Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Mentor Graphics'

Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) is a technique widely used by the defense industry in, for example, electronic countermeasure equipment for generating false radar targets. The purpose of the DRFM technique is to use high-speed sampling to digitally store and recreate radio frequency and microwave signals. At Saab Bofors Dynamics AB the technique is used, among others, in the Electronic Warfare Simulator (ELSI). The DRFM technique is implemented in a full-custom ASIC circuit that has been mounted on circuit boards in ELSI. Today, the progress in the programmable hardware field has made it possible to implement the DRFM design in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The FPGA technology has many advantages over a full custom ASIC design.

Hence, the purpose of this master's thesis has been to develop a new DRFM design that can be implemented in an FPGA, using a hardware description language called VHDL. The method for this master's thesis has been to first establish a time plan and a requirement specification. After that, a design specification has been worked out based on the requirement specification. The two specifications have served as a basis for the development of the DRFM circuit. One of the requirements on the design was that the circuit should be able to communicate through an external Ethernet interface. A part of the work has, thus, been to review available external Ethernet modules on the market. The result is a DRFM design that has been tested through simulations. The tests shows that the design works as described in the design specification.

Syftet med högskoleavhandlingen var att konstruera en klass-D förstärkare för audio med en DDXi-2161 krets från Apogee. Förstärkaren har en digital stereoingång för I²S-format. Digitalisering av en analog audiosignal sker med codec-kretsen WM8731 från Wolfson. För att möjliggöra implementering av funktioner för digital signalbehandling av audiosignalen ingår en FPGA-krets från Altera i systemet. Gränssnitten mellan codec-kretsen och FPGA:n samt FPGA:n och klass-D förstärkaren är beskrivna med VHDL och implementerade i FPGA:n. Klass-D förstärkaren har byggts upp på ett två-lagers mönsterkort. Ett utvecklingskort från ALTERA (DE2) med codec-krets och FPGA har använts. Resultaten visar goda möjligheter att konstruera en klass-D förstärkare med bra ljud och låg effektförbrukning.

In the last three decades we have witnessed a remarkable development in the area of integrated circuits. From small logic devices containing some hundred transistors to modern processors containing several tens of million transistors. However, power consumption has become a real problem and may very well be the limiting factor of future development. Designing for low power is therefore increasingly important. To accomplice an efficient low power design, accurate power estimation at early design stage is essential. The aim of this thesis was to set up a power estimation flow to estimate the power consumption at early design stage. The developed flow spans over both RTL- and gate-level incorporating Mentor Graphics Modelsim (RTL-level simulator), Cadence PKS (gate- level synthesizer) and own developed power estimation tools. The power consumption is calculated based on gate-level physical information and RTL- level toggle information. To achieve high estimation accuracy, real node annotations is used together with an own developed on-chip wire model to estimate node voltage swing.

Since the power estimation may be very time consuming, the flow also includes support for low power design iteration. This gives efficient power estimation speedup when concentrating on smaller sub- parts of the design.

Drawing from developmental and behaviourist perspectives, a theoretical base is described for designing intervention and assessment strategies to teach and monitor picto-graphic symbol use for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These strategies were investigated with students with severe intellectual disability. An intervention strategy was developed that presented symbol use, symbol discrimination and symbol-object relationships as a skill cluster in a functional context. The effects of the intervention were examined through a multiple baseline across settings research design. The study explored the problem of generalisation of symbol use by examining generalisation from use in choice-making to use in labeling, and to symbol comprehension. The results provide a limited validation of naturalistic intervention strategies to teach AAC use to this particular population. They suggest that naturalistic teaching strategies have potential to be used successfully with students from the population of interest to teach both functional use of a communication board displaying picto-graphic symbols and more generalised symbol skills.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A fantasy world, that exists only in our minds, provides us a place where we can mentally escape from everyday reality. Escapism, such as indulging in daydreams, allows us to experience comfort and makes us feel safe, eliminating feelings of insecurity and vulnerability. This study aims to use playfulness and reverie as a tool to access and confront mental discomforts. Transforming disturbing situations into an experience of reverie; a correction of unsatisfying reality, by converting a solid component of the real world into a desirable infinite form will provide alternative viewpoints. Throughout my work, this method has been employed to address personal phobias, violent conflicts, political insecurity, and racial inequality. It is my hope to employ daydreaming as a form of serious play to provide a new way of perceiving unsatisfying reality.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 98 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 75-82).

