the art methods, while achieving competitive results.

year: 2008

title: Dispersal and mixing of stormwater run-off plumes in the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand

authors: Brunschwiler, Nadine Ramona

subjects: plume

abstract: Buoyancy differences between two water bodies can often dominate flows such as stormwater discharge or river plumes in the coastal environment.  The buoyancy difference usually arises due to differences in salinity, temperature and suspended solids. These flows form plumes or ‘gravity currents’, which can also transport pollutants and nutrients around in the receiving water body. The plume consists of a bulbous head, a mixing region on the tail, and billows behind the head. The form of the head and the plume water properties dictate what kinds of instabilities develop, which in turn influence the degree and manner of mixing that occurs. Additionally, the mixing depends on the local hydrodynamics of the receiving water body. 
I report observations of the dynamics of a stormwater run-off plume in a strongly tidal estuary, with particular emphasis on investigation of dispersion and dilution processes. The field site for my thesis research is the barrier-enclosed basin of Tauranga Harbour adjacent to the Port of Tauranga wharf in Mount Maunganui. The Port of Tauranga is the largest timber export port in New Zealand. The area has about 20 storm water runoff pipes that discharge into the main tidal channel of the estuary. The log handling produces bark leachates and resin acids, which get discharged during and after rain events. The leachate is responsible for a serious discolouration of the water. 
Several surveys were undertaken during rain events to measure plume characteristics and these are compared with a similar undertaken during dry conditions. Based on these measurements and visual observations, the plume was estimated to disperse within around four hours as the freshwater was dispersed into a relatively strong tidal flow (maximum speeds of 0.7 m/s). Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler data and conductivity-temperature-depth data indicated that the maximum across-channel extent of the plume was around 120 m and the maximum along channel extent was around 200 m (for the conditions observed). The plume stability decreases with distance from the source. The plume can be classified as a free buoyant jet or upstream intruding plume.
This study will provide inputs into the toxicity assessment of the storm runoff, which will be investigated in a separate project using caged arrays of filter-feeding bivalves to determine the cumulative effects of resin acids and leachates on mussels.

text: Dispersal and mixing of stormwater run-off plumes in the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand Buoyancy differences between two water bodies can often dominate flows such as stormwater discharge or river plumes in the coastal environment.  The buoyancy difference usually arises due to differences in salinity, temperature and suspended solids. These flows form plumes or ‘gravity currents’, which can also transport pollutants and nutrients around in the receiving water body. The plume consists of a bulbous head, a mixing region on the tail, and billows behind the head. The form of the head and the plume water properties dictate what kinds of instabilities develop, which in turn influence the degree and manner of mixing that occurs. Additionally, the mixing depends on the local hydrodynamics of the receiving water body. 
I report observations of the dynamics of a stormwater run-off plume in a strongly tidal estuary, with particular emphasis on investigation of dispersion and dilution processes. The field site for my thesis research is the barrier-enclosed basin of Tauranga Harbour adjacent to the Port of Tauranga wharf in Mount Maunganui. The Port of Tauranga is the largest timber export port in New Zealand. The area has about 20 storm water runoff pipes that discharge into the main tidal channel of the estuary. The log handling produces bark leachates and resin acids, which get discharged during and after rain events. The leachate is responsible for a serious discolouration of the water. 
Several surveys were undertaken during rain events to measure plume characteristics and these are compared with a similar undertaken during dry conditions. Based on these measurements and visual observations, the plume was estimated to disperse within around four hours as the freshwater was dispersed into a relatively strong tidal flow (maximum speeds of 0.7 m/s). Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler data and conductivity-temperature-depth data indicated that the maximum across-channel extent of the plume was around 120 m and the maximum along channel extent was around 200 m (for the conditions observed). The plume stability decreases with distance from the source. The plume can be classified as a free buoyant jet or upstream intruding plume.
This study will provide inputs into the toxicity assessment of the storm runoff, which will be investigated in a separate project using caged arrays of filter-feeding bivalves to determine the cumulative effects of resin acids and leachates on mussels.

year: 2015

title: ‘Doctoring’ our own: Confessions of a Māori doctoral supervisor

authors: Hohepa, Margie Kahukura

subjects: Māori doctoral student

abstract: There is very little literature, empirically based or otherwise, on the supervision of Māori doctoral students (Fitzgerald, 2005; Pope, 2008; Kidman, 2007; Smith, 2007). There is even less relating to Māori supervisors working with Māori doctoral students (Kidinan, 2007), let alone Māori supervisors working with non- Māori students. While the relatively large corpus of literature on doctoral supervision may be of some assistance to Māori supervisors, there is also a dearth of studies that focus on the pedagogical aspects. Research undertaken by Elizabeth McKinley and her co-researchers (McKinley, Grant, Middleton, Irwin & Williams, 2009) will now help to fill the literature gap on the teaching and learning process of supervision as it pertains to Māori.

text: ‘Doctoring’ our own: Confessions of a Māori doctoral supervisor There is very little literature, empirically based or otherwise, on the supervision of Māori doctoral students (Fitzgerald, 2005; Pope, 2008; Kidman, 2007; Smith, 2007). There is even less relating to Māori supervisors working with Māori doctoral students (Kidinan, 2007), let alone Māori supervisors working with non- Māori students. While the relatively large corpus of literature on doctoral supervision may be of some assistance to Māori supervisors, there is also a dearth of studies that focus on the pedagogical aspects. Research undertaken by Elizabeth McKinley and her co-researchers (McKinley, Grant, Middleton, Irwin & Williams, 2009) will now help to fill the literature gap on the teaching and learning process of supervision as it pertains to Māori.

year: 2010