Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Life-Expert'

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) promise great benefits for society, yet our knowledge of potential risks and best practices for regulation are still in their infancy. High uncertainty and novel ENM properties complicate the management of risk, rendering existing regulatory frameworks inadequate. This thesis investigates the challenges that nanotechnologies pose for risk regulation, and aims to inform the development of policies and practices to address these challenges. In chapter 2, US federal environmental, health and safety (EHS) regulations are analyzed using a life cycle framework, to evaluate their adequacy as applied to ENMs. This analysis reveals that life cycle risk management of nanomaterials under existing regulations is plagued with difficulty, and populated by myriad gaps through which ENM may escape federal oversight altogether. Chapters 3 and 4 examine expert opinions on risks, and perceptions of regulatory agency preparedness to manage risks, using a web-based survey (N=404) of US and Canadian nanotechnology experts. Risk and preparedness perceptions were found to differ significantly across groups of experts. Nano-scientists and engineers were more than twice as likely as nano-regulators to believe that benefits from nanotechnology would greatly exceed risk. Yet, those working in regulatory agencies were far more likely to regard government agencies as unprepared than were experts outside government. These differences were explained by expert views of the novelty of benefits and risks, attitudes toward other classes of risk, preferred approaches to regulation, experts’ degree of economic conservatism, and trust in regulatory agencies. Recognizing the myriad challenges for risk regulation, chapter 5 explores the use of decision-analytic models to cope with uncertainty. Drawing on baseline data monitoring efforts of the US EPA and California DTSC, this chapter argues for the use of novel decision-analytic tools and approaches (such as risk ranking, multi-criteria decision analysis, and “control banding”) in lieu of formal risk assessment to meet regulators’ goals in particular decision contexts. Considered together, this thesis concludes that oversight can be improved through pending regulatory reforms, the utilization of expert opinion to inform decision-making, and the development of improved decision-analytic tools that enable the assessment and management of risks under high uncertainty.

Abstract:

It is important to determine the optimal living accommodations depending on which stage of life a person is in. The authors of this paper present, with the help of previous studies, five different stages in life. They have also been in contact with eleven experts within the following areas: the house or apartments design such as architecture, the human beings´ private sphere, the area surrounding the living accommodations, environmental issues and energy consumption and the municipal standards and law regarding production and the building and restoration of old and new real-estate.

Purpose:

This paper aims to construct a handbook that covers the optimal living accommodations depending on in which lifecycle the focus is on .The handbook which has been developed, aims to help the people who operate on this market to coordinate their different areas of knowledge to provide the optimal living accommodations for each lifecycle.

Method:

A feasibility study has been carried out with the purpose of finding experts within each area mentioned above and also to have them be part of the semi-structured interviews that have been carried out.

Conclusions:

There are a lot of different factors which affects the way people wish to live. The conclusions made in this paper presents a handbook with recommendations on how cityplanners, politicians and contractors can offer the optimal living accommodations depending on different factors that influence the way we live, together with different stages of life.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1998.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-78).
Principal Investigator-in-a-Box (abbreviated [PI]) is an expert system designed to assist astronauts with the performance of an experiment outside their field of expertise when contact with the Principal Investigators on the ground is not allowed or impossible. The latest version of [PI] was designed to assist with the calibration and troubleshooting procedures of the Neurolab Sleep and Respiration Experiment, launched on the Space Shuttle Columbia on April 17, 1998. The role of [PI] in this application is to display physiological signals in real time during the pre-sleep instrumentation period, and to alert the astronauts when a poor signal quality (due to incorrect application of the instrumentation or a hardware malfunction) is detected. As the first expert system ever designed to be an integral part of a Space Life Sciences experiment, a formal and structured evaluation of the efficacy of such a system is unprecedented. The study presented in this thesis is a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of [PI] with the "poor signal quality detection" process. The twelve subjects used for this study were required to monitor a set of pre-recorded physiological signals and identify signal artifacts displayed on the screen. Every subject performed the experiment twice, once with the assistance of [PI] and once without, in a balanced design. Results indicated a positive effect of [PI] on overall time to detect anomalies. The combination of previous exposure to signal monitoring (training) and [PI] assistance was a significant factor in the improvement of overall reaction time. Also, the assistance of the expert system dramatically reduced the number of undetected anomalies. Having been designed for a life sciences experiment, the evaluation of [PI] was modeled after that of ground-based medical information systems. As for most medical expert systems, evaluation is an iterative process, and this study represents the first step, providing many insights and recommendations for more in-depth studies in the future, as well as exploring possible ramifications and expansions of the uses of expert systems in space.
by Gianluca Callini.
S.M.

The diploma thesis focuses on the present-day system of social security in the Czech Republic. The pension system is analyzed in detail and compared to systems in other countries. It shows the differences among all the various ways of financing the pension systems and the columns it is supported by, also listing all the reasons for the reform of the pension system in our country.

