Research Articles (Computer Science and Informatics)

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    Visual dimensions of academic discourse in higher education
    (Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2010) Archer, Arlene
    This article explores the visual nature of academic discourse within Higher Education in South Africa. It provides insight into the increasing influence of the visual in academic writing – arguing that the materiality and visuality of writing be considered alongside cognitive dimensions. The visual design of writing includes considering aspects such as spelling, typography, emphasis and layout. The article also considers the affordances of images and writing, the function of the visual, and the relations between images and writing. The aim is to create awareness in order to assist students in becoming conscious and active designers of meaning in a multimodal environment.
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    A model selection procedure for stream re-aeration coefficient modelling
    (Canadian Center of Science and Education (CCSE), 2015) Omole, David O.; Ndambuki, Julius M.; Musa, Adebola G.; Longe, Ezechiel O.; Badejo, Adekunle A.; Kupolati, Williams K.
    Model selection is finding wide applications in a lot of modelling and environmental problems. However, applications of model selection to re-aeration coefficient studies are still limited. The current study explores the use of model selection in re-aeration coefficient studies by combining several suggestions from numerous authors on the interpretation of data regarding re-aeration coefficient modelling. The model selection procedure applied in this research made use of Akaike information criteria, measures of agreement such as percent bias (PBIAS), Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) and root mean square error (RMSE) observation Standard deviation Ratio (RSR) and gragh analysis in selecting the best performing model. An algorithm prescribing a generic model selection procedure was also provided. Out of ten candidates models used in this study, the O’Connor and Dobbins (1958) model emerged as the top performing model in its application to data collected from River Atuwara in Nigeria. The suggested process could save software and model developers lots of time and resources, which would otherwise be spent in investigating and developing new models. The procedure is also ideal in selecting a model in situations where there is no overwhelming support for any particular model by observed data.
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    Analysis of auto-purification response of the Apies River, Gauteng, South Africa, to treated wastewater effluent
    (Water Research Commission, 2016) Omole, David O.; Badejo, Adekunle A.; Ndambuki, Julius M.; Musa, Adebola G.; Kupolati, Williams K.
    The assimilative capacity of water bodies is an important factor in the integrated management of surface water resources. The current study examined the auto-recovery processes of the Apies River from wastewater discharged into it from a municipal wastewater treatment facility, using a series of equations, including the modified Streeter-Phelps equation. Field data obtained include dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, stream velocity, depth, and width. Water samples were also obtained at 10 sampling stations for the determination of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) using standard methods. It was observed that the DO and BOD level (5.59 mg/L and 8.5 mg/L respectively) of the effluent from the wastewater treatment facility indicated better water quality than the Apies River background DO level (5.42 mg/L) and BOD level (13 mg/L). Also, at 270 m downstream of the effluent discharge point, another effluent stream (Skinnerspruit) adversely impacted on the Apies River with DO and BOD levels of 6.5 mg/L and 9.0 mg/L, respectively, compared to the Apies River background values of 6.81 mg/L and 8.0 mg/L, respectively. The stream, however, recovered well from both the background and imposed pollution sources as it had a computed positive auto-recovery factor of 1.74. Furthermore, the measured DO deficit was plotted against predicted DO deficit. The plot revealed a close match between the measured and predicted DO deficit, indicating that the model could be used for predicting DO deficit along other segments of the river. To further improve on the natural auto-recovery processes of the Apies River, it was recommended that flow along the Skinnerspruit should be enhanced by clearing the observed aquatic plants growing within the channel. Also, suspected pollution activities taking place further upstream on the Apies River should be investigated and appropriately addressed.
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    AutoCal: A software application for calibrating photometric data
    (Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2016) Wium, Daniël J.; Van Soelen, Brian
    We present a software application for the calibration of stellar magnitudes in the absence of standard stars. It uses an existing algorithm to match stars in the target’s field of view to catalogue entries and computes the average offset between the two sets of magnitudes using a weighted least-squares approach. This offset is used to calibrate the target’s instrumental magnitude. The software application was used to calibrate magnitudes for six Be/X-ray binary sources in the Small Magellanic Cloud and the results were compared with published results for these sources. Where comparisons were possible, our results agreed with those results within the uncertainties specified. Infrared variability was found for all six of the sources tested. The interactive outlier removal that was made possible by our software allowed for smaller uncertainties to be reported for our results.