This thesis explores the process of developing a principled approach for translating a model of mental-health risk expertise into a probabilistic graphical structure. Probabilistic graphical structures can be a combination of graph and probability theory that provide numerous advantages when it comes to the representation of domains involving uncertainty, domains such as the mental health domain. In this thesis the advantages that probabilistic graphical structures offer in representing such domains is built on. The Galatean Risk Screening Tool (GRiST) is a psychological model for mental health risk assessment based on fuzzy sets. In this thesis the knowledge encapsulated in the psychological model was used to develop the structure of the probability graph by exploiting the semantics of the clinical expertise. This thesis describes how a chain graph can be developed from the psychological model to provide a probabilistic evaluation of risk that complements the one generated by GRiST’s clinical expertise by the decomposing of the GRiST knowledge structure in component parts, which were in turned mapped into equivalent probabilistic graphical structures such as Bayesian Belief Nets and Markov Random Fields to produce a composite chain graph that provides a probabilistic classification of risk expertise to complement the expert clinical judgements

L’intégration des technologies numériques au sein de ma pratique artistique précédemment inscrite dans une tradition picturale de type peinture à l’acrylique sur toile a pour vocation d’élargir le champ de cette pratique picturale et ce, par le recours aux procédés de la photographie et de la retouche informatique d’image. Opter pour un travail pictural avec des outils numériques permet de progresser vers une image hybride entre photo et peinture. L’œuvre peut alors juxtaposer des genres et des techniques identifiables : photographie et peinture numérique. C’est ainsi à travers ces différents médiums que j’interroge la forme peinture entre matérialité de la tradition et du métier et l’aspect plus conceptuel de l’image numérique. La peinture et la photographie ont aujourd’hui recours à de nouvelles possibilités grâce au numérique. Ces nouvelles technologies engendrent d’autres gestes ainsi que de nouvelles modalités au niveau de la création plastique. Une nouvelle image apparaît, au croisement de plusieurs niveaux : matériel et mental, visible et invisible. Ainsi le choix de l’ordinateur pour renouveler la pratique picturale et repenser la création, s’est incontestablement révélé plus riche de possibilités que prévu
The integration of digital technologies within my artistic practice previously included in a pictorial tradition of acrylic painting on canvas aims to expand the scope of this picturial practice by using methods of photography on computer-based image editing. Opting for a pictorial work with digital tools makes progress towards an hybrid image between photo and painting. Such work can then juxtapose genres and identifiable techniques : photography and digital painting. Thus through these fifferent mediums, I am questionning painting between the materiality of the tradition and the art from one hand and the more conceptual aspect of the digital image from the other hand. Painting and photography are now benefiting from new advantages gained from digital technologies. Thse new technologies create new actions as well as new arrangements for the plastic creation. A new image is appearing at the intersection of several orientations : mental and material, visible and invisible. Therefore the choice of computers to renew the pictorial practice and rethink creation has undoubtedly revealed richer opportunities than expected

Fotorealistiska 3d-bilder används idag inom ett brett spektrum av branscher. Framställningen av denna typ av grafik kräver ofta väldigt mycket datorkraft. Vid rendering med renderingsmotorer som använder sig av raytracing algoritmer är aliasing ett medfött problem. Lösningen heter anti-aliasing som arbetar för att undvika aliasing artefakter som jagged edges eller Moiré-effekter med mera. En del av anti-aliasingprocessen är supersampling som ofta kräver mycket datorkraft. Att optimera parametrar för supersampling är därför mycket viktigt. Det är möjligt att genom optimering spara väldigt mycket datorkraft och därmed tid. Detta arbete innehåller resultat från experiment där deltagare får bedöma bilder med olika kvalité av anti-aliasing. Resultaten av dessa experiment kan användas som referens vid optimering av renderingsparametrar för anti-aliasing vid rendering med hjälp av Mental Ray.

Orientador: Haroldo Gallo
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T10:22:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ramos_FernandodaSilva_D.pdf: 108739451 bytes, checksum: 0fe74bf691675512a3ed531df19ecf3b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012
Resumo: A geometria tem sido, ao longo da história, disciplina prescritiva de uma extensa série de atividades cientificas e artísticas, e modernamente, sabe se que é fundamento para diversas profissões como arquitetura, design, engenharias, química, física, geologia, astronomia, etc. Apesar da importância reconhecida, seu ensino regular ao longo da vida acadêmica do indivíduo tem passado por muitas transformações (nem sempre para melhor) desde a segunda metade do século XX, e é hoje, assunto complexo e controverso no Brasil e no mundo. Entretanto, parece consensual entre os pesquisadores que a capacidade de visualização - que para a Psicologia Cognitiva, está categorizada entre as habilidades espaciais do indivíduo - pode ser positivamente afetada através do treinamento adequado em geometria. Tal vocação é muitas vezes descrita como seu maior potencial e principal justificativa para seu ensino sistemático. Esta pesquisa descreve um experimento que envolveu um grupo de sessenta alunos de um curso de bacharelado em design, onde procurou se compreender o impacto causado sobre sua capacidade cognitiva de rotação mental, a partir da administração de uma série de conceitos e exercícios relacionados ao tópico das Transformações Isométricas. Os estudantes foram divididos em duas turmas, e receberam instruções distintas em relação ao uso dos meios expressivos. A primeira turma exercitou se utilizando exclusivamente recursos bidimensionais, enquanto a segunda o fez incluindo exercícios com manipulativos físicos tridimensionais. Os desempenhos cognitivo e conceitual foram avaliados através de dois testes respectivamente: O MRT (mental rotation test) e TS (teste de simetria), e os dados analisados estatisticamente. A pesquisa procura assim, evidências que contribuam no sentido de esclarecer algumas das relações possíveis entre tópicos em geometria, cognição e método pedagógico
Abstract: Along history, geometry has been the prescriptive discipline of a large range of scientific and artistic activities. It is known to be the base of several professions such as architecture, design, engineering, chemicals, physics, geology, astronomy, etc. In spite of its acknowledged importance, its regular teaching throughout an individual's academic life has gone through many changes (not always for better) since the second half of the 20th century and it is nowadays a complex and controvert subject in Brazil and worldwide. Nevertheless, researchers seem to agree that the ability of visualizing - which is classified among the individual's spatial skills from the Cognitive Psychology standpoint - might be positively affected by means of appropriate training in geometry. Many times such vocation is described as a major potential and main justification for its systematic teaching. This research outlines an experiment which involved a group of sixty pupils of a design bachelor's program and aims at trying to understand the impact caused on their mental rotation cognitive ability as from the administration of a range of concepts and exercises related to Isometric Transformations. The students were set out into two groups and received different instructions regarding the use of means of expression. The first group performed exercises using uniquely bidimensional resources, while the second group's exercises included as well activities containing 3D physical manipulatives. The cognitive and conceptual performances were evaluated by two tests, respectively, MRT (mental rotation test) and TS (Symmetry Test), and all data were statistically analyzed. This study, thus, seeks for evidences that may contribute to clarify some of the possible relationships between topics in geometry, cognition, and the pedagogical method
Doutorado
Artes Visuais
Doutor em Artes