Dans un marché de l'assurance vie en Afrique subsaharienne francophone à la traîne, mais promis à un bel avenir en cas d'émergence de solutions techniques et commerciales endogènes, la thèse propose des outils théoriques et opérationnels adaptés à son développement. Cette démarche s'inscrit en parallèle des actions entreprises par l'autorité de contrôle régionale (la CIMA) pour fournir aux assureurs de la région des outils adaptés. En effet, la CIMA a initié des travaux pour la construction de nouvelles tables réglementaires d'expérience, ce qui a permis de fournir des références fiables et pertinentes pour la mortalité de la population assurée dans la région. Toutefois, certaines problématiques techniques utiles n'ont pas été développées dans ces travaux de construction. La thèse leur accorde alors une attention particulière. Ainsi, d'une part, la thèse permet de fournir des outils pour tenir compte des différences de mortalité entre pays de la région, tout en limitant les risques systématiques liés aux fluctuations d'échantillonnage (dues à la petite taille des échantillons de données par pays). Il apparaît notamment que si la modélisation indépendante de chaque pays n'est pas appropriée, les modèles d'hétérogénéité à facteurs observables, tels que le modèle de Cox ou de Lin et Ying, permettent d'atteindre cet objectif. On précise toutefois ici que ces modèles d'hétérogénéité ne permettent pas de supprimer le risque systématique lié aux fluctuations d'échantillonnage lors de l'estimation du modèle, ils engendrent seulement une réduction de ce risque en contrepartie d'une augmentation du risque systématique lié au choix du modèle. D'autre part, la thèse permet également de fournir des outils pour modéliser la mortalité d'expérience future dans la région. En absence de données sur les tendances passées de la mortalité d'expérience, ni le modèle classique de Lee-Carter ni ses extensions ne sont applicables. Une solution basée sur un ajustement paramétrique, une hypothèse sur la forme de l'évolution du niveau de mortalité (évolution linaire ou exponentielle) et un avis d'expert sur l'espérance de vie générationnelle à un âge donné est alors proposée (ces travaux s'appuient sur le modèle de Bongaarts). Ensuite, dans un second temps, en supposant disposer de données sur les tendances passées (ce qui pour mémoire n'est pas le cas à ce stade dans la région, mais devrait l'être dans les prochaines années), la thèse propose une modélisation de la mortalité future à partir d'une référence de mortalité externe et une analyse des risques systématiques associés (risques liés aux fluctuations d'échantillonnage et au choix de la référence de mortalité).

The cutting tool industry has evolved over the last half century to the point where an increasing range and complexity of cutting tools are available for metal machining. This highlighted a need to provide an intelligent, user-friendly system of tool selection and recommendation that can also provide predictive economic performance data for engineers and end-users alike. Such an 'expert system' was developed for a local manufacturer of cutting tools in the form of a relational database to be accessed over the Internet. A number of performance predictive models were reviewed for various machining processes, however they did not encompass the wide range of variables encountered in metal machining, thus adaptation of these existing models for an expert system was reasoned to be economically prohibitive at this time. Interrogation of published expert systems from cutting tool manufacturers, showed the knowledge-engineered principle to be a common approach to transferring economic and technological information to an end-user. The key advantage being the flexibility to allow further improvements as new knowledge is gained. As such, a relational database was built upon the knowledge-engineered principle, based on skilled craft oriented knowledge to establish an expert system for selection and performance assessment of cutting tools. An investigation into tapping of austenitic stainless steels was undertaken to develop part of a larger expert system. The expert system was then interrogated in this specific area in order to challenge by experiment, the skilled craft oriented knowledge in this area. The experimental results were incorporated into the database where appropriate, providing a user-friendly working expert system for intelligent cutting tool selection, recommendation and performance data.

The aim of this study is to investigate how self-perceptions of expertise among sports coaches may develop, regress, and redevelop over time within the context of coaching, in light of recent reconceptualisations of expertise, expertise development, sports coaching, coach development, and adult learning. The developmental journeys of four expert-like sports coaches are explored using a life history/life course approach. Written life history accounts are gathered, and repeated semi-structured interviews undertaken (six per participant over two years), focussing upon critical incidents related to coach development and perceptions of expertise, to capture interpretations and feelings. Narrative inquiry is employed to investigate and represent participants' lived experiences, and how they create meaning and identity from them. Co-constructed storied accounts of expert-like coaches' developmental journeys are produced featuring local exemplary knowledge. Looking across the stories and their respective interconnections, to speculate on wider theoretical implications is a further aspect of the study. Theoretical standpoints from a new wave of literature across different subject domains, and a Bourdieusian perspective, are used as guiding interpretive frameworks. This study reveals a more nuanced and complex holistic portrayal of perceived expertise development in contrast to oversimplified conceptions that currently dominate in this field of inquiry. This uniquely longitudinal in-depth exploration of the lived developmental journey of expert-like coaches provides illuminating detail on the process, influences, and continuation of expertise development (that may inform the facilitation and flourishing of other practitioners); uncovering a more intricate conceptualisation of expertise development, encompassing the importance of change and adaptation upon ongoing and recursive (re)development.

