The subject of this thesis is the application of Support Vector Machines on two totally different applications, facial expressions recognition and remote sensing.The basic idea of kernel algorithms is to transpose input data in a higher dimensional space, the feature space, in which linear operations on the data can be processed more easily. These operations in the feature space can be expressed in terms of input data thanks to the kernel functions. Support Vector Machines is a classifier using this kernel method by computing, in the feature space and on basis of examples of the different classes, hyperplanes that separate the classes. The hyperplanes in the feature space correspond to non linear surfaces in the input space.Concerning facial expressions, the aim is to train and test a classifier able to recognise, on basis of some pictures of faces, which emotion (among these six ones: anger, disgust, fear, joy, sad, and surprise) that is expressed by the person in the picture. In this application, each picture has to be seen has a point in an N-dimensional space where N is the number of pixels in the image.The second application is the detection of camouflage nets hidden in vegetation using a hyperspectral image taken by an aircraft.

AbstractThe signification of the eyesight for children?s development and learning- how do pedagogues support and stimulate children with defective vision in their development and learning in pre-school?These issues are based on my purpose of the field survey investigations, where I have interviewed three pedagogues and also performed an observation.My main conclusion and results describe that the vision is the high-powered engine in children?s development and learning. It also tells us that those around the children are very important for optimum development and learning, especially when it comes to supporting and stimulating children with defective vision in their necessities. Our other senses are a compensation to make it easier for children with defective visions in their lives. But all our senses are equally important for children with defective vision as they are for seeing children in their development and learning with their whole body in pre-school.Keywords:Eyesight, children with defective vision, development and learning in pre-school, pedagogues, pedagogical support and stimulation.

The aim of this study has been to create an understanding for the situation of an often forgotten group in foster care, the carers? own children. Our main focus has been the experience this group has of foster care, their experience of participation in caring for the foster children and their possible need of support and help. Our chosen method has been qualitative interviews with six adult children of foster carers, two men and four women. The theory used in this study has been Sense of Coherence.Our interviewees gave mainly a positive description of being part of a foster family even though they could give examples of difficult situation and of loss.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there is a difference between the respondent groups preparers and non-preparers position in IASBs question if a reversal of previously impaired goodwill should be prohibited. The background is an exposure draft sent out by the IASB and we examine the answers, in form of comment letters, sent in by the respondents to reach our purpose. Our method is positivistic in the sense that we study already existing theories when we create our hypothesis which gives our assumption about how the result of the respondent?s answers will be. Our data, which we have collected from the comment letters, is qualitative secondary data.

This thesis deals with the leisure-time reading of fourteen men with two different occupations, teachers of technology and directors of companies. The main reasons for writing the thesis are that very little is written about mens reading habits and also statistics that tell that mens reading decline regardless of educational level. The purpose has been to compare the reading and relations to literature between the two groups of men and to find out if any differences have to do with factors such as social background or age. The questions we have asked our collected data has been what, how and why the men read. We have tried not to investigate the work-related reading although we are aware of the difficulty in separating this from the leisure-time reading.

The aim of the study was to describe how anaesthetic nurses, within both advanced beginner and expert levels, experience their professional role as they perform a general anaesthetic.The study had a descriptive design with a qualitative approach in which ten advanced beginners- and ten expert anaesthetic nurses from an operating theatre and an ambulatory surgical ward at a hospital located in the middle of Sweden, participated. All data was collected in an interview with semi-structured questions which focused on how the anaesthetic nurses experience their work. The data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The results are presented in categories and themes. The themes were formed from the categories.

The purpose of this master thesis is to investigate if the mobile library has a similar role as the public library. To study this further we intend to examine the value and function of the mobile library. Answers are sought to the following questions: Can the mobile library be seen as a public library in a smaller scale? How do the users experience the value and function of the mobile library? What does the library staff think of the value and function of the mobile library for the users? What would the consequences be if the service of the mobile libraries would not exist? The method used was qualitative interviews. The groups of respondents are mobile library users and library staff.

