Academic literature on the topic '089999 Information and Computing Sciences not elsewhere classified'

The is a general consensus that the Quality of Service (QoS) of Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is of growing importance for research and study. In this dissertation we investigate the performance of VOIP and the impact of resource limitations in the performance of Access Networks. The impact of VOIP performance in access networks is particularly important in regions where Internet resources are limited and the cost of improving these resources is prohibitive. It is clear that perceived VOIP performance, as measured by mean opinion score in experiments where subjects are asked to rate communication quality, is determined by end to end delay on the communication path, delay variation, packet loss, echo, the coding algorithm in use and noise. These performance indicators can be measured and the contribution in the access network can be estimated. The relation between MOS and technical measurement is less well understood. We investigate the contribution of the access network to the overall performance of VOIP services and the ways in which access networks can be designed to improve VOIP performance. Issues of interest include the choice of coding rate, dynamic variation of coding rate, packet length, methods of controlling echo, and the use of Active Queue Management (AQM) in Access Network routers. Methods for analyzing the impact of the access network on VOIP performance will be surveyed and reviewed. Also, we consider some approaches for improving performance of VOIP by doing some experiment using NS2 simulation software with a view to gaining a better understanding of the design of access networks.

Talking to a computer is hard. Large vocabulary automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems are difficult to use and yet they are used by many people in their daily work. This thesis addresses the question: How is ASR used and made usable and useful in the workplace now? To answer these questions I went into two workplaces where ASR is currently used and one where ASR could be used in the future. This field work was done with designing in mind. ASR dictation systems are currently used in the Australian Public Service (APS) by people who suffer chronic workplace overuse injuries and in the Hansard department of Parliament House (Hansard) by un-injured people. Analysing the experiences of the users in the APS and at Hansard showed that using an ASR system in the workplace follows a broad trajectory that ends in the continued effort to maintain its usefulness. The usefulness of the ASR systems is "performed into existence" by the users with varying degrees of success. For both the APS and Hansard users, they use ASR to allow work to be performed; ASR acts to bridge the gap between otherwise incompatible ways of working. This thesis also asks: How could ASR be used and made usable and useful in workplaces in the future? To answer this question, I observed the work of communicating sentences at the ACT Magistrates Court. Communicating sentences is a process that is distributed in space and time throughout the Court and embodied in a set of documents that have a co-ordinating role. A design for an ASR system that supports the process of communicating sentences while respecting existing work process is described. Moving from field work to design is problematic. This thesis performs the process of moving from field work to design, as described above, and reflects the use of various analytic methods used to distill insights from field work data. The contributions of this thesis are: * The pragmatic use of existing social research methods and their antecedents as a corpus of analyses to inspire new designs; * a demonstration of the use of Actor-Network Theory in design both as critique and as part of a design process; * empirical field-work evidence of how large vocabulary ASR is used in the workplace; * a design showing how ASR could be introduced to the rich, complicated, environment of the ACT Magistrates Court; and, * a performance of the process of moving from field work to design.

Of all of the desktop software available, that for the implementation of a database is some of the most complex. With the increasing number of computer users having access to this sophisticated software, but with no obvious way to learn the rudiments of data modelling for the implementation of a database, there is a need for a simple, convenient method to improve their understanding. The research described in this thesis represents the first steps in the development of a tool to accomplish this improvement. In a preliminary study using empirical research a conceptual model was used to improve novice end users’ understanding of the relational concepts of data organisation and the use of a database software package. The results showed that no conclusions could be drawn about either the artefact used or the method of evaluation. Following the lead of researchers in the fields of both education and information systems, a design research process was developed, consisting of the construction and evaluation of a training artefact. A combination of design research and a design experiment was used in the main study described in this thesis. New to research in information systems, design research is a methodology or set of analytical techniques and perspectives, and this was used to develop a process (development of an artefact) and a product (the artefact itself). The artefact, once developed, needed to be evaluated for its effectiveness, and this was done using a design experiment. The experiment involved exposing the artefact to a small group of end users in a realistic setting and defining a process for the evaluation of the artefact. The artefact was the tool that would facilitate the improvement of the understanding of data modelling, the vital precursor to the development of a database. The research was conducted among a group of novice end users who were exposed to the artefact, facilitated by an independent person. In order to assess whether there was any improvement in the novices’ understanding of relational data modelling and database concepts, they then completed a post-test. Results confirmed that the artefact, trialled through one iteration, was successful in improving the understanding of these novice end users in the area of data modelling. The combination of design research and design experiment as described above gave rise to a new methodology, called experimental design research at this early juncture. The successful outcome of this research will lead to further iterations of the design research methodology, leading in turn to the further development of the artefact which will be both useful and accessible to novice users of personal computers and database software. This research has made the following original contributions. Firstly, the use of the design research methodology for the development of the artefact, which proved successful in improving novice users’ understanding of relational data structures. Secondly, the novel use of a design experiment in an information systems project, which was used to evaluate the success of the artefact. And finally, the combination of the developed artefact followed by its successful evaluation using a design experiment resulted in the hybrid experimental design research methodology. The success of the implementation of the experimental design research methodology in this information systems project shows much promise for its successful application to similar projects.