This Master´s thesis deals with the topic of optional saving for retirement. The pension schemes of selected European countries and of the Czech Republic are described. Also the current situation and the problems these schemes are facing are analyzed. The thesis focuses on the forthcoming pension scheme reform in the Czech Republic. Further, the possible ways of the complementary pension scheme pillar financing using saving products are analyzed in detail. The objective of the thesis is to design an expert system for optimal saving product selection according to client´s individual requirements.

In the context of current fears about ‘toxic childhood', and a marketing industry's celebration of children as empowered by consumerism, this thesis asks where does this leave children themselves? Theoretically the thesis adopts a Foucauldian approach, with its understanding of the relations between power, knowledge and subjectivity and methodologically deploys a discourse analysis. The latter is used to scrutinise ‘the child' and consumption as understood by ‘experts' on the one hand and ‘marketing' on the other. For the ‘experts' the corpus for research is made up of a disparate set of populist and academic articles and books from the UK in 2007/2008, engaging with the ill effects of consumerism on children. Also included here is a transcript of the UK parliamentary debate on ‘junk food advertising' from 25th April 2008. For ‘marketing', materials were collected from one emblematic event: the annual British Toy and Hobby Association Toy Fair 2014, where marketing professionals promote their wares by ‘selling' the benefits of (toy) consumption for children. What emerges as a commonality from these two very different discourses is the child as ‘subject' (and ‘object'), placed in a homogeneous childhood. To investigate the authenticity of this construct, the third strand of research is focused on some children talking about consumption. Children from a local school, aged between nine and ten, were divided into focus groups of boys and girls, facilitated by a teacher but with the children able to discuss ideas relatively freely. This provides the final corpus of research for analysis. What the children's talk reveals is a distinctiveness in their interactions with each other and their teacher, in which they utilise their own ‘methods' – what I refer to as ‘dynamic bricolage' and ‘collaboration'. Through these they perform an ‘identity work' to resist or evade certain knowledges about them and create others to integrate into an individual and group ‘childhood' identity, which is relished by them as not-adult. I argue that these childhood practices complicate contemporary understandings of childhood: the child is neither innocent victim nor savvy consumer.

Reducing unscheduled maintenance is important for aircraft operators. There are significant costs if flights must be delayed or cancelled, for example, if spares are not available and have to be shipped across the world. This thesis describes three methods of aircraft health condition monitoring and prediction; one for system monitoring, one for forecasting and one combining the two other methods for a complete monitoring and prediction process. Together, the three methods allow organizations to forecast possible failures. The first two use decision trees for decision-making and genetic optimization to improve the performance of the decision trees and to reduce the need for human interaction. Decision trees have several advantages: the generated code is quickly and easily processed, it can be altered by human experts without much work, it is readable by humans, and it requires few resources for learning and evaluation. The readability and the ability to modify the results are especially important; special knowledge can be gained and errors produced by the automated code generation can be removed. A large number of data sets is needed for meaningful predictions. This thesis uses two data sources: first, data from existing aircraft sensors, and second, sound and vibration data from additionally installed sensors. It draws on methods from the field of big data and machine learning to analyse and prepare the data sets for the prediction process.

