title: Workload categorization for hazardous industries: the semantic modelling of multi-modal physiological data

authors: König, Jemma Lynette

subjects: complex event processing

abstract: The forestry industry is one of the most hazardous industries in New Zealand, and the physical and cognitive fatigue of forestry workers has been shown to contribute to this. Physical and cognitive fatigue can be exacerbated by prolonged physical and cognitive workload. As such, we propose that the identification and mitigation of fatigue factors could reduce the risk of incidents and injuries in hazardous work environments. This paper introduces a semantic model for workload categorization. The model takes as input a set of multi-modal physiological measurements and uses parallel processing, complex event processing, and rule-based modeling to categorize a series of workloads (resting, cognitive workload, and physical workload). The model has undergone a set of evaluations, including categorization accuracy and performance. The model has been tested under three scenarios: when a participant is resting and refraining from any physically or mentally demanding tasks; when a participant is undertaking a cognitively intensive task; and when a participant is walking, jogging, and running. The study has been conducted with participants between the ages of 22 and 39 and has shown an average accuracy of 89% for resting workload, 76% for cognitive workload, and 97% for physical workload. Finally, in this paper, we discuss the application and extension of this model to predict fatigue in hazardous industries. The work described in this paper contributes to a larger research project centered on investigating technology uses in hazardous work environments.

text: Workload categorization for hazardous industries: the semantic modelling of multi-modal physiological data The forestry industry is one of the most hazardous industries in New Zealand, and the physical and cognitive fatigue of forestry workers has been shown to contribute to this. Physical and cognitive fatigue can be exacerbated by prolonged physical and cognitive workload. As such, we propose that the identification and mitigation of fatigue factors could reduce the risk of incidents and injuries in hazardous work environments. This paper introduces a semantic model for workload categorization. The model takes as input a set of multi-modal physiological measurements and uses parallel processing, complex event processing, and rule-based modeling to categorize a series of workloads (resting, cognitive workload, and physical workload). The model has undergone a set of evaluations, including categorization accuracy and performance. The model has been tested under three scenarios: when a participant is resting and refraining from any physically or mentally demanding tasks; when a participant is undertaking a cognitively intensive task; and when a participant is walking, jogging, and running. The study has been conducted with participants between the ages of 22 and 39 and has shown an average accuracy of 89% for resting workload, 76% for cognitive workload, and 97% for physical workload. Finally, in this paper, we discuss the application and extension of this model to predict fatigue in hazardous industries. The work described in this paper contributes to a larger research project centered on investigating technology uses in hazardous work environments.

year: 2022-04

title: Using acoustic backscatter data to provide estimates of profiles of suspended sediment concentrations for cohesive particles in the field

authors: Redder, Isabella Julie

subjects: Acoustic backscatter

abstract: Many estuaries and rivers in New Zealand and other locations worldwide are stressed by the input of fine (muddy) sediments. Suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) are often used as a key indicator of water quality and are a critical variable in management practices to aid in the health of estuarine habitats. However, robust measurements of SSC are difficult to obtain, owing in part to large gradients in conditions, and the process of ‘flocculation’ or aggregation of fine particles. Amongst the range of measurement tools available, acoustic backscatter (ABS) sensors offer significant potential to provide temporally and spatially well resolved profiles of SSC from the field. The process of ‘inversion’ or converting the acoustic backscatter signal into SSC is effective when all terms are known within the theoretical context. However, the challenge facing the use of ABS technology in the field, is the scattering properties, the form function f∞ and the total scattering cross-section Σₛ, of cohesive particles typical in estuarine environments, are unknown.