The purpose of this study is to investigate four students in grades six by interviewing them. It will find out how they personally perceive their own learning in group work and why they work in groups. In my investigation, I will rely on these two questions:How do my subjects reflect on their own learning during group work?Why do my subjects think that they work in groups?For my study, I selected four students from the same school, two girls and two boys, who are 11 to 12 years old. The interviews were individual because I wanted to get a deeper view of how students perceive their own learning in groups and why they are working with a group of other students.

The main focus of this study is to explore Swedish soldiers? experiences of the transition back to everyday life after international service missions. This includes the help and support that they have received and also what barriers to care they have experienced during the transition back to everyday life. The theoretical perspectives of this study are social identity and stigma theory. This study was performed using a qualitative method and includes six individual interviews with active duty officers within the Swedish armed forces.

Information technology (IT) with its enormous capacity involves more and more in our daily activities and public sector is using IT to make their activities more efficient. The government goal with electronic government (e-government) among other things is increasing the availability and service to the public as well as improving the democratic process. Democracy can be strengthened by involving citizens in public decision making process but this goal has not been achieved yet and the development of e-government has mostly been focused on improving efficiency within administration and electronic services (e-services). Promoting the democratic process has been postponed in the development of e-government because of the lack of political commitment and decision. Digital divide is also preventing public sector to promote democracy with the support of IT.

This thesis investigates collaboration between teachers and librarians concerning reading support activities in senior high schools in Sweden. The following questions were posed: 1. How do the teachers and school librarians cooperate when it comes to promoting reading? 2. To what degree of cooperation is that? And how is the level of cooperation perceived? 3.

This thesis was rendered for the client HAGS Aneby AB that is a global leader in playground equipment. The goal of this project was to develop a seesaw that is available for children aged 5-12 years; both with and without disabilities. The project has aimed to develop a seesaw that fits everyone in the target group without looking specially adapted.Children with disabilities have difficulty using today's seesaws because they consist of only a seat and a handle on each side. It requires that the user has strong arms and legs and can sit up without support. HAGS Aneby AB would like to change this.To gain knowledge of the target group and on the different types of disabilities information was sought for on the internet including the RBU's and UNICEF's websites.

The purpose of this study was to examine how Swedish high school students view school staff members, in general, but in particular school counselors. The research questions focused on getting the students descriptions of the staff members roles and functions within the school. The study was conducted using focus group interviews. The answers were divided into themes and then analyzed using role theory and previous research. The results showed that the students relationships with family, friends and previous knowledge about the staff members in school, affects their willingness to seek the support of school staff members.

Suicide research has a long tradition within sociology. Parallel to the Durkheimian tradition, seeking the causes of suicide in societal factors, a more cultural understanding of suicide has been emphasized. Attitudes to suicide have been stressed as important for the understanding of suicide mortality levels in different societies. For Russia, where suicide mortality levels are among the highest in the world, an understanding of this kind might be of particular importance.Based on a survey study from Moscow 2004, attitudes to suicide were studied in relation to social, economic and demographic factors as well as to attitudes to other morally disputable behaviors. Suicide attitudes in different age and sex groups in the sample were further compared to suicide mortality levels in the corresponding groups in the population.

Arbetsmarknaden står inför ett generations- och paradigmskifte, när den äldre generationen går i pension och de yngre förväntas ta över. Samtidigt ökar den psykiska ohälsan och sjukskrivningen främst bland de yngre och stress rapporteras vara den stora bakomliggande orsaken; känslan av otillräcklighet och svårighet att få balans i livspusslet. Undersökningar poängterar att förebyggande arbete och tidiga insatser gynnar såväl medarbetares hälsa och arbetsplatsens ekonomi. Studiens syfte är att undersöka om samtalsstöd som ett nytt subventionerat friskvårdsalternativ uppfattas positivt, i synnerhet av Generation Y (födda 1982-1999). Resultatet av enkätundersökningen, genomförd på ett kommunkontor med 76 deltagare visade att 60% skulle boka samtal idag om det erbjöds som ett friskvårdsalternativ.