This study investigated the effects of verbal and graphic feedback alone and in combination with praise on the data-recording behavior of 12 direct care trainers (DCTs) who recorded their reinforcer deliveries as they interacted with mentally retarded clients. An additional variable examined was the effect of time of delivering feedback on subsequent data-recording behavior. Feedback was delivered by the experimenter. Correspondence checks were conducted and a three-phase multiple condition experimental design was used. All feedback conditions produced an observable difference in DCT data-recording behavior. Time of delivery of feedback also appeared to have an effect on the amount of data recorded by DCTs.

Tratamos aqui de um estudo preliminar acerca das gravuras rupestres (petróglifos) situadas no baixo rio Negro, entre os municípios de Novo Airão e Barcelos, Estado do Amazonas. Nesta área foram foto-documentados e geo-referenciados, até o presente, 20 sítios rupestres ribeirinhos, a céu aberto, parcialmente submersos, em afloramentos rochosos areníticos e graníticos contendo gravuras de origem indígena pré-colonial. Estes sítios não apresentam depósitos arqueológicos e, portanto, não podem ser escavados nem inequivocamente associados aos sítios cerâmicos adjacentes na área (o que pecisa ser testado, todavia). Desta maneira, se configuram em variáveis quase isoladas, sem relações diretas com o restante do registro arqueológico regional nem datações de nenhum tipo. Cronologias internas e pontuais de alguns painéis podem, no entanto, ser identificadas sugerindo reuso e reavivamento diacrônico das gravuras. A área amostral apresenta variabilidade geológica (contato do escudo cristalino com bacia sedimentar) e variabilidade hidrográfica (confluência dos rios Negro/Branco/Jauaperi/Unini/Jaú). Propomos que essas características geoambientais podem estar contribuindo para a variabilidade no fenômeno gráfico-rupestre que estamos detectando na área, o que pode indicar diferenças crono-culturais na autoria desses petróglifos. De fato, o conhecimento acerca da conjuntura geológica da área levou-nos à proposição da variabilidade estilística como hipótese preliminar, o que foi confirmado no primeiro contato com essas gravuras e se constitui, portanto, em nosso primeiro resultado de pesquisa concreto, a identificação da variabilidade gráfico-rupestre na área, um quadro marcadamente heterogêneo. Dentre as abordagens teóricas correntes na arqueologia escolhemos utilizar duas delas em conjunto reflexivo. A primeira delas , na primeira parte do texto, se refere ao método formal de estudo de arte rupestre, a partir do qual podemos entender as gravuras rupestres (e pinturas) como sistemas pré-históricos de comunicação visual que funcionariam como linguagens gráfico-simbólicas das comunidades autoras. Nessa perspectiva, seriam passíveis de estudo enquanto uma variável, ou resultante, do comportamento humano no passado inseridas no registro arqueológico, portando características formalmente identificáveis e mensuráveis, estruturadas em perfis gráficos (perfis estilísticos) que, hipotética e simplificadamente, indicariam os perfis sociais dos autores rupestres. Utilizamos aportes da semiótica e da antropologia visual, entre outros, para análise de códigos simbólicos onde se evita a interpretação de significados, apoiando-se exclusivamente na análise formal do significante gráfico baseada nos aspectos materiais, ou seja, aspectos técnicos, morfo-temáticos, cenográficos, tafonômicos e geo-ambientais do grafismo rupestre. A segunda abordagem se traduz por uma tentativa de interpretação de um dos fenômenos gráficos identificados na área, através de associação a um complexo mitoritualístico característico do Alto Rio Negro, denominado genericamente de Jurupari. São identificadas correspondências entre a iconografia deste corpus gráfico e as representações públicas etnografadas relacionadas ao processo ritual e às narrativas míto-cosmológicas respectivas do complexo do Jurupari. Trata-se, pois, de um experimento com o método informado de estudo, em que um conjunto de discursos ameríndios é utilizado na classificação rupestre, neste caso, através, ainda que criticamente, de analogia etnográfica indireta. Se o processo de identificação das formas, desambiguação formal, e classificação (ordenamento de padrões gráfico-espaciais) das diferenças observadas entre formas se convertem na espinha dorsal da pesquisa; a segunda parte se converte numa tentativa de olhar as gravuras pela percepção ameríndia, ainda que indiretamente através de meta-representações etnográficas e testar, em caráter interpretativo, uma correspondência entre fração das gravuras encontradas e mitos e ritos ameríndios, com vistas para além dos modelos formais estilísticos não-indígenas.
