Den globala efterfrågan på mat förväntas öka avsevärt i framtiden, driven av faktorer såsom befolkningsökning och industriell utveckling. Dessutom har vikten av en robust livsmedelsförsörjning nationellt fått ökad uppmärksamhet med tanke på globala klimatförändringar och politiska konflikter. Matproduktion i klimatstyrda växthus erbjuder lovande möjligheter för att möta den ökande efterfrågan på prisvärda och hållbara livsmedel. Trots de fördelar som är förknippade med matproduktion i växthus, står vi inför ett antal utmaningar som behöver hanteras, särskilt i ett land med kallt klimat som Sverige. Detta inkluderar låga utomhustemperaturer, begränsad solinstrålning, samt höga energikostnader för att upprätthålla ett gynnsamt odlingsklimat. 

I föreliggande studie undersöker vi potential med Wall Confluent Jet (WCJ) för att skapa och upprätthålla en gynnsam inomhusmiljö för grödodling i ett växthusklimat. Fördelarna med WCJ inkluderar bland annat användandet av lågtemperarad industriell spillvärme, utebliven risk för kondens, samt tillförsel av önskvärda nivåer av luftfuktighet och CO2.  Dessutom syftar arbetet till att studera den teknoekonomiska prestandan hos WCJ i jämförelse med konventionell uppvärmning via fjärrvärme. Arbetet är uppdelat i två delar: (1) fältexperiment med mätningar av luft- och yttemperaturer för att studera prestandan i WCJ, och (2) teknoekonomisk analys som inkluderar olika klimatzoner, fjärrvärmepriser, samt olika priser på lågtempererad industriell spillvärme. Ett växthus, med ett integrerar testrum, som är beläget i Hofors används som fallstudie. 

Resultaten visar att WCJ-tekniken levererar en jämn och relativt konstant termisk miljö, samt att WCJ klistras vid både tak- och bakväggens ytor och därmed värmer upp dessa ytor. Vidare, den genomsnittliga energianvändningen för uppvärmning minskar från 381 kWh/m2∙år utan WCJ-teknik till 167 kWh/m2∙år med WCJ (56% minskning). WCJ-tekniken möjliggör också en genomsnittlig minskning av energikostnaderna från 441 kSEK/år till 43 kSEK (>90%).  Detta är kopplat till signifikant lägre energianvändning med WCJ, och betydligt lägre priser för lågtempererad industriell spillvärme jämfört med lokala fjärrvärmepriser för de analyserade klimatzonerna. 

Machine learning is used today in a wide variety of applications, especially within computer vision, robotics, and autonomous systems. Example use cases include detecting people or other objects using cameras in autonomous vehicles, or navigating robots through collision-free paths to solve different tasks. The flexibility of machine learning is attractive as it can be applied to a wide variety of challenging tasks, without detailed prior knowledge of the problem domain. However, training machine learning models requires vast amounts of data, which leads to a significant manual effort, both for collecting the data and for annotating it. 

In this thesis, we study and develop methods for training machine learning models under in-sufficient data within computer vision, robotics, and autonomous systems, for the purpose of reducing the manual effort. In summary, we study (1) weakly-supervised learning for reducing the annotation cost, (2) methods for reducing model bias under highly imbalanced training data,(3) methods for obtaining trustworthy uncertainty estimates, and (4) the use of simulated and semi-virtual environments for reducing the amount of real-world data in reinforcement learning. 

In the first part of this thesis, we investigate how weakly-supervised learning can be used within image segmentation. In contrast to fully supervised learning, weakly-supervised learning uses a weaker form of annotation, which reduces the annotation effort. Typically, in image segmentation, each object needs to be precisely annotated in every image on the pixel level. Creating this type of annotation is both time consuming and costly. In weakly-supervised segmentation, however, the only information required is which objects are depicted in the images. This significantly reduces the annotation time. In Papers A and B, we propose two loss functions for improving the predicted object segmentations, especially their contours, in weakly-supervised segmentation. 

In the next part of the thesis, we tackle class imbalance in image classification. During data collection, some classes naturally occur more frequently than others, which leads to an imbalance in the amount of data between the different classes. Models trained on such datasets may become biased towards the more common classes. Overcoming this effect by collecting more data of the rare classes may take a very long time. Instead, we develop an ensemble method for image classification in Paper C, which is unbiased despite being trained on highly imbalanced data. 