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    Virtual prospecting in palaeontology using a drone-based orthomosaic map: an eye movement analysis
    (MDPI, 2021) Beelders, Tanya; Dollman, Gavin
    Paleontological fieldwork is often a time-consuming process and resource intensive. With unexplored and remote areas, the satellite images, geology, and topography of an area are analyzed to help survey for a site. A drone-based orthomosaic map is suggested as an additional tool for virtual paleontology fossil prospecting. The use of an orthomosaic map was compared to the use of a typical satellite map when looking for fossil sites to prospect. Factors were chosen for their impact when prospecting for a fossil site and availability of data. Eye movement data were captured for a convenience sample of paleontologists from a local university. Each band within the satellite map measures 7741 × 7821 with a ground resolution of 30 m/pix, and the ground resolution of the orthomosaic map is 2.86 cm/pix with a resolution of 52,634 × 32,383. Experts displayed a gaze behavior suggestive of high analysis levels as well as being able to identify and analyze features rapidly—this is illustrated through the presence of both longer and shorter fixations. However, experts appeared to look at both maps in more detail than novices. The orthomosaic map was very successful at both attracting and keeping the attention of the map reader on certain features. It was concluded that an orthomosaic-based drone map used in conjunction with a satellite map is a useful tool for high spatial density virtual prospecting for novices and experts.
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    Teaching human-computer interaction modules - and then came COVID-19
    (Frontiers, 2022) De Wet, Lizette
    In teaching Human-Computer Interaction at university level, it has always been beneficial to explain the related theory and engage students in a practical way, whether individually or in groups. And then came COVID-19. Face-to-face classes were replaced by emergency remote teaching methods. Students became student numbers in cyber space. The danger became real to convert back to the traditional way of presenting lectures, namely a lecturer doing all the talking and the students being the passive audience. This paper describes how the author had to adapt and innovate in terms of teaching Human-Computer Interaction modules to university students in a practical way during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frequent online quizzes, audio messages, online group discussion, smaller topic-dedicated practical activities, and webinars encouraging student participation, were employed. Instead of having access to eye-tracking technology in a usability laboratory, students had to innovate for usability evaluation assignments by employing observation, think-aloud protocols, and performance and self-reported metrics as data gathering methods. The laboratory had to be replaced by COVID-compliant places of residence. The outcomes of adapting previously-used teaching methods and inventing new ways to encourage student participation, were surprisingly positive. An additional advantage was that many of these methods turned out to be so successful that their application could be continued and extended to post-pandemic times for a blended learning approach to further enrich Human-Computer Interaction teaching.
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    Embedding tamper-resistant, publicly verifiable random number seeds in permissionless blockchain systems
    (IEEE, 2022) Bezuidenhout, Riaan; Nel, Wynand; Maritz, Jacques M.
    Many blockchain processes require pseudo-random numbers. This is especially true of blockchain consensus mechanisms that aim to fairly distribute the opportunity to propose new blocks between the participants in the system. The starting point for these processes is a source of randomness that participants cannot manipulate. This paper proposes two methods for embedding random number seeds in a blockchain data structure to serve as inputs to pseudo-random number generators. Because the output of a pseudo-random number generator depends deterministically on its seed, the properties of the seed are critical to the quality of the eventual pseudo-random number produced. Our protocol, B-Rand, embeds random number seeds that are confidential , tamper-resistant , unpredictable , collision-resistant , and publicly verifiable as part of every transaction. These seeds may then be used by transaction owners to participate in processes in the blockchain system that require pseudo-random numbers. Both the Single Secret and Double Secret B-Rand protocols are highly scalable with low space and computational cost, and the worst case is linear in the number of transactions per block.
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    Permissionless blockchain systems as pseudo-random number generators for decentralized consensus
    (IEEE, 2023) Bezuidenhout, Riaan; Nel, Wynand; Maritz, Jacques M.
    Consensus algorithms that function in permissionless blockchain systems must randomly select new block proposers in a decentralised environment. Our contribution is a new blockchain consensus algorithm called Proof-of-Publicly Verifiable Randomness (PoPVR). It may be used in blockchain design to make permissionless blockchain systems function as pseudo-random number generators and to use the results for decentralised consensus. The method employs verifiable random functions to embed pseudo-random number seeds in the blockchain that are confidential, tamper-resistant, unpredictable, collision-resistant, and publicly verifiable. PoPVR does not require large-scale computation, as is the case with Proof-of-Work and is not vulnerable to the exclusion of less wealthy stakeholders from the consensus process inherent in stake-based alternatives. It aims to promote fairness of participation in the consensus process by all participants and functions transparently using only open-source algorithms. PoPVR may also be useful in blockchain systems where asset values cannot be directly compared, for example, logistical systems, intellectual property records and the direct trading of commodities and services. PoPVR scales well with complexity linear in the number of transactions per block.