For this study, a unique laboratory calibration combined with ABS field data from a mudflat, were used to investigate if a pair of f∞ and Σₛ values could be evaluated for finer grain, mud material as opposed to sand particles. The derived f∞ and Σₛ values appeared to be influenced by other physical controls from the field environment and were sensitive to several assumptions made in the inversion equation. Nonetheless, the acoustic data yielded reasonable estimates of SSC in a field setting, when compared to discrete single-point measurements of SSC obtained from a calibrated optical backscatter sensor. However, there were also times when the inversion methodology did not work well (particularly for acoustic transducers with lower frequencies). Moreover, inversion results were better when using time-varying values for f∞ and Σₛ, the inversion procedure implemented with a universal set parameters did not perform as well. These results imply more research is needed in gathering better descriptions of the f∞ and Σₛ values from multiple ABS frequencies, to improve inversion SSC results from the field.

text: Using acoustic backscatter data to provide estimates of profiles of suspended sediment concentrations for cohesive particles in the field Many estuaries and rivers in New Zealand and other locations worldwide are stressed by the input of fine (muddy) sediments. Suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) are often used as a key indicator of water quality and are a critical variable in management practices to aid in the health of estuarine habitats. However, robust measurements of SSC are difficult to obtain, owing in part to large gradients in conditions, and the process of ‘flocculation’ or aggregation of fine particles. Amongst the range of measurement tools available, acoustic backscatter (ABS) sensors offer significant potential to provide temporally and spatially well resolved profiles of SSC from the field. The process of ‘inversion’ or converting the acoustic backscatter signal into SSC is effective when all terms are known within the theoretical context. However, the challenge facing the use of ABS technology in the field, is the scattering properties, the form function f∞ and the total scattering cross-section Σₛ, of cohesive particles typical in estuarine environments, are unknown.

For this study, a unique laboratory calibration combined with ABS field data from a mudflat, were used to investigate if a pair of f∞ and Σₛ values could be evaluated for finer grain, mud material as opposed to sand particles. The derived f∞ and Σₛ values appeared to be influenced by other physical controls from the field environment and were sensitive to several assumptions made in the inversion equation. Nonetheless, the acoustic data yielded reasonable estimates of SSC in a field setting, when compared to discrete single-point measurements of SSC obtained from a calibrated optical backscatter sensor. However, there were also times when the inversion methodology did not work well (particularly for acoustic transducers with lower frequencies). Moreover, inversion results were better when using time-varying values for f∞ and Σₛ, the inversion procedure implemented with a universal set parameters did not perform as well. These results imply more research is needed in gathering better descriptions of the f∞ and Σₛ values from multiple ABS frequencies, to improve inversion SSC results from the field.

year: 2023

title: Worlded object and its presentation: A Māori philosophy of language

authors: Mika, Carl Te Hira

abstract: In an era concerned with the survival of Indigenous languages, language as a general phenomenon needs to be thought of as thoroughly connected to one’s worldview. In this article, I propose a different conception of language that sides more with what I call ‘the worlding of things’ than linguistics. To foreshadow my speculations on language, I consider the possibility that, within the representation of one entity in perception, there exist all other entities. An entity is hence ‘worlded’—a key aspect of the term ‘whakapapa’. I then turn to think about language as a general phenomenon for Mäori, and its complex ability to world an entity even as it adumbrates that thing’s backdrop. I consider the verb ‘to be’ in that light, arguing that Mäori identify language as a sort of gathering of entities rather than an instrument for singling out one thing as thoroughly and separably evident. This article is therefore as much about the full participation of the world as it is about language; it also aims to counter the belief that language is merely a conveyor of ideas.

text: Worlded object and its presentation: A Māori philosophy of language In an era concerned with the survival of Indigenous languages, language as a general phenomenon needs to be thought of as thoroughly connected to one’s worldview. In this article, I propose a different conception of language that sides more with what I call ‘the worlding of things’ than linguistics. To foreshadow my speculations on language, I consider the possibility that, within the representation of one entity in perception, there exist all other entities. An entity is hence ‘worlded’—a key aspect of the term ‘whakapapa’. I then turn to think about language as a general phenomenon for Mäori, and its complex ability to world an entity even as it adumbrates that thing’s backdrop. I consider the verb ‘to be’ in that light, arguing that Mäori identify language as a sort of gathering of entities rather than an instrument for singling out one thing as thoroughly and separably evident. This article is therefore as much about the full participation of the world as it is about language; it also aims to counter the belief that language is merely a conveyor of ideas.

year: 2016