When using machine learning models within autonomous systems, a desirable property for them is to predict trustworthy uncertainty estimates. This is especially important when the training data is limited, as the probability for encountering previously unseen cases is large. In short, a model making a prediction with a certain confidence should be correct with the corresponding probability. This is not the case in general, as machine learning models are notorious for predicting overconfident uncertainty estimates. We apply methods for improving the uncertainty estimates for classification in Paper C and for regression in Paper D. 

In the final part of this thesis, we utilize reinforcement learning for teaching a robot to perform coverage path planning, e.g. for lawn mowing or search-and-rescue. In reinforcement learning, the robot interacts with an environment and gets rewards based on how well it solves the task. Initially, its actions are random, which improve over time as it explores the environment and gathers data. It typically takes a long time for this learning process to converge. This is problematic in real-world environments where the robot needs to operate during the full duration, which may require human supervision. At the same time, a large variety in the training data is important for generalisation, which is difficult to achieve in real-world environments. Instead, we utilize a simulated environment in Paper E for accelerating the training process, where we procedurally generate random environments. To simplify the transfer from simulation to reality, we fine-tune the model in a semi-virtual indoor environment on the real robot in Paper F. 

The purpose of this study is lo contribute to the knowledge of positioning by discussing and developing a conceptual framework suitable for describing and analyzing positioning in a strategically uncertain, rapidly changing environment which is significant in, for example, new, emerging industries. In this type of environment there isa great uncertainty about future strategic values. 

In current theory, positioning is usually defined as a process to establish, maintain or develop a position for a product or organization by relating it to other products or organizations in an arena; through development, establishment and/or maintenance of attributes (values) so that the target audience perceives the product or company as the best. During the last three decades the approach has mostly been on conventional, established companies in mature industries. These theories and models do not discuss positioning and driving-forces in a strategically uncertain environment. 

The unit of analysis is an industrial community where a focal firm, called a sponsor, holds a proprietary interest in a specific product design. The environment of the case is a new, rapidly growing, emerging industry: the Swedish personal computer industry in its first decade. The study is based on a longitudinal, reconstructed case study of the company Luxor Datorer and its relations to other actors in the environment (the new personal computer industry). The case comprises the period from 1978 to 1986 (and an epilog). 

The major result of this study is a mode! of positioning in a strategically uncertain environment. In this type of environment positioning consists of three major, parallel part-processes, base-, key- and community-positioning, where the mix of these part-processes changes with time. Each part-process is dominating apart of the development from a very uncertain environment lo a less uncertain environment and by these changes one can identify three phases. The positioning is strongly influenced by internal and externa) driving-forces, in this study analyzed as two major driving-forces, competence development and rules of the "game" in the arena. The interna! driving-forces are changing from broadening competences to rendering competence more effective and the external driving-forces are changing from rules of the community to rules of the industry. In the first part (phase) of the new, emerging industry internal driving-forces have stronger influence than the external forces. In the last part (phase) the externa! forces are stronger. 

This research aims to conduct a thorough analysis of the security protocols used in Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) within the civil aviation domain. By employing the advanced formal verification tool Tamarin, this study will mathematically model and rigorously examine the CPDLC protocols to identify specific security vulnerabilities. The study will assess the current CPDLC security measures’ effectiveness in mitigating threats such as cyberattacks and unauthorized access. Furthermore, it will explore how Tamarin can be applied to analyze the security of two CPDLC-based protocols. The insights gained from this formal verification will be used to propose enhancements to the security of these protocols. The ultimate goal is to ensure the robustness of CPDLC protocols, thereby enhancing the overall security and reliability of air traffic management systems.