This research presents a preliminary study about the petroglyphs from a sample area between Old Ayrão village and Branco river\'s mouth, at the lower Negro river basin, Western Brazilian Amazon. They comprise a corpus of open air and underwater Rock Art sites, fifteen (15) up until now, located on sandstone and granite riverine boulders and outcrops. Given the absence of archaeological stratified deposits, these sites can neither be excavated nor unequivocally related to adjacent ceramic sites in the survey area (which remains a possibility to be tested). Thus, they are bound in contextual isolation, lacking spatial as well as chronological control, remaining as outsiders of the archaeological record. The area presents geological variability (contact between crystalline Guiana shield and Amazon sedimentary basin) as well as hydrographical variability (confluence among Negro, Branco, Jauaperi, Unini and Jaú rivers). We propose that this environmental set contributes to the graphical variability we are detecting inside the rock art corpus (suggesting discrete corpora), which indicates possible chronological and cultural distinctions in the prehistoric authorship of these petroglyphs. Indeed, the preliminary knowledge of the actual geological context of the survey area, as well as its major fluvial confluence, has led us to first postulate the hypothesis of stylistic variability which was confirmed in the first contact with these petroglyphs. This, in fact, constitutes the first concrete result of our research, the identification of a multi-stylistic rock art zone in the Negro\'s basin, which we think is deeply related to the environmental set of the survey area, which in its turn was partially responsible for the establishment of different cultural groups, and the development of different cultural ways of representing the cognizable world (visible and invisible) into discrete strategies of visual thinking on the basin along the Holocene. Among the current approaches to rock art study we have chosen to apply two different but complementary general methods, Formal and Informed, as a dialectical reflexive conjunct. The first part of the text is committed to the formal method. Under this token, we are considering the petroglyphs (and pictographs) like prehistoric systems of visual thinking and communication, quasi-linguistically organized graphic-symbolic codes, of the authors\' communities. Focus on rock art under this scope (as a variable, or resultant, of human past behavior, culturally organized, inserted in the environment - archaeological record) is a profitable strategy in order to identify and measure formal material characteristics of rock art assemblages, which, we believe, can lead to the identification of discrete sets of structured graphical patterns that, hypothetically and simplistically, could be related to the socialcognitive profiles of those communities. So, we are applying a set of theoretical constructs, basically derived from semiotics, visual anthropology and cognitive archaeology, to the analysis of visual symbolic codes, holding our attention on the graphic signifier (the material object) and avoiding the interpretation of specific meanings over the form (guessing signified concepts deriving from iconic resemblances between forms and \"real things\" in the non- Indian archaeologist\'s cosmology). By material signifier in rock art we comprehend those material aspects such like technique, morphology, thematic, syntactical combinations and compositions, taphonomy and other geo-environmental variables. The second approach, informed method, is devoted here to a tentative interpretation of one of the stylistic profiles identified; comparing some of its distinctive iconic patterns to the Upper Negro River Myth- Ritual Complex of Jurupari, devised as a multi-ethnic religious complex that hypothetically pervaded the entire basin during pre-colonial times. We are suggesting by the present evidence that these cultural manifestations (Jurupari and this specific rock art corpus), separated in time-space, could be related to a same system of expressive, ideological and cognitive phenomena in the past, with a specific locational insertion in the surveyed area. So, if identifying forms (formal disambiguation), and classification (ordering of graphic-spatial patterns) of observed differences among forms are converted into the spinal cord of this research, the second part is, nevertheless, equally important in the way it provides a rudimentary tentative of looking to rock art through Amerindian eyes and test the potential of ethnographic meta-representations to illuminate archaeological reasoning about rock art phenomena in the Negro\'s basin. That is, an interpretive approach targeting some sort of explanation beyond the non-indigenous formal stylistic constructs (but, what remains to be tested in the area is the rock art analysis directly through Amerindian prefrontal cortex, a kind of neural-cognitive otherness experiential approach, which would imply, for future experiments, in direct participative observations, possibly involving an Indian specialist and archaeologist\'s Caapi - B. caapi - consumption for perceptual and ontological purification and subsequent observation of petroglyphs and dialogue among them and the rocks).