Дисертація присвячена розробці наукових основ застосування інформаційних технологій при управлінні процесами розробки нафтогазових родовищ з використанням баз даних та баз знань. Встановлено, що процеси пошуку, розвідки, розробки та експлуатації нафтогазових родовищ є слабо структурованими з неповною і нечіткою інформацією, яка вимагає постійного оновлення на основі знань фахівців нафтогазової галузі. Вперше на основі теорії категорій запропоновано формувати бази знань для інформаційних систем, які дають можливість приймати раціональні технологічні рішення при управлінні процесами розробки нафтогазових родовищ. Розроблено експертні системи з прогнозування нафтогазових покладів, колекторів вуглеводнів, вибору технологій обмеження припливу пластових вод у свердловину та вибору раціональної технології для інтенсифікації видобутку нафти. Захищається 33 наукові роботи.
Диссертация посвящена разработке научных основ использования информационных технологий при управлении процессами разработки нефтегазовых месторождений с использованием баз данных и баз знаний. В диссертации решена научно-техническая проблема разработки новых информационных технологий для поддержки принятия решений специалистами нефтегазовой отрасли при проектировании рациональнысх технологических процесов и управлении жизненным циклом нефтегазового месторождения. Установлено на основании анализа состояния проблемы отсутствие общепринятой информационной технологии поддержки принятия решений при управлении жизненным циклом нефтегазового месторождения. На этапах процессов поиска, разведки, разработки и эксплуатации месторождений используют приближенные математические модели и опыт ведущих специалистов нефтегазовой отрасли. Однако, эти процессы слабо структурированные с неполной и нечеткой информацией, которая изменяется во времени, и требуют постоянного обновления знаний специалистов нефтегазовой отрасли. Обоснована перспективность создания нового метода информационного описания нефтегазовых объектов, который базируется на основании теории категорий и дает возможность интенсифицировать интеллектуальную деятельность специалистов нефтегазовой предметной области. Разработана технология поддержки принятия решений при управлении процессами поиска, разведки и разработки нефтегазовых месторождений, которая реализована в виде компьютерных программ, апробированных на промышленных материалах месторождений Прикарпатья, Днепровско-Донецкой впадины и принятых в промышленную эксплуатацию в виде экспертных систем по прогнозированиию нефтегазовых залежей, коллекторов углеводородов, выбора технологий ограничения приплива пластовых вод в скважину и выбора рациональной технологии интенсификации добычи нефти. Впервые на основе теории категорий выполнен анализ принятых технологических решений при разработке нефтяных месторождений Прикарпатья, который дал возможность, установить неверность принятых ранее решений, заключающихся в интенсивном отборе углеводородов из пластов, непрерывной эксплуатацией сводных скважин, гравитационным дренированием без учета угла наклона производительного горизонта и коллекторских свойств залежей, не учете энергии растворимого газа, вязкости нефти и особенности строения залежей, что привело к нерациональному использованию пластовой энергии. Обосновано применение экономико-экологической оценки эффективности применения информационного моделирования нефтегазовых объектов, дало возможность использовать знание специалистов нефтегазовой отрасли для учета многофакторного характера влияния техногенного действия нефтегазового комплекса на окружающую среду. Защищаются 33 научные работы.
The dissertation deals with the theoretical foundations development of information technologies application at processes of controlling oil and gas deposits development using databases and knowledgebases. The processes of searching, prospecting, developing and operating oil and gas fields proved to be poorly structured having no full and clear information that demands constant improvement on the bases of oil and gas specialists experience. For the first time it has been offered to form knowledgebases for information systems that enables to make rational technological solutions at controlling processes of oil and gas deposits development, on the base of the theory of categories. Expert systems for forecasting oil and gas fields, collectors of hydrocarbons, selection of technologies that help to limit the acces of underground waters to the wells and selection of rational technology for oil recovery intensification have been developed. 33 scientific papers are presented.

En 2010, le président de l'Alliance Renault-Nissan annonce l'investissement de 4 milliards d'euros dans un programme de développement du véhicule électrique et de sa batterie. À cette période, le secteur automobile est confronté à une crise économique importante. Le succès de cet engagement est crucial. Le véhicule électrique fait l'objet d'une conception innovante qui déstabilise les pratiques de l'entreprise. De nouveaux protocoles doivent être définis pour valider les acquis de ce produit. Compte tenu de la suppression des émissions au roulage, de nouvelles questions émergent et réclament une évaluation globale de la performance environnementale de ces véhicules. En conséquence, l'entreprise doit mettre en place un dialogue transparent et gérer une contestation .Ce travail repose sur un monde industriel dont la situation est propice à l'intervention. La méthode d'abduction - déduction – induction est utilisée. L'action collective ne va pas de soi est demande à être pilotée. Le modèle Co-LCA vise à faciliter une collaboration et la construction d'un ensemble de règles clés pour procéder à l'étude. Ces règles sont toujours contestables. Néanmoins, cette approche permet de donner une légitimité plus grande à l'étude. Cette expérience a consolidé les pratiques de l'entreprise, elle autorise de nombreux échanges avec les parties prenantes concernées dans un cadre structuré. Ce processus est une plate-forme pour le partage des savoirs, un débat ouvert et la diffusion d'informations. Enfin, nous ouvrons la voie pour que l'outil ACV devienne un instrument de gestion de l'environnement au service d'une transition dans le secteur automobile
In 2010, the president of the Renault-Nissan announces $ 4 billion in a program to develop electric vehicle and its battery. At that time, the automotive industry is facing a major economic crisis. The success of this engagement is crucial. The electric vehicle is the subject of an innovative design that destabilizes business practices. New protocols should be defined to validate the performance of that product. Given the elimination of emissions during operation, new questions emerge and require a comprehensive assessment of the environmental performance of these vehicles. Therefore, the company must set up a transparent dialogue and manage contested.This work is based in an industrial world, the situation is suitable for intervention. The method of abduction - deduction - induction is used. Collective action is not obvious and needs to be managed. Co-LCA model is designed to facilitate collaboration and building a set of key rules to carry out the study. These rules are still questionable. However, this approach can give more legitimacy to the study. This experience has strengthened the company's practices; it allows many discussions with stakeholders in a structured framework. This process is a platform for knowledge sharing, open discussion and dissemination of information. Finally, we open the way for the LCA tool becomes an instrument for environmental management at the service of a transition in the automotive sector