This exploratory study delves into the intricate relationship between religious conversion and political orientation. This is one of the crucial but understudied aspects of the interplay between personal belief systems and political ideologies. Utilizing data from the General Social Survey between 1998 and 2021 in the United States, the research scrutinizes the correlation between religious conversion—through conversion, de-conversion, and re-conversion—and self-identified political orientations. Explicitly, it investigates how religious conversions can predict the liberal, moderate or conservative leanings of the individuals. Grounded in Schwartz's Theory of Basic Values, the study provides a theoretical framework for understanding potential shifts in values accompanying religious conversion. It hypothesizes that individuals undergoing religious change, conversion, or de-conversion are more likely to identify with liberal political orientations. In parallel, re-converts, those reverting to religious beliefs, lean towards conservative ideologies. The research incorporates demographic and socioeconomic factors to understand their influence on this relationship. Multinomial Logistic Regression is the main statistical method analyzing multiple political orientation categories along with various independent variables. The results reveal a significant association between religious conversions and political orientations, despite controlling for demographic and socioeconomic traits. Furthermore, it explores the average marginal effects of the key traits interacted with the conversion types in predicting the political orientation, which paves the way for further exploratory research. This contributes to the broader discourse on the dynamic interplay between personal belief systems and political ideologies, highlighting the transformative impact of religious conversion on political orientation. In addition, it underlines the need for further research, including more nuanced data collection around values and the timing of religious conversions, to deepen our understanding of this complex relationship.

En av dagens största utmaningar är klimatomställningen och Sverige ska senast år 2045 ha nått det nationella klimatmålet om nettonollutsläpp av växthusgaser. Detta för att följa de ramar som satts av EU där hela unionen ska nå klimatneutralitet till 2050 samt minska utsläppen med 55 procent till 2030. En rapport från Energimyndigheten visar även att Sveriges elbehov förväntas öka till 280 TWh år 2035 och 370 TWh år 2046, vilket är mer än dubbelt så mycket som 2023 års elanvändning på 137 TWh.

Det svenska elsystemet står därmed inför en utmaning med ökat elbehov samtidigt som elen måste produceras och distribueras på ett sätt som resulterar i minskade klimatutsläpp. För att klara av den ökande efterfrågan behövs en utökning av elproduktionen och en modernisering av elnätet. Flexibilitet blir nyckeln för att balansera och effektivisera utnyttjandet av elsystemet. Det möjliggör anslutning av nya elkrävande kunder utan omfattande nätutbyggnader. Att integrera efterfrågeflexibilitet i elsystemet blir avgörande för att Sverige snabbare ska kunna möta kraven på elektrifiering och energiomställning samtidigt som kostsamma och tidskrävande nätutbyggnader undviks. Efterfrågeflexibilitet blir en central lösning för att navigera Sveriges väg mot en hållbar och klimatneutral framtid.

Med utgångspunkt i detta undersöker examensarbetet (1) hinder och drivkrafter hos svenska energiintensiva industrier att leverera olika typer av flexibilitetstjänster och (2) vilka typer av kundvärden som kan skapas av detta. Syftet med arbetet är att bistå energibolag med en större förståelse för vilka förutsättningar, hinder och drivkrafter som flexumenter inom främst energiintensiva industrier upplever. Detta för att de bättre ska kunna rekrytera och tillgängliggöra flexibilitet som kan bidra till att klara elektrifieringen och energiomställningen.

En litteraturstudie genomfördes för att identifiera hinder, drivkrafter och kundvärden i litteraturen. Litteraturstudien användes även som underlag för intervjuguiden som användes i intervjustudien. Intervjustudien gjordes för att få svar på vilka förutsättningar just industrikunder har för att leverera flexibilitet. Förutom intervjuguiden med frågor

Resultatet visar att de hinder som i genomsnitts rankats högst mot att leverera flexibilitetstjänster av svenska energiintensiva industrier är dolda kostnader, känsliga processer och ihopkopplade processer. Industrierna har identifierat olika dolda kostnader, bland annat anges kostnader kopplat till bortfall i produktion. När det kommer till de industriella processerna har många industrier påpekat att de inte kan stoppa sina processer hur som helst. Detta är på grund av till exempel produktionsplanering och att det tar för lång tid att återgå till normal drift vid eventuella stopp.

Utöver de hinder som har identifierats i litteraturen har även den organisatoriska mognadsgraden hos industrierna identifierats som ett hinder. Många av industrierna har uttryckt att de är intresserade av flexibilitetstjänster, men att de inte är insatta i ersättningsnivåer och förkvalificeringskrav. Detta tyder på att energibolagen behöver bli bättre på att sprida kunskap gällande ersättningsnivåer och förkvalificeringskrav.