Virtual Reality is a technology that has long held society's interest, but has only recently began to reach a critical mass of everyday consumers. The idea of modern VR can be traced back decades, but because of the limitations of the technology (both hardware and software), we are only now exploring its potential. At present, VR can be used for tele-surgery, PTSD therapy, social training, professional meetings, conferences, and much more. It is no longer just an expensive gimmick to go on a momentary field trip; it is a tool, and as with the automobile, personal computer, and smartphone, it will only evolve as more and more adopt and utilize it in various ways. It can provide a three dimensional interface where only two dimensions were previously possible. It can allow us to express ourselves to one another in new ways regardless of the distance between individuals. It has astronomical potential, but with this potential we must first understand what makes it adoptable and attractive to the average consumer. The interaction with technology is often times the bottleneck through which the public either adopts or abandons that technology. The goal of this project is to explore user immerision and emotion during a VR experience centered around creating a virtual world. We also aimed to explore if the naturality of the user interface had any effect on user experience. Very limited user testing was available, however a small user group conducted in depth testing and feedback. While our sample size is small, the users were able to test the system and show that there is a positive correlation between influence on the virtual environment and a positive user emotional experience (immersion, empowerment, etc.), along with a few unexpected emotions (anxiety). We present the system developed, the user study, and proposed extensions for fruitful directions for this work by which a future project may continue the study.

Assignment (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, the mental models of the target audience of the FACT web site (official Stellenbosch University HIV/Aids web site) were investigated and compared with the structure of the web site (representing the mental model of the expert). The target audience were divided into six groups representing three different race groups (white, coloured and black) and the two sexes (male and female).

I denna uppsats undersöks och analyseras nio Instagraminlägg på temat välmående utifrån teorin om visuell perception och visuellt berättande. Syftet är att undersöka hur företag, med Instagraminlägg på temat välmående, kan ge personer verktyg att förbättra sitt eget välmående. Frågeställningen som uppsatsen söker svar på är; Hur kan Instagraminlägg på temat välmående användas för att påverka känslor och upplevelser positivt i stunden? En kvalitativ fokusgruppsintervju används för att undersöka fyra individers upplevelser och känslor kring inläggen. Resultatet av undersökningen visar att ansiktsuttryck är ett bra medel för att få deltagarna att reflektera över sitt eget mående. När ansiktsuttrycken inte passar ihop med text och sammanhang upplevs inlägget som förvirrande även om färgerna i sig kändes lugnande eller upplyftande. Till vidare forskning hade det därför varit intressant att undersöka mer kring hur och varför ansiktsuttryck påverkar välmåendet.

Il est communément admis que les figures améliorent la compréhension et la mémorisation de textes. Cependant, les processus cognitifs sous-jacents à ce phénomène sont encore peu connus. L'objectif de cette thèse est d'étudier les processus cognitifs intervenant dans le traitement des complexes texte-figure par le biais de l'étude de l'influence de facteurs de présentation spatiaux et temporels. Pour la première étude, nous avons mené trois expériences pour comparer trois formats de présentation sur ordinateur: une présentation conventionnelle, ou textes et figures sont présentes sur des portions séparées de l'écran, une présentation intégrée, ou chaque texte est proche de l'élément graphique auquel il réfère, et une présentation escamoté, ou les textes sont intègres a la figure dans des champs escamotables qui n'apparaissent que sous l'action de l'utilisateur. Globalement, les formats intègre et surtout escamoté ont amené de meilleures performances pour des temps d'apprentissage identiques. Une seconde série d'expériences s'est focalisée sur le rôle de la construction progressive (appelée présentation séquentielle) d'une figure ou d'un document texte-figure sur sa représentation en mémoire. Trois expériences ont été menées pour comparer plusieurs critères de présentation séquentielle (hiérarchique vs. Pas à pas, critère spatial ou procédural vs. Fonctionnel,). Deux résultats majeurs se dégagent: d'une part, l'ordre de rappel des éléments ainsi que leur regroupement est influence par la présentation séquentielle, non seulement dans les dessins mais aussi les descriptions ; d'autre part, l'effet de la présentation séquentielle agit aussi dans des taches nécessitant la mise en œuvre de la représentation (reconnaissance de parties, résolution d'inférences). A partir de ces résultats, nous proposons un modelé de représentation mentale des informations textuelles et graphiques en coréférence

Through research, inquiry, and an evaluation of Recovery By Design, a ‘design therapy’ program that serves people with mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities, it is my assertion that the practice of design has therapeutic potential and can aid in the process of recovery. To the novice, the practices of conception, shaping form, and praxis have empowering benefit especially when guided by Conditional and Transformation Design methods together with an emphasis on materiality and vernacular form.