碩士
國立臺灣師範大學
人類發展與家庭研究所
91
The life story of an expert teacher in early childhood education Abstract By the methodology of life story research, this study is conducted for the life of well-known expert teacher of preschool, Madam Su Ai-Chu, with her 70 year-old history. The purpose of this study is to explore the life story of Madam Su, trying to clarify the relationship between her life path and social cultural context, and to realize how the path models herself and the way she is now. The methods in the study include interviews, document and archive search, observation, etc. to obtain the information needed. The main findings in the study are followed, 1. The certain period of history is given as the background for Madam Su’s development on her profession and career. 2. “Others” is the important factor in Madam Su’s professional life. 3. Childhood experience is the critical factor to Madam Su’s career development. 4. “Positive interpretation and facing toward challenge bravely” is one of the most important attitudes for Madam Su to face the difficulties that enhances her professional development. In the end of the study, the suggestions for further study and preschool personnel are listed and mentioned. Key words: life history, life story, expert preschool teacher, professional development.

碩士
國立嘉義大學
幼兒教育學系研究所
94
The research based on the story of “myself” to explore and find out my professional development in early childhood education; meanwhile, through the procedure of reflection and review, I wanted to search for another sky for myself. Here, divide the research into two parts, employing qualitative analysis procedure to analyze, reorganize, and conclude the data. The main conclusions were as follows: 1. The stage of my growth: (1) the significance and value of my growth- the positive and optimistic attitude toward life; (2) the frustration and growth of my marriage- to discover myself again from jobs. (3) the endless love from my parents- to enhance my growing power; (4) the enlightenment and application of my studying experience- the interaction of teaching and learning; (5) the guidance and appreciation of important people in my life- chances from continuous effort. 2. The professional development : (1) the struggle and breakthrough at the novice stage; (2) the transition and growth at the initial stage; (3) the maturity and change at the informed stage; (4) the plentiful harvest at the complex stage; (5) the review and expectation at the influential stage.

Emergency departments (EDs) are often thought of solely as places where life-saving interventions occur. However, EDs are also places where dying patients receive end of life care. Though research examining expert nurse behaviours in care of the dying has been conducted in a variety of care settings, little is known about this topic as it relates to care of the dying adult in the ED. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted with registered nurse experts (n = 6) in two urban EDs in Western Canada. Five expert nurse behaviours deemed essential in care of the dying adult patient in the ED were identified: 1) providing comfort; 2) honouring the personhood of the patient; 3) responding to the family; 4) responding after the death of the patient; and 5) responding to colleagues. These findings contribute to the empirical evidence concerning expert nursing care of the dying.

碩士
國立臺灣藝術大學
應用媒體藝術研究所
95
This action research is to apply the mantle of the expert approach of drama in education to the first grade students’ life-curriculum in the elementary school. One goal of this action research is to attain students’ complete development of personal growth through the creative and active way of drama in education. Another objective is to develop students’ ability to solve problems in terms of the mantel of the expert approach. According to observations of and interviews with participating students, reflective journals and records of conferences participated by teachers, questionnaires of students’ parents, and feedback of students during one-semester research period, the researcher presents research results as well as and recommendations for further research. The conclusion of the research results is provided as follows: first, the four constructions of drama in education can naturally integrate life-curriculum; second, drama in education enables teachers more easily to understand students; third, drama in education can efficiently develop the creativity and thinking ability of students; fourth, the mantel of the expert approach enables students to learn actively and to think aggressively; fifth, the teaching methods of children’s drama that are led by teachers enable children to pay attention to classes more efficiently; finally, the teaching methods of drama in education are highly recognized by students’ parents.