When an astronomical observer discovers a transient event in the sky, how can the information be immediately shared and delivered to others? Not too long time ago, people shared the information about what they discovered in the sky by books, telegraphs, and telephones. The new generation of transferring the event data is the way by the Internet. The information of astronomical events is able to be packed and put online as an Internet feed. For receiving these packed data, an Internet feed listener software would be required in a terminal computer. In other applications, the listener would connect to an intelligent robotic telescope network and automatically drive a telescope to capture the instant Astrophysical phenomena. However, because the technologies of transferring the astronomical event data are in the initial steps, the only resource available is the Perl-based Internet feed listener developed by the team of eSTAR. In this research, a Java-based Internet feed listener was developed. The application supports more features than the Perl-based application. After applying the rich Java benefits, the application is able to receive, parse and manage the Internet feed data in an efficient way with the friendly user interface. Keywords: Java, socket programming, VOEvent, real-time astronomy

Digital forensic investigators have a duty to understand the relevant components of the cases that they work. However, with the constant evolution of technologies, and the release of new platforms and programs, it is impossible for an investigator to be familiar with every application they encounter. It can also be difficult to know how forensic tools handle certain applications. This is why forensic researchers study and document new and emerging technologies, platforms, and applications, so that investigators have resources to utilize whenever they encounter an unfamiliar element in a case.

This research includes an examination and analysis of the phenomenon of database slack.
Database forensics is an underexplored subfield of Digital Forensics, and the lack of research is
becoming more important with every breach and theft of data. A small amount of research exists
in the literature regarding database slack. This exploratory work examined what partial records of
forensic significance can be found in database slack. A series of experiments performed update
and delete transactions upon data in a PostgreSQL database, which created database slack.
Patterns of hexadecimal indicators for database slack in the file system were found and analyzed.
Despite limitations in the experiments, the results indicated that partial records of forensic
significance are found in database slack. Significantly, partial records found in database slack
may aid a forensic investigation of a database breach. The details of the hexadecimal patterns of
the database slack fill in gaps in the literature, the impact of log findings on an investigation was
shown, and complexity aspects back up existing parts of database forensics research. This
research helped to lessen the dearth of work in the area of database forensics as well as database slack.

Cybercrime and online scams are rampant in today’s tech-savvy world. In the past, scammers relied heavily on emails to contact potential victims but today, the presence and widespread usage of social networking platforms and e-commerce businesses has increased the availability of potential victims and made them easily accessible. It could be assumed that since unsuspecting users seek various products or services online - rentals, booking trips, seeking jobs, dating, it makes them easy targets for scammers yet, it is not just individual users who suffer from fraud, but organizations and institutions as well. A study at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research found that cybercrime costs the global economy up to approximately 540 billion euros annually. There is plenty of research on the technical measures that individuals and organizations may take to prevent themselves from falling prey to fraudsters, however, research trends in the recent past have shifted towards analyzing the human element present in the scenarios. Researchers have argued that identifying the underlying psychological and sociological factors used by fraudsters could help tackle the very root cause of such fraudulent attacks. While there exists some research focusing on the experiences and psychology of victims of these attacks as well as the countermeasures that can be taken to protect them from such attacks, there is little research on the psychology and motivation of those who commit online fraud. This study aims to identify the psychological factors that affect the predilection of scammers to commit online fraud.

This dissertation contextualises the forensic computing domain in terms of validation of tools and processes. It explores the current state of forensic computing comparing it to the traditional forensic sciences. The research then develops a classification system for the disciplines functions to establish the extensible base for which a validation system is developed.
Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2010