Mirrors and Vanities is a multi-modal collection which showcases the diversity of working in long and short storytelling forms. Featured in this thesis are fiction, nonfiction, graphic narrative, and screenplay. Using unconventional approaches to storytelling in order to achieve emotional resonance with the audience while maintaining high standards for craft, these stories and essays explore the costs inherent to the subtle nuances of interpersonal relationships. The fiction focuses on the complications of characters keeping secrets. A husband discovers the truth behind his wife's miscarriage. A girl visits her fiance in purgatory. A boy crosses a line and loses his best friend. Meanwhile, the nonfiction centers on self-discovery and gender roles associated with power struggles. A schizophrenic threatens to ruin my mother's wedding. I rediscover my relationship with my father through food writing. Sword-work teaches me to fail and succeed at making martial art. The title work of the thesis is a collaged story highlighting the tribulations of a physicist fixated on recovering his lost love by manipulating the multiverse. The multi-modal format implicates the nebulosity of physics theories and how different aspects of the narrative can be presented in various formats to best suit the nature of the storytelling. Through the interactions of characters in mundane and extraordinary circumstances, the works in this thesis examine the consequences of choice, the contrast between reality and expectation, coming of age, and the Truth of narrative.
M.F.A.
Masters
English
Arts and Humanities
Creative Writing

博士
高雄師範大學
工業科技教育學系
100
This study adopts graphics fundamentals to extend the application of the original mental rotation theories in plane and depth axis. Mental rotation is an important instrument to measure human subjects portraying real objects rotating to different orientations, the linear relations between all variables can be found from behavior data. However, current mental rotation appears to have some problems. For example, it has to consider diverse forms of pictures, including unidentifiable perspective, unidentifiable projection way, unidentifiable axis, gray level, shadow implication, etc. There is no standardized coordinates system that is able to quantize and portray spatial orientations of graphs. Instruments of measuring human subjects’ spatial capability are made, but their spatial orientations of graphic appearances contain some unclear disputes. This study aims at combining graphic fundamentals to solve the problems addressed above. The graphic appearance of mental rotation is redrawn by graphic projection, and its rotation direction follows the spatial dimension of the coordinates system. Experiments are employed to examine the process. Data collected from each experimental are analyzed with statistic approaches. The results are presented as the following: 1. In this study, through literatures collection and analysis that based on the fundamentals of graphics, summarized eight rules, by solve problem for the image of the graphics representation of the mental rotation. 2. Combination the rules and application of computer-aided drawing of CAD tools, according to developing the mental rotation library of different spatial dimensions. 3. The experiment confirmed in a two-dimensional plane, the degree variable of mental rotation has a positive association with the reaction time, in which a linear function is significant. In a two-dimensional plane, the degree variable of mental rotation has a negative association with the accuracy rate. When rotation degrees are higher, accuracy rates are lower. This could be a crucial factor for gauging the subjects’ mental rotation ability about a plane axis. 4. The experiment confirmed in a three-dimensional plane, the degree variable of all-axis of mental rotation has a positive association with the reaction time, in which a linear function is significant. In a three-dimensional plane, the degree variable of all-axis of mental rotation has a negative association with the accuracy rates. When rotation degrees are higher, the accuracy rates are lower. This could be a crucial factor for gauging the subjects’ mental rotation ability about a depth axis. 5. In a two-dimensional plane, the dependent variables of mental rotation, including the test of gender differences in reaction time and accuracy rate, do not have significant outcomes. In a three-dimensional plane, the dependent variables of all-axis of mental rotation, including the test of gender differences in reaction time, do not have significant outcomes. 6. In a two-dimensional plane, the degree variable of all-axis of mental rotation has a positive association with the reaction time, in which a linear function is significant. 7. In all three-dimensional plane, the degree variable of all-axis of mental rotation has a positive association with the reaction time, in which a linear function is significant. Like two-dimensional plane this is consistent with the study of Shepard et al. 8. In a three-dimensional plane, the dependent variables of Y-axis of mental rotation, the test of gender differences in accuracy rates is significant: that of the boys’ is higher than that of the girls. This is different from the outcomes of other experimental steps. 9. The EEG data of event-related potentials that by analysis and comparison of quantitative, this study found that different gender during the three-dimensional plane, the degree variable of Y-axis of mental rotation operation process, the brain activation regions have lateralization of gender. Girls during the three-dimensional plane, the degree variable of Y-axis of mental rotation operation process, its main focus on the regional activation of left frontal lobe of the brain. Boys during mental rotation operation process of Y-axis, the main active region was at the brain's left parietal lobe.

