Digital Commons Network^™

Integrated Stability Mapping System For Mines, Quanxi Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Integrated Stability Mapping System (ISMS) was developed as an engineering tool to quantify the geologic and geo-mechanical information of mines, and to integrate the critical stability influence factors into an overall stability index for use in mine planning and support design. It is generally understood that the inherent underground roof stability is determined by the interaction of both the given geologic characteristics and the local stress influences. Form this perspective, in this dissertation, the need for an integrated stability mapping system is established through investigating the traditional and current hazard mapping practices. In order to fulfill this need, computer …

A Shared Backup Path Protection Scheme For Optical Mesh Networks, Hoang N. Nguyen, Daryoush Habibi, Quoc Viet Phung, Kungmang Lo

Research outputs pre 2011

We propose a new heuristic ILP model for share backup path protection (SBPP) scheme of mesh networks, which used the sets of disjoint-joint primary-backup path candidates of using path-pair candidates. The solution of the model is near optimal and provides all the routing details of demands as well as the sharing information between backup paths, and also simplifies the wavelength assignment problem if the wavelength continuity is a consideration. The new entities are introduced into this model that allow to control the resource utilization as well as congestion level of the network for optimization purposes and the pre-processing of data …

After Conversation - A Forensic Icq Logfile Extraction Tool, Kim Morfitt, Craig Valli

Research outputs pre 2011

Instant messenger programs such as ICQ are often used by hackers and criminals for illicit purposes and consequently the logfiles from such programs are of forensic interest. This paper outlines research in progress that has resulted in the development of a tool for the extraction of ICQ logfile entries. Detailed reconstruction of data from logfiles was achieved with a number of different ICQ software, with other programs still to be tested. There are several limitations including timestamp information not adjusted for the time zone, data could be altered, and conversations must be manually reconstructed. Future research will aim to address …

Recommendations For Wireless Network Security Policy: An Analysis And Classification Of Current And Emerging Threats And Solutions For Different Organisations, Andrew Woodward

Research outputs pre 2011

Since their inception, 802.11 wireless networks have been plagued by a wide range of security problems. These problems relate to both data security and denial of service attacks, and there have been many solutions created by different vendors address these problems. However, the number of different types of attack, and the many possible solutions, makes it a difficult task to put in place an appropriate wireless network security policy. Such a policy must address both the size and nature of the enterprise, and the resources available to it. Measures such as WEP and MAC filtering are only appropriate for home …

Capacity Utilization Versus Congestion Levels In Wavelength Routing For Large Scale Wdm Networks, Quoc Viet Phung, Daryoush Habibi, Hoang N. Nguyen, Kungmang Lo

Research outputs pre 2011

Wavelength routing (WR) has been a key issue in WDM optical networks which carry huge amount of traffic aggregated from Internet protocol (IP), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and SDH/SONET layers. The problem, however, has been proved NP-hard. The time complexity and the optimality of solutions are two conflicting metrics. In addition, for optimization purposes, capacity utilization and network congestion level can be compromised to reduce the blocking probability of future connections. In this paper, we propose a heuristic approach for WR in large scale networks based on a balanced model developed for the capacity utilization and the congestion level. This …

Taxonomy Of Wrt54g(S) Hardware And Custom Firmware, Marwan Al-Zarouni

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper discusses the different versions of hardware and firmware currently available for the Linksys WRT54G and WRT54GS router models. It covers the advantages, disadvantages, and compatibility issues of each one of them. The paper goes further to compare firmware added features and associated filesystems and then discusses firmware installation precautions and ways to recover from a failed install.

Architecture For Self-Estimation Of Security Level In Ad Hoc Network Nodes, Reijo Savola

Research outputs pre 2011

Inherent freedom due to a lack of central authority of self-organised mobile ad hoc networks introduces challenges to security and trust management. In these kinds of scenarios, the nodes themselves are naturally responsible for their own security – or they could trust certain known nodes, called “micro-operators”. We propose an architecture for security management in self-organising mobile ad hoc networks that is based on the nodes’ own responsibility and node-level security monitoring. The aim is to predict, as well as to monitor the security level concentrating on the principal effects contributing to it.