The research is conducted in the area of Software Engineering, with emphasis on the design phase of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The object-oriented paradigm is the point of departure. The investigation deals with the problem of creating support for the design phase of object-oriented system development. This support must be able to guide the system designer through the design process, according to a sound design method, highlight opportunities for prototyping and point out where to re-iterate a design step, for example. A solution is proposed in the form of a knowledge-based support system. In the prototype this support guides a designer partially through the first step of the System Design task for object-oriented design. The intention is that the knowledge-based system should capture the know-how of an expert system designer and assist an inexperienced system designer to create good designs.
Computing
M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Στην εργασία που ακολουθεί, ασχολούμαστε με την εφαρμογή μεθόδων Τεχνητής Νοημοσύνης σε ένα πραγματικό πρόβλημα, που αναφέρεται στην διάγνωση του βαθμού ασφαλισιμότητας ενός πελάτη μιας ασφαλιστικής εταιρείας. Η ανάγκη για την εφαρμογή αυτή προέκυψε από το γεγονός ότι πολλές φορές ο εμπειρογνώμονας της εταιρείας δεν είναι διαθέσιμος, αλλά και όταν είναι, χρειάζεται ένα συμβουλευτικό πρόγραμμα. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, για τη λύση του προβλήματος χρησιμοποιούνται: α) ένα ασαφές έμπειρο σύστημα υλοποιημένο με τη βοήθεια του εργαλείου FuzzyCLIPS, β) ένα έμπειρο σύστημα που χρησιμοποιεί κανόνες με συντελεστές βεβαιότητας τύπου MYCIN, γ) ένα έμπειρο σύστημα που χρησιμοποιεί κανόνες με συντελεστές βεβαιότητας τύπου weighted, υλοποιημένα και τα δύο με βάση το εργαλείο CLIPS και δ) ένα νευρωνικό δίκτυο υλοποιημένο με βάση το εργαλείο WEKA. Στο τέλος συγκρίνουμε τα παραπάνω συστήματα με βάση κάποιες μετρικές. Πριν να ξεκινήσουμε την ανάλυση του προβλήματός μας και των υλοποιήσεων των παραπάνω συστημάτων, αναλύουμε λίγο παραπάνω τους όρους και τα εργαλεία που ήδη αναφέραμε, δίνοντας περισσότερες πληροφορίες για την προέλευση τους, τα χαρακτηριστικά τους, τη χρησιμότητά τους, κτλ. Έτσι, αρχικά δίνουμε περισσότερα στοιχεία για τον τομέα της Τεχνητής Νοημοσύνης και πώς αυτός έχει εξελιχτεί στις τελευταίες δεκαετίες, και αναλύουμε τη συσχέτιση των Έμπειρων Συστημάτων με την Τεχνητή Νοημοσύνη, τα χαρακτηριστικά τους, τη δομή τους, τα πλεονεκτήματα και μειονεκτήματά τους. Στη συνέχεια, αναλύουμε τα τρία εργαλεία που θα χρησιμοποιήσουμε και τις δυνατότητες αυτών. Κι αφού δώσουμε περισσότερες πληροφορίες για το πρόβλημα της ‘Ασφαλισιμότητας’ και τον τρόπο που το αντιμετωπίζουμε, γίνεται παρουσίαση των παραπάνω ευφυών συστημάτων και των αποτελεσμάτων τους σε συγκεκριμένο σύνολο δεδομένων. Τέλος, προχωράμε σε σύγκριση και σχολιασμό των τιμών των μετρικών που προέκυψαν από τις προηγούμενες εφαρμογές, και εξαγωγή των συμπερασμάτων της σύγκρισης.
In the work that follows, we deal with the application of methods of Artificial Intelligence in a real problem, that is concerned with the diagnosis of degree of ‘how safe is to insure a customer’ in an insurance company. The need for this application resulted from the fact that many times over, the expert of the insurance company may not be available, but also when he is, he could use an advisory program. To be more exact, for the solution of the problem described above we use: a) a fuzzy expert system (in our case we use FuzzyCLIPS), b) an expert system that use rules with certainty factors as in the MYCIN tool, c) an expert system that uses rules with certainty factors as in the Weighted tool, both programmed using the CLIPS expert systems tool d) a neural network through WEKA neural network producer tool. Finally, we compare the above mentioned systems by calculating a set of metrics to conclude which method produces the most accurate results. Before analysing our problem and running the systems mentioned above, we analyze fatherly the terms and the tools that we use, providing more information on their characteristics, usefulness, etc. Thus, initially we give more information about Artificial Intelligence and how it has developed in the last decades, and we analyze the cross-correlation of Expert Systems with Artificial Intelligence, their characteristics, their structure, their advantages and disadvantages. After that, we analyze the three tools that we will use, and their possibilities, advantages and disadvantages. After giving more information on the problem of ‘how safe is to insure a customer’ and the way we deal with it, we present the above expert systems and their results in a specific dataset. Finally, we compare the metrics that were calculated from the previous applications, and comment on the conclusions of this comparison.

Thesis (MEng) - School of Engineering and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, 2004.
Thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Engineering by Research, School of Engineering and Science, Swinburne University of Technology, 2004. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: p. 116-122.

Text in English
The primary aim of this study is to determine the significance of the application of physical surveillance as a method in the investigation of insurance fraud conducted by the Surveillance Unit at the Forensic Department of Discovery Life. Various objectives were fulfilled in this study:  To explore, identify and describe the value of the application of physical surveillance, as a forensic investigation method, in order to determine the significance of this method in the investigation of insurance fraud at the Forensic Department of Discovery Life.  To determine whether the application of physical surveillance at the Forensic Department of Discovery Life is achieving its intended objective relating to the degree to which the beneficiary’s (Discovery Life) situation has changed as a result of this method.  To apply new information, acquired from the findings of this study, to further develop good practice and enhance performance in order to empower investigators at Discovery Life with new knowledge relating to the application of physical surveillance in the investigation of insurance fraud. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with forensic investigators employed at the Forensic Department at Discovery Life. The research has revealed that the majority of forensic investigators, other than the Surveillance Unit, at the Forensic Department of Discovery Life do not utilise physical surveillance during insurance fraud investigations to assist them in gathering evidence. These investigators also had a lack of knowledge and skills regarding the utilisation of physical surveillance during insurance fraud investigations and the advantages of this method during insurance fraud investigations. As a result of the non-utilisation of physical surveillance during insurance fraud investigations conducted at the Forensic Department of Discovery Life, important information and evidence with regard to the movement and actions of identified perpetrators who commit insurance fraud are lost to the investigators. However, the significance of the application of physical surveillance in the investigation of insurance fraud is emphasised by the forensic investigators attached to the Surveillance Unit of Discovery Life who utilise physical surveillance on a daily basis to investigate insurance fraud. The research has further revealed that insurance fraud is a major concern to the insurance industry, but can be mitigated through the implementation of unconventional investigative methods, such as physical surveillance, to enhance investigative capabilities. It was recommended that all forensic investigators at Discovery Life be trained in the techniques of physical surveillance to address shortcomings of general and out-dated investigation methods.
Criminology and Security Science
M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

