http://hdl.handle.net/10204/912 2013-05-21T21:40:12Z http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6693 Title: Fingerprint pores extractor Authors: Mngenge, NA; Nelufule, NN; Nelwamondo, FV; Msimang, M Abstract: Automatic Fingerprint Recognition Systems (AFRSs) rely on minutiae position and orientation within the fingerprint image for matching. Minutiae information is highly accurate provided that the fingerprint image matched is of high quality. However, this is not always the case because of diseases and hash working conditions that affect fingerprints. In order to maintain high level of security independent of varying fingerprint image quality research suggests the use of other fingerprint features to compliment minutiae. These are things like ridge contours, sweat pores, dots, and incipient ridges. Sweat pores have been proven as one of the most distinctive among these feature. Thus in order to improve accuracy of AFRSs pores can be fused with minutiae or used alone. Sweat pores have been less utilized in the past due to constraints imposed by fingerprint scanning devices and resolution standards. Recently, progress has been made on both scanning devices and resolution standards to support the use of pores in AFRSs. However, very few techniques exist for extracting, matching and fusing them with minutiae. Matching and fusion can only be possible if pores are available. Some techniques have been proposed to reliable extract pores. However, existing techniques can only work on one resolution i.e. an algorithm proposed and tested on 500dpi cannot work on 1000dpi without minor modifications because pores size change if resolution changes. In addition, existing pore extraction techniques are computationally expensive. In this paper an algorithm to extract feature level 3 (pores) is proposed. The algorithm uses Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) in Fourier domain in order to reduce computation. The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested on two distinct databases with different resolutions in order to validate its accuracy. The accuracy of the proposed algorithm is further measured using false detection rate (FDR) and true detection rate (TDR). Results show that FDR ranges from 10-35% while TDR ranges from 65-90%. Description: 2012 National Conference on Computing and Communication Systems, Durgapur, West Bengal, India, 21- 22 November 2012. To be published in IEEE Xplore 2012-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6634 Title: Adopting the alternate reality game approach in the design of the Singa environment Authors: Dlodlo, N; Foko, T; Mvelase, PS Abstract: Playing games, especially electronic games, is a popular free-time activity among children and adolescents and these games seem to have a prominent role in the culture of young people. It is with this in mind that the SINGA environment was designed and developed. This paper describes the concepts of an initiative called SINGA (short for SINGAZENZELA) and how far the SINGA environment adopts features of the Alternate Reality game (ARG) to enhance its effectiveness. SINGA is an environment, both digital and physical, that simulates the real-world environment to impart survival skills to vulnerable children by putting them through challenges and puzzles. The mission of SINGA is to enhance the livelihoods of vulnerable children and young people by imparting to them ways and means to participate better in their own lives and to get things done without necessarily relying on adults and officials. ARGs, on the other hand, are multimedia narratives that use real-world platforms to tell a story that evolves around the user's response to challenges and puzzles. The game is defined by intense player involvement with a story that takes place in real-time and evolves according to participant's responses and characters. Players interact with characters in the game, solve plot-based challenges and puzzles and analyse the story and coordinate real-life and online activities. Description: 8th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, 7-10 January 2010 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6623 Title: The small group subtlety of using ICT for participatory governance: A South African experience Authors: Twinomurinzi, H; Phahlamohlaka, J; Byrne, E Abstract: The greater number of government efforts to stimulate participative governance in communities using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) often fall short of expectations. In South Africa extending egovernment to communities has been in the form of more and/or better equipped ICT-enabled community centres, called Thusong Service Centres. In this paper, based on action research experiences, we report outcomes of interpretive research into ICT-enabled approaches to participative governance in communities. Using the Diffusion of Innovations theory as an analytic lens, the findings reveal a subtlety that is not often mentioned in the call for participative e-governance; people from communities prefer to work in groups rather than individually. The collectiveness inclination is a common denominator of many developing countries where people choose to come together to leverage the few available resources. Individuals become apprehensive when made to work on their own using the ICT. The research reveals the necessity to re-design ICT to suit small groups as part of participative e-governance rather than the normative ICT design that suits individual work styles. Additionally, the research reveals that by working in groups, communities are more willing to accept the government initiatives that are being energised with the use of ICT. Methodologically, the research revealed the ethical issue that arises from action research in its raising of unrealistic expectations in a community. Description: Copyright: 2012 Elsevier. This is the Post print version of the work. The definitive version is published in Government Information Quarterly, vol. 29(2), pp 203-211 2012-04-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10204/6598 Title: The digital difference between traditional information provision and students’ expectations in developing countries Authors: Chipangura, B; Van Biljon, J; Botha, A Abstract: Developing countries and South Africa in specific have shown phenomenal growth in the mobile sector. This has resulted in some challenges and opportunities for alleviating digital poverty through distance education. One of these challenges is that many students are mobile primary and accustomed to incorporating their mobile devices’ information capabilities into their daily routines while institutional information access is personal computer based. The rapid pace of mobile technology development may well create a mobile divide where educators, administrators and policy makers do not understand the students’ usage of mobile devices in teaching and learning. Therefore they may be reluctant to promote mobile-centric access and this will lead to a disparity between information provision and students’ information needs. Distance education is often the only higher education opportunity available to developing communities and these communities are generally more mobile centric than pc-centric. Therefore, there is a need at institutional level to understand the mobile information access needs of mobile primary users and to develop strategies that facilitate mobile cellular technology access to services, content and participation. This study investigates students’ needs and expectations regarding mobile cellular technology access to educational services, content and participation mechanisms in an open distance learning (ODL) university. The context of this study is the University of South Africa (Unisa). The contribution of the paper is to identify Open ODL students’ needs regarding mobile phone access needs to information. The research design includes capturing the students’ mobile information access needs by using an open ended survey. Description: 6th International Development Informatics Association Conference (IDIA2012), Beykent University, Istanbul, Turkey, 6-8 September 2012 2012-09-01T00:00:00Z