A Robust Qr Based Detector For V Blast And Its Efficient Hardware Implementation, Fariborz Sobhanmanesh, Saeid Nooshabadi, Daryoush Habibi

Research outputs pre 2011

The use of multiple antennas at both transmitting and receiving sides of a communication channel has increased the spectral efficiency to near the Shannon bound. However algorithmic complexity in the realization of the receiver is a major problem for its hardware implementation. In this paper we investigate a near optimal algorithm for V-BLAST detection in MIMO wireless communication systems based on QR factorization, offering remarkable reduction in the hardware complexity. Specifically, we analyze some hardware implementation aspects of the selected algorithm through MATLAB simulations and demonstrate its robustness. This technique can be used in an efficient fixed point VLSI implementation …

The Lived Experience Of Rural Mental Health Nurses, Vicki Drury, Karen Francis, Geoffery Dulhunty

Research outputs pre 2011

The lived experiences of five registered mental health nurses employed in community settings in the southwest region of Western Australia were examined in this study. The study was generated in response to concerns of clinicians working in the area about their scope of practice. Study participants were interviewed concerning their everyday “lived experience.” Interviews were audio taped, transcribed and coded numerically to ensure participant confidentiality. Data was analysed using van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Five essential themes were identified. They were holistic care of clients; isolation, autonomy and advanced practice; professional development and status recognition; educational support; and caseload numbers …

A Discussion On Developing Online Learning Communities For Student Information Professionals, Karen Anderson

Research outputs pre 2011

The Internet provides a wealth of resources and opportunities for enhancing professional education. In professional education courses for archivists and records managers, students can shape their own learning and develop professional skills through authentic assessment strategies which require them to find, analyse and evaluate policy documents and best practice standards published by leading archival organizations. Use of online discussion facilities provided by the ECU School of Computer and Information Science's eCourse system allows students to engage in professional discussion just as they would in the workplace while developing communication and information literacy skills. Student evaluations of this form of assessment …

Information Security: A Misnomer, William Hutchinson

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper argues that the definition of 'information' is crucial to the understanding of 'information security'. At present, information security concentrates on the technological aspects of data, computer and network security. This computer-centric approach ignores the fact that the majority of information within an organisation is derived from other sources than computer stored data. The implications for security are that much data can be leaked from an organisation even if the computer and network systems are secured.

Ad2us: An Automated Approach To Generating Usage Scenarios From Uml Activity Diagrams, Robert Chandler, Chiou Peng Lam, Huaizhong Li

Research outputs pre 2011

Although attention has been given to the use of UML (Unified Modelling Language) activity diagrams in the generation of scenarios, thin-threads and test-cases, the processes described in the literature rely heavily on manual intervention either in the information extraction process or in the process of transforming them to an alternate structure. This paper introduces an approach that capture, store and output usage scenarios derived automatically from UML activity diagrams.

Dynamic P-Cycles Selection In Optical Wdm Mesh Networks, Kungmang Lo, Daryoush Habibi, Quoc Viet Phung, Hoang Nguyen, Byungkyu Kang

Research outputs pre 2011

P-cycles have been recognized as a useful protection scheme in WDM mesh networks. This is a type of shared link protection that not only retains the mesh-like capacity efficiency, but also achieves the ring-like protection switching speed. However, finding the optimal set of p-cycles for protecting traffic demands is not a simple task and is an NP-hard problem. A general approach is to determine a set of candidate p-cycles and then determine optimal or near-optimal solutions by using integer linear programming (ILP) models or heuristics. In a dense mesh network, however, the number of candidate cycles is huge, and increases …

Design Explorations For An Online Environment To Promote Metacognitive Processing Through Negotiated Assessment, Mark Mcmahon, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

This study uses design-based research to explore how negotiated assessment contributes to students metacognitive processing. Metacognitive processing is shown to be linked to self-regulation and the development of generic skills. The research derived a conceptual framework from the literature that was integrated into a face-to-face learning strategy and evaluated. The results of this study were then used to refine the learning design, and another study was conducted with a view to explore its potential to be instantiated into an online electronic performance support system. Results from the second study are discussed and a new conceptual framework is proposed to promote …

Using In-Depth Interviewing To Evaluate Deep Learning In Students Who Use Online Curriculum: A Literature Review, Maria Woodhouse

Research outputs pre 2011

There are numerous difficulties associated with evaluating student experience of online curriculum, not least of which is the fact that different research methods elicit different types of information. The usefulness of choosing either quantitative or qualitative methods depends on their power to bear upon the research questions. This concept paper presents the learning experience as a qualitative event and argues that the in-depth interview is an apt tool for discovering to what extent students experience deep-learning in studying online subjects. To this end, this concept paper will consider the literature surrounding the in-depth interview as a research method. It will …

Rome: A Poem In Three Parts, Andrew Taylor

Research outputs pre 2011

This poem was written during a six month period, in 2004 and early 2005, as Writer in Residence at the EB Whiting Library in Rome, and in Perth during the weeks preparatory to going to Italy.