South Africa’s education system has undergone substantial changes in the last ten years. The shift to Inclusive Education attempts to provide all learners, regardless of their disability, learning difficulty, or disadvantage with access to education (Department of Education1, 2001). Curriculum 2005, in the context of an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) philosophy was an attempt by the Education Department to address the inadequate ‘Bantu’ education of the past. OBE was intended to replace teacher-centred approaches by encouraging children to become actively involved in the learning process, to gain knowledge as well as skills, and to think independently and creatively (DoE, 1998b). School ‘subjects’ of the past were changed to ‘Learning Areas’ some undergoing dramatic shifts in content and teaching strategies. These new Learning Areas also emerged with alternative assessment practices. Life Orientation (LO) is one such learning area. Many educators were suddenly required to teach these new Learning Areas, despite having little or no training in them. As a result many educators experienced frustration with the demands now placed upon them, and some felt unable to teach effectively. This study used a qualitative actionresearch design to obtain an in-depth understanding of the educators’ capacities to change their teaching practices in their Life Orientation classrooms. Six educators in a public primary school setting participated in a series of workshops aimed to introduce them to drama methods to be used in their Life Orientation teaching. The workshops were highly experiential in nature and were designed with the specific personalities and needs of each educator in mind. The results of the research indicate that educators are highly responsive to training, provided that they feel acknowledged as individuals and provided that the training builds upon their current expertise rather than attempting to change their practices altogether. Another key finding from the training was the opportunity for the educators to engage in the training as human beings with their own difficulties and frustrations being openly acknowledged. Many of the educators experienced the workshops as therapeutic and reported that this made the training both useful and personally fulfilling.