The thesis reviews the literature on early communication development, communication intervention with persons with severe intellectual disability, and on picture recognition and use. Drawing from both developmental and behaviourist perspectives, a theoretical base is described for designing intervention and assessment strategies to teach and monitor picto-graphic symbol use for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These strategies were investigated with students with severe intellectual disability, little or no spoken language, poor verbal comprehension and poor picture recognition skills.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The nursing team in a mental health care facility is a known dynamic at every hospital, rehabilitation centre and out-patient unit which enables these units to be functional. Currently nursing teams function in a challenged environment in mental health care facilities. The National Department of Health in South Africa states that one of the priority areas in the core standards of health care is to improve values and attitudes of health care professionals. One of the ways to accomplish this is that leaders at all levels should be positive role models to staff to encourage a culture of caring and positive attitudes that supports service delivery. However, mental health care in practice is in contradiction to this ideology of how mental health should function. In reality, regular involuntary treatment, minimal patient contact with therapists, negative attitudes, pressure of beds not being available as well as regular seclusions due to unmanageable situations are experienced in practice. The aim of this study is to explore and describe the role of the nursing unit manager to improve nursing teamwork in a mental health care facility in Gauteng in order to improve the quality of health care. A qualitative, explorative, interpretive descriptive and contextual design was selected to address the research question at hand. Non-probability, purposive sampling was used. A focus group discussion was held (n=8) and graphic team sculptings were done with each participant (n=9). The state of the current nursing team was described and explored as well as the practical intervention aimed at improving nursing teamwork. Data of the focus group was analysed using content analysis. Graphic team sculptings were analysed by interpretation analysis. The results of this research study indicated that nursing teamwork is influenced by various factors that can be categorized as organisational-, unit specific- and unit manager specific factors. There might be a negative organisational culture and negative attitudes of team members. There is uncertainty in the hierarchy structures, below the unit manager that causes power struggles, this has an effect on the responsibility and accountability in the absence of the unit manager. Individual team member’s needs constant supervision and direction to complete their daily tasks. The unit managers feel like there is poor support from top management. The general ward assistants and administrative clerks is seen as part of the team, although they are not directly involved with patient care, they contribute to the teams functioning. Mental health care facilities are overcrowded and this increases the workload of the nursing team. Trust and cohesion within the teams is low with poor communication between team members due to clique formation. The unit manager plays a vital role through leadership, collaboration, fair delegation and guidance. Individualism and diversity should be embraced. The unit managers acts as a role model and leader that bring the teams together and solve problems, facilitates effective communication and involves all the team members in decision making.
MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

碩士
國立臺北教育大學
特殊教育學系碩士班
94
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the “3D Graphic-based Virtual Reality” on the improvement of walking skill to school for elementary school students with moderate and severe mental retardation. Single-subject experimental design with changing criterion design was used to evaluate the effectiveness.”3D Graphic-based Virtual Reality” is an independent variable and the “walking skills to school” are dependent variables. Two students with moderate and severe mental retardation were monitored, which their grade were ranged from four to six. During this experiment, each student received individual teaching. Every teaching class consisted of an indoor desktop learning and an outdoor practice at their commute routes. The teaching continued until students became skilled, which took about four to five weeks. The students received additional three other learning reservation tests after the experiment. These were to assure their learning reservation outcome. All data were videotaped, and were analyzed by using visual inspection techniques. The effects of other observation data as well as the social validity of the interview data were also analyzed. The results of this study included: 1. After teaching, two students did improve their walking skills to school. This implied that virtual experience could be successfully transferred, and applied to real environment, and the effectiveness of “3D Graphic-based Virtual Reality〞learning was positve. 2. The commute time to school of monitored students was gradually reduced even after this experiment. This confirms the walking skill has been improved. 3. The feedback from teachers and parents of monitored students on the “3D Graphic-based Virtual Reality〞learning were positive. Instead of outdoor learning, “3D Graphic-based Virtual Reality〞learning brought students more safety, and indoor learning made them more focused. As a result, monitored students improved their walking skills. In addition to the discussions of above-mentioned results, suggestions on the teaching contents and directions of future studies of students with mental retardation were proposed in this study.