My Problem Or Our Problem? Exploring The Use Of Information Sharing As A Component Of A Holistic Approach To E-Security In Response To The Growth Of ‘Malicious Targeted Attacks’, Aaron Olding, Paul Turner

Research outputs pre 2011

There is now a growing recognition amongst e-security specialists that the e-security environment faced by organisations is changing rapidly. This environment now sees a situation where maliciously targeted attacks are conducted by ‘guns for hire’ (hackers) and/or criminal organisations (Illett 2005; Keiser 2005). As a consequence, conventional organisational approaches to e-security are becoming increasingly problematic and inadequate. There is a need to raise awareness of these issues amongst organisations and to contribute to the generation of effective integrated solutions that address this emerging e-security environment without sacrificing user privacy and/or breaching user trust. This paper considers the potential role of …

Establishing Physical Survivability Of Large Networks Using Properties Of Two-Connected Graphs, Daryoush Habibi, Hoang N. Nguyen, Quoc Viet Phung, Kung-Meng Lo

Research outputs pre 2011

Establishing the physical survivability of large networks is not a trivial task. Some techniques for assessing physical survivability such as the cutset method can not deal with large size networks (S. Ramamurthy and B. Mukherjee), (W.N. Grover and J. Doucette, 2001). A fast technique for finding biconnected components of a graph and testing the network for node-/link-bridges, presented in (W.D. Grover, 2004), does not provide any further information, such as identifying the fundamental cycles within the network, which would significantly benefit the next phase of network design for protection using such techniques as shared backup path protection (SBPP), p-cycle, or …

How To Build A Faraday On The Cheap For Wireless Security Testing, Suen Yek

Research outputs pre 2011

The commonly known security weaknesses associated with the 802.11b wireless standard have introduced a variety of security measures to countermeasure attacks. Using a wireless honeypot, a fake wireless network may be configured through emulation of devices and the TCP/IP fingerprinting of OS network stacks. TCP/IP fingerprinting is one of the most popular methods employed to determine the type of OS running on a target and this information can then be used to determine the type of vulnerabilities to target on the host. Testing the effectiveness of this technique to ensure that a wireless honeypot using honeyd may deceive an attacker …

An Analogue Recurrent Neural Networks For Trajectory Learning And Other Industrial Applications, Ganesh Kothapalli

Research outputs pre 2011

A real-time analogue recurrent neural network (RNN) can extract and learn the unknown dynamics (and features) of a typical control system such as a robot manipulator. The task at hand is a tracking problem in the presence of disturbances. With reference to the tasks assigned to an industrial robot, one important issue is to determine the motion of the joints and the effector of the robot. In order to model robot dynamics we use a neural network that can be implemented in hardware. The synaptic weights are modelled as variable gain cells that can be implemented with a few MOS …

Prepared To Teach : An Investigation Into The Preparation Of Teachers To Teach Literacy And Numeracy, William Louden, Mary Rohl, Jennifer Gore, Daryl Greaves, Alistair Mcintosh, Robert White, Dianne Siemon, Helen House

Research outputs pre 2011

Teacher education in Australia is a large and diverse enterprise. There are more than 400 programs in 36 universities, enrolling a total of about 35,000 preservice teachers (DEST, 2003).

The labour market for newly graduating teachers, pattern of entry to teacher education, the range of courses offered, the place of literacy and numeracy in those courses, and the provision of school experience influence the quality of beginning teachers' literacy and numeracy teaching.

Physician Secure Thyself, Patricia Williams

Research outputs pre 2011

Whilst discussion rages on the issues relating to security of medical data and the reason why it is important, there is little published information on how to tackle even basic security challenges for medical practice in Australia. Research suggests an underestimation of the threats to medical data by medical practitioners, hence there is sufficient reason to promote development of tools to assist medical practice with technical issues they are unfamiliar with. This paper provides an initial dialogue on how these security issues should be addressed. Included is a framework for risk assessment and elaboration of the implementation process to make …

Seeking Information Superiority: Strategies For Business In The Commercial Application Of Information Operations, Martin Dart