Przygotowana przeze mnie rozprawa doktorska zawiera zarówno rozdziały o charakterze teoretycznym, jak również praktycznym, odnoszące się do rezultatów przeprowadzonych przeze mnie badań. W pierwszym z rozdziałów podejmuję temat analizy instytucji biegłego. W opisywanym rozdziale odnoszę się również do tajemnicy zawodowej biegłego – jej ograniczeniach, wymaganiach oraz okolicznościach, w których możliwe jest powołanie się na nią przez biegłego. Rozdział zakończony zostaje omówieniem status biegłego w innych krajach europejskich – zarówno w systemie kontynentalnym oraz common law. Kolejny rozdział również poświęcony został biegłemu, tym razem jednak omówiony zostaje ustrojowy status tejże instytucji, przede wszystkim warunki, jakie muszą być spełnione przez podmiot ubiegający się o wpis na listę biegłych. Następnie opisane zostają regulacje prawne dotyczące m.in. sposobu weryfikacji posiadanych przez podmiot ubiegający się o wpis na listę biegłych wiadomości specjalnych, sposobu sprawowania kontroli nad biegłymi. Końcową część omówionych rozważań stanowi omówienie danych uzyskanych od Prezesów Sądów Okręgowych w Polsce. Kolejne podrozdziały dotyczą ustaw o zawodach lekarza i lekarza dentysty oraz o zawodzie psychologa i samorządzie zawodowym psychologów. Odnoszę się w nich do ścieżki edukacyjnej, której zakończenie w sposób pozytywny jest niezbędne by uzyskać jeden z przedmiotowych tytułów, a następnie skupiam się na dalszym kształceniu zawodowym, w tym niezbędnych egzaminach. W trzecim z rozdziałów przeprowadzam omówienie przepisów prawa procesowego, które regulują pozycję biegłego w postępowaniu karnym w ogólności. W omawianym rozdziale opisane zostały ponadto okoliczności uzasadniające powołania biegłego psychologa lub biegłego seksuologa w trakcie postępowania karnego – dokonane zostało zarówno odniesienie do konkretnych przepisów prawa, jak również poglądów prezentowanych w tym zakresie przez doktrynę i orzecznictwo. Czwarty rozdział poświęcony został niemal w całości regulacjom zawartym w ustawie o postępowaniu wobec osób z zaburzeniami psychicznymi stwarzającymi zagrożenie życia, zdrowia lub wolności seksualnej innych. Tym nie mniej główny temat opisywanego działu, jakim jest ustawa, rozpoczęłam od opisania trybu postępowania w jakim prowadzone są sprawy na jej podstawie, następnie skupiłam się na wyzwaniach stawianych przed uczestnikami postępowania w trakcie jego trwania oraz zwrotów zastosowanych w ustawie budzących największe kontrowersje i wątpliwości. Podobnie jak w rozdziale drugim, w rozdziale czwartym zawarte zostały również elementy praktyczne, a mianowicie zestawienie uzyskanych przeze mnie, ponownie od Prezesów Sądów Okręgowych. Omówienie przedstawionych danych, pozwoliło na sformułowaniu wniosków w zakresie funkcjonowania ustawy oraz wykorzystywania przez sądy w Polsce możliwości, które przewiduje. Przedostatni z rozdziałów różni się w znaczącym stopniu od poprzednich zawiera bowiem analizę metod badawczych i analitycznych wykorzystywanych w pracy biegłego psychologa i biegłego lekarza seksuolog, przede wszystkim ich podstawowego narzędzia pracy jakim jest wywiad diagnostyczny. Ostatnia część rozdziału piątego stanowi niejako podsumowanie zagadnień merytorycznych poruszanych przeze mnie we wcześniejszych rozdziałach – stanowi bowiem omówienie 15 postępowań karnych prowadzonych przed Sądem Rejonowym w Sokołowie Podlaskim oraz 100 postępowań prowadzonych przed Sądami Rejonowymi w Warszawie, w których wydane zostały opinie przez biegłego psychologa, biegłego lekarza – seksuologa lub przez obydwu tych biegłych. Ostatni z rozdziałów stanowi próbę zidentyfikowania problemów i konfliktów przed jakimi stają biegli psychologowie i biegli lekarze seksuolodzy biorący udział w postępowaniu karnym. Dokonane omówienie ma stanowi wstęp do podjęcia przeze mnie próby znalezienia rozwiązań, które byłyby równie satysfakcjonujące dla wszystkich podmiotów biorących udział w postępowaniu karnym.
My dissertation contains both theoretical and practical chapters which contain the results of my research. In the first chapter, I am analyzing the institution of an expert witness. In this chapter I also refer to the professional secrecy of an expert witness - its limitations, requirements and circumstances, in which the expert can invoke professional secrecy. The chapter ends with a discussion of the status of an expert witness in other European countries - both in the continental and common law systems. The next chapter discusses the constitutional status of an expert and the conditions that must be met by an entity applying for entry on the list of experts witness. Then, legal regulations regarding the verification of the subject's special knowledge, how to exercise control over experts witness, circumstances that may result in removal from the list of court experts and disciplinary penalties that can be applied to experts are discussed. The final part of the considerations in this chapter is the presentation of data obtained from the Presidents of District Courts in Poland. Next subsections relate to the Act on professions of doctor and dentist and the Act on the profession of the psychologist and the professional self – government of psychologists. The path of education which completion in a positive way is necessary to obtain one of the professional titles was described. Also, further vocational training, including necessary exams. The third of the chapters describes the provisions of procedural law that determine the position of an expert in criminal proceedings. This chapter also discusses the circumstances justifying the appointment of an expert psychologist or expert sexologist during criminal proceedings. In addition, reference was made to specific legal provisions as well as opinions presented by doctrine and case law. The fourth chapter concerns almost entirely the regulations contained in the Act on proceedings against persons with mental disorders posing a threat to life, health or sexual freedom of others. The main subject of the described subsection is the Act. I started this subsection by describing the procedure according in which cases are conducted. Then I focused on the challenges posed to the participants of the proceedings and the phrases used in the act that raise the most controversy and doubts. Similarly to the second chapter, also in the fourth chapter practical elements are included. The practical elements concern the data about the frequency of submitting applications to initiate proceedings provided for in the Act, depending on the District Court. Discussion about the presented data has allowed to formulate conclusions regarding the functioning of the Act and the use by courts in Poland of the possibilities it provides. The penultimate of the chapters is significantly different from the previous ones because it contains an analysis of research and analytical methods used in the work of an expert psychologist and expert sexologist and presents the basic work tool which is the diagnostic interview. The last part of this chapter is a summary of the substantive issues discussed by me in previous chapters - it is a discussion of 15 criminal proceedings before the Regional Court in Sokołów Podlaski and 100 proceedings before the Regional Courts in Warsaw, in which an expert psychologist, expert sexologist or both experts gave their opinions. The last chapter is an attempt to identify the problems and conflicts faced by expert psychologists and expert sexologists involved in criminal proceedings and issuing opinions during its course. The discussion will be an introduction to finding solutions that would be equally satisfactory for all entities involved in criminal proceedings.

This ethnographic project delves into the spheres of life of three autistic adults and their families. This thesis analyzes their experiences, current routines, and personal and family narratives about what it means to be an autistic adult across different identities and geographies. This thesis also identifies forms of knowledge that arise in these life experiences and shape strategies, decisions, or attitudes taken to navigate through life or overcome possible difficulties in their present and futures. This research takes place in Colombia, a diverse country and engages with anthropology of the everyday, sensory anthropology and disability studies.