La stratégie de la tectonique moléculaire a montré durant ces dernières années son utilité dans la construction de nouveaux matériaux. Elle repose sur l’auto-assemblage spontané de molécule dite intelligente appelée tecton. Ces molécules possèdent l’habilité de se reconnaitre entre elles en utilisant diverses interactions intermoléculaires. L'assemblage résultant peut donner lieu à des matériaux moléculaires avec une organisation prévisible. Cette stratégie exige la création de nouveaux tectons, qui sont parfois difficiles à synthétiser et nécessitent dans la plupart des cas de nombreuses étapes de synthèse, ce qui empêche ou limite leur mise en application pratique. De plus, une fois formées, les liaisons unissant le corps central du tecton avec ces groupements de reconnaissance moléculaire ne peuvent plus être rompues, ce qui ne permet pas de remodeler le tecton par une procédure synthétique simple. Afin de contourner ces obstacles, nous proposons d’utiliser une stratégie hybride qui se sert de la coordination métallique pour construire le corps central du tecton, combinée avec l'utilisation des interactions plus faibles pour contrôler l'association. Nous appelons une telle entité métallotecton du fait de la présence du métal. Pour explorer cette stratégie, nous avons construit une série de ligands ditopiques comportant soit une pyridine, une bipyridine ou une phénantroline pour favoriser la coordination métallique, substitués avec des groupements diaminotriazinyles (DAT) pour permettre aux complexes de s'associer par la formation de ponts hydrogène. En plus de la possibilité de créer des métallotectons par coordination, ces ligands ditopiques ont un intérêt intrinsèque en chimie supramoléculaire en tant qu'entités pouvant s'associer en 3D et en 2D. En parallèle à notre étude de la chimie de coordination, nous avons ii examiné l'association des ligands, ainsi que celle des analogues, par la diffraction des rayons-X (XRD) et par la microscopie de balayage à effet tunnel (STM). L'adsorption de ces molécules sur la surface de graphite à l’interface liquide-solide donne lieu à la formation de différents réseaux 2D par un phénomène de nanopatterning. Pour comprendre les détails de l'adsorption moléculaire, nous avons systématiquement comparé l’organisation observée en 2D par STM avec celle favorisée dans les structures 3D déterminées par XRD. Nous avons également simulé l'adsorption par des calculs théoriques. Cette approche intégrée est indispensable pour bien caractériser l’organisation moléculaire en 2D et pour bien comprendre l'origine des préférences observées. Ces études des ligands eux-mêmes pourront donc servir de référence lorsque nous étudierons l'association des métallotectons dérivés des ligands par coordination. Notre travail a démontré que la stratégie combinant la chimie de coordination et la reconnaissance moléculaire est une méthode de construction rapide et efficace pour créer des réseaux supramoléculaires. Nous avons vérifié que la stratégie de la tectonique moléculaire est également efficace pour diriger l'organisation en 3D et en 2D, qui montre souvent une homologie importante. Nous avons trouvé que nos ligands hétérocycliques ont une aptitude inattendue à s’adsorber fortement sur la surface de graphite, créant ainsi des réseaux organisés à l'échelle du nanomètre. L’ensemble de ces résultats promet d’offrir des applications dans plusieurs domaines, dont la catalyse hétérogène et la nanotechnologie. Mots clés : tectonique moléculaire, interactions intermoléculaires, stratégie hybride, coordination métallique, diffraction des rayons-X, microscopie de balayage à effet tunnel, graphite, phénomène de nanopatterning, calculs théoriques, ponts hydrogène, chimie supramoléculaire, ligands hétérocycliques, groupements DAT, catalyse hétérogène, nanotechnologie.
In recent years, molecular tectonics has been a useful strategy in the construction of new materials. It relies on the spontaneous self-assembly of molecules called tectons. These molecules have the ability to recognize themselves using various intermolecular interactions. The resulting assembly can produce molecular materials with predictable organization. This strategy requires the creation of new tectons, which are sometimes difficult to synthesize and require in most cases many synthetic steps, which prevents or limits their practical application. Moreover, once formed, the bonds joining the central core of the tecton with the groups used for molecular recognition cannot be broken, which means that it is not possible to recycle or reform the tecton by simple synthetic procedures. To avoid these obstacles, we propose to use a hybrid strategy that uses metal coordination to build the central core of the tecton, combined with the use of weaker interactions to control the association. We call such entities metallotectons due to the presence of metal. To explore this strategy, we constructed a series of ditopic ligands containing either pyridine, bipyridine or phenanthroline to promote metal coordination, substituted with diaminotriazinyl groups (DAT) to allow inter-complex association by the formation of hydrogen bonds. In addition to the possibility of creating metallotectons by coordination, these ditopic ligands have an intrinsic interest in supramolecular chemistry as entities that can associate in 3D and 2D. In parallel to our study of coordination chemistry, we examined the association of ligands by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The adsorption of these molecules on the graphite surface at the liquid-solid interface results in the formation of different networks through a process of 2D nanopatterning. To understand the details of iv molecular adsorption, we systematically compared the 2D organization observed STM with the 3D structures determined by XRD. We also simulated the adsorption by theoretical calculations. This integrated approach is essential to characterize the molecular organization in 2D and to understand the origin of the observed preferences. These studies of the ligands themselves may therefore serve as a reference when we study the association of metallotectons derived by ligands coordination. Our work demonstrates that the strategy combining coordination chemistry and molecular recognition is a rapid and an efficient method to create supramolecular networks. We verified that the strategy of molecular tectonics is also effective in leading the organization in 3D and 2D, which often shows a significant homology. We found that our heterocyclic ligands have unexpected ability to adsorb strongly on the graphite surface, creating networks organize in nanoscale. Together, these results provide promising applications in several fields, including heterogeneous catalysis and nanotechnology. Keywords : molecular tectonics, intermolecular interactions, hybrid strategy, metal coordination, X-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, graphite, nanopatterning phenomenon, theoretical calculations, hydrogen bonds, supramolecular chemistry, ligands, DAT groups, heterogeneous catalysis, nanotechnology.