Research outputs pre 2011

Information superiority is a condition that many businesses attempt to attain without truly understanding what it is, or how to get there. This paper presents an overview to help businesspeople recognize the road to information superiority, and some of the essential strategies to implement along the way. Information operations is a concept described to enable information superiority, when used with a network form of organization (as opposed to simply being networked). This paper describes information operations across their fundamental structure of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); and suggests a separation between industrial espionage and legitimate business information gathering. A model …

Designing Comminution Circuits With A Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm, Simon Huband, Luigi Barone, Philip Hingston, Lyndon While, David Tuppurainen, Richard Bearman

Research outputs pre 2011

Mining is an important industry in Australia, contributing billions of dollars to the economy. The performance of a processing plant has a large impact on the profitability of a mining operation, yet plant design decisions are typically guided more by intuition and experience than by analysis. In this paper, we motivate the use of an evolutionary algorithm to aid in the design of such plants. We formalise plant design in terms suitable for application in a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm and create a simulation to assess the performance of candidate solutions. Results show the effectiveness of this approach with our algorithm …

Detecting Rogue Access Points That Endanger The Maginot Line Of Wireless Authentication, Zhiqi Tao, A. B. Ruighaver

Research outputs pre 2011

The rapid growth in deployment of wireless networks in recent years may be an indication that many organizations believe that their system will be adequately secured by the implementation of enhanced encryption and authentication. However, in our view, the emphasis on cryptographic solutions in wireless security is repeating the history of the “Maginot Line”. Potential attackers of wireless networks currently will find many ways to get access to wireless networks to compromise the confidentiality of information without the need to crack the encryption. In this paper we analyze how rogue access points threaten the security of an organization’s wireless network …

Can Sense Of Community Inform Social Capital?, Julie Ann Pooley, Lynne Cohen, Lisbeth Pike

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper examines the theoretical linkage between social capital and sense of community through research studies within four contextual areas. Social capital (SC) can be conceptualized as all the interactions between individuals in a community, and has been examined in various groups and communities. Sense of community (SoC) is a psychological construct that we argue is a correlate of social capital. Sense of community reflects the feelings of attachment and belonging that an individual has towards a community. Through qualitative and quantitative research carried out across the lifespan in four communities in Western Australia (i.e., Perth community, adolescent Jewish community, …

A Novel Microphotonic Structure For Optical Header Recognition, Muhsen Aljada, Kamal Alameh, Adam Osseiran, Khalid Al-Begain

Research outputs pre 2011

In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a new MicroPhotonic structure for optical packet header recognition based on the integration of an optical cavity, optical components and a photoreceiver array. The structure is inherently immune to optical interference thereby routing an optical header within optical cavities to different photo receiver elements to generate the autocorrelation function, and hence the recognition of the header using simple microelectronic circuits. The proof-of-concept of the proposed MicroPhotonic optical header recognition structure is analysed and experimentally demonstrated, and results show excellent agreement between measurements and theory.

The Effectiveness Of Sme Websites In A Buiness To Business Context, Rosemary Stockdale, Chad Lin, Susan Stoney

Research outputs pre 2011

This research analyses the effectiveness of SME business to business websites from a user perspective. An established evaluation instrument (eQual) is used to assess 80 websites in terms of usability, information quality, and interaction and service. The analysis shows that although a significant number of sites reflect little understanding of the attributes of good design or potential benefits to be gained from websites, there are examples of competent and effective website use.

Integrating Open Source Protections Into Scada Networks, Craig Valli

Research outputs pre 2011

SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) networks control much of the industrialised nations production and supply complexes. Various government reports and investigations have highlighted the vulnerability of these systems. Many of these systems are on private networks which are increasingly being connected to systems that are accessible from other networks such as the Internet. There are a range of open source tools that now offer fonctionality that can be used to secure SCADA networks from intrusion or compromise. This paper explores some of the issues with current SCADA deployment trends from a network security perspective and then examines open source …

Dynamic Wavefront Generation Technology Using Optovlsi Processor, Zhenglin Wang, Kamal Alameh, Rong Zheng

Research outputs pre 2011

In this paper we present a novel approach for dynamic wavefront generatio based on reconfigurable Opto-VLSI processing. Computer algorithms are developed to generate arbitrary quadric-phse lense and lenslet array with programmable focal lenght, beam steering and lens diameter by driving the Opto-VLSI processor with different computer generated phase holograms. Proff-of-concept experimental results show that multiple spheric and aspheric lens/lenslet wavefrongs can be generated with each lens independently addressed. The measured meaximum focal length tuning range is from +80mm to infinity and the beam scanning angular range is +7mrad, which are in excellent agreement with theory. Difference spatial profiles for wavefront …