De drivkrafter som i genomsnitt rankats högst för att leverera flexibilitet av svenska energiintensiva industrier är kompensation eller annan typ av ersättning, styrbarhet av processer och politiska signaler. Ersättning för deltagande och styrbarhet av processer rankas högt eftersom industrierna inte vill att leverans av flexibilitetstjänster ska påverka kärnverksamheten och intäkterna därifrån negativt. Även politiska signaler rankades högt vilket visar på vikten av att utveckla regelverk och policyer kopplat till flexibilitet. Industrierna anser att det saknas tydliga regelverk kring vad som gäller. I fick intervjupersonerna även ranka hinder, drivkrafter och kundvärden av flexibilitet som identifierats i litteraturen. Rankningen möjliggjorde för mer konkreta svar på hur betydande olika hinder och drivkrafter var för verksamheten, samt vilka kundvärden som betyder mest.nuläget utvecklas en nätkod för efterfrågeflexibilitet som ska agera som ett harmoniserat regelverk för att skapa en samstämmighet med befintliga regelverk.

De kundvärde som i genomsnitt rankats högst av svenska energiintensiva industrier är intern resiliens (förmågan att kunna hantera den omställning som elektrifiering av samhället och industrisektorn kommer att medföra) och ökade intäkter. Att intern resiliens rankas högt tyder på att det är viktigt för industrierna att kunna hantera de förutsättningar som elektrifiering av samhället och industrisektorn kommer att medföra. Den höga rankningen av ökade intäkter stämmer även överens med att drivkraften kompensation eller annan typ av ersättning rankats högt. Det visar på att den ekonomiska aspekten är viktig för industrierna. Anledningen till att organisatorisk tillväxt inte rankas högre beror främst på att industrierna inte ser flexibilitet som något som kan öka tillväxten inom organisationen. Ofta finns det andra åtgärder som i högre grad bidrar till en ökad tillväxt och därmed prioriteras dessa åtgärder framför flexibilitet.

Generellt upplevs majoriteten av industrierna ha en positiv syn på flexibilitet, att leverera flexibilitetstjänster ses inte bara som en utmaning utan också som en möjlighet. Den positiva synen indikerar att industrierna kan vara en viktig nyckelspelare för att lösa framtidens elbehov.

The equity fund Billinger Förvaltning has operated using a predominately qualitativeapproach when choosing the constituents of its portfolio. This study aims to ascertainwhether a purely quantitative practice can improve returns and decrease risk while beinglimited in investment choices to the current holdings of Billinger Förvaltning. The culmination of the study is the comparison of six different optimisation models, their variations,relevant metrics, and overall robustness, to the, as of publishing, Billinger Förvaltningsfund constituents performance as well as the performance of an equally weighted portfolio. The optimisation models will, minimise either the portfolio’s mean-variance or itsCVaR. In addition, constraints of minimal acceptable returns and constraints that mimican investor’s desire to curtail significant portfolio re-balancing will be added.The meat of the study is found in the estimation of model parameters and simulationof the one step ahead returns on which the optimisation results depend. This processbegins with, having shown the returns to exhibit heteroskedasticity, finding a well-fittingparametric distribution and calculating its residuals using GARCH models. These residuals facilitate the estimation of a parametric Copula model from which the marginalresiduals of the portfolio constituents can be simulated a sufficient number of times in order to produce next time-step return predictions using the aforementioned GARCH model.The expected return predictions are then updated using the Black-Litterman frameworkthat incorporates a novel variation of a commonly used formulation for the views of theinvestor.Having chosen the most appropriate models as EGARCH under a Student’s t distribution assumption and a Student’s t copula, the various optimisation models are evaluatedwith re-balancing strategies at daily, weekly, and quarterly frequency. The results showthat several combinations of the optimisation model and re-balancing strategy result inportfolio returns that are statistically significantly better at the 95% confidence level thanthose of Billinger Förvaltnings portfolio. It is, however, important to note that the high increase in yearly average turnover may introduce transaction costs that render the practiceprohibitive.

Titel: Systemleverantörers användning av artificiell intelligens i redovisningsprogram

Författare: Isabelle Blixt och Elias Lazraq Byström

Handledare: Jasenko Flodin Arsenovic

Introduktion: I en tid som omfattar snabb teknisk innovation och digital omvandling har organisationer och samhället stått för en betydande förändring. I dagsläget befinner vi oss i den fjärde industriella revolutionen, där AI har fått ett allt större inflytande och revolutionerat samhället på flera olika håll. Redovisning inkluderar ett flertal olika processer som har potential att förändras genom AI.

Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur systemleverantörer använder AI i sina redovisningsprogram. Studien syftar även till att undersöka vilka möjligheter och utmaningar systemleverantörer upplever med implementeringen av AI i deras tjänster.

Metod: Studien tillämpar en kvalitativ metod samt en abduktiv ansats, där sex semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med olika systemleverantörer. Studien har använt en tematisk analys i syfte att sammanställa och kategorisera olika teman av respondenternas svar.

Slutsats: Studien visar att systemleverantörer implementerar AI i sina redovisningsprogram och befinner sig tidigt i utvecklingen. AI tillämpas främst inom transaktioner och bokföring, där systemleverantörer använder teknologier såsom ML, generativ AI och språkmodeller. Implementeringen av AI ger möjligheter till bland annat ökad effektivitet, produktivitet och tidsbesparingar. Studien identifierar utmaningar såsom kostnader, tekniska hinder och brist på tillit. Trots dessa utmaningar anses AI ha stor potential att revolutionera redovisningsbranschen och systemleverantörernas redovisningsprogram, där AI idag redan haft en betydande inverkan.

The operationalization of the Paris Agreement started in 2021 as the last details of its practical application were signed five years later during the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Simultaneously, there has been a substantial rise in participation in COPs. As Non-State Actors (NSAs) are increasingly involved in climate governance as observers, without any decisional power over negotiations, it is interesting to investigate their roles and motivations for attending COPs. This thesis explores the rationales for the important augmentation of participation by exploring the roles NSAs play in COPs and the reasons driving them to attend. Based on an analysis of surveys distributed at COP28 and interviews with COP28 participants, this thesis argues that the roles of NSAs have evolved accordingly with the different phases of the Paris Agreement. The results imply that the motivations to attend a COP go beyond the sole interest in the negotiations. Furthermore, the perception of the increase in participation highlights important challenges. This thesis is part of long-standing research on the role of non-state actors in environmental governance. It provides a comparison with existing research from the wake of the Paris Agreement. One main conclusion is that the dynamics of the roles of NSAs have evolved, being less centered on functionalist functions, now that the focus has shifted to implementation.  Finally, this thesis proposes a reflection of the utility of COPs from a Non-State Actor’s perspective. 

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur ett mobilanpassat gränssnitt för en forskningsarena inom allmänhetens säkerhet kan utformas med fokus på användarbehov. Genom en användarcentrerad designprocess är målet att identifiera viktiga funktionaliteter samt användarbehov och utifrån detta generera ett designförslag. Genomförandet av detta arbete började med en datainsamling för att identifiera viktiga funktionaliteter och användarbehov, denna bestod av semistrukturerade intervjuer samt tidigare forskning. Datamaterialet från intervjuerna analyserades med en tematisk analys. Utifrån insikterna från det analyserade materialet kunde ett flertal koncept genereras, ett valt koncept låg sedan till grund för utvecklingen av designförslaget i form av ev LoFi-prototyp. Resultaten från den tematiska analysen visade på de olika användarbehov som trädde fram under intervjuerna. De teman som identifierades var lägesbild, utmaningar, användarvänlighet, funktionalitet och roll samt önskemål. Detta visade på att användaren ansåg det vara viktigt att få en tydlig lägesbild och att gränssnittet är enkelt att interagera med. Samtidigt tydliggjordes vilken funktion och roll arenakartan skulle fylla och eventuella utmaningar. Dessa insikter användes för att utforma ett designförslag som visar på hur ett gränssnitt som tar hänsyn till dessa behov kan se ut. Det kvarstår att utforma en mer detaljerad Hi-Fi prototyp som genomgått användartester samt vidare utvärdering. Designförslaget bör ses som en inspirationskälla och utgångspunkt för framtida forskning samt utveckling av liknande system.

Ice hockey is a team sport, and thus it is of the utmost importance to assemble a team of players who are capable of performing at their optimal level when playing together. For a team to perform at the highest level, it is essential that the team consists of players with different player types who excel in different situations on the ice. Despite the importance of team composition, there is a shortage of previous research in this area. Previous studies have been limited to a single league or the quantity of available data. This thesis investigates the classification of player types in ice hockey using soft clustering techniques. The aim is to determine if Fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering and Gaussian mixture models (GMM) can effectively categorize player styles, and to evaluate the suitability of each method. The player types were derived from play-by-play data from three different leagues over three seasons. We represent each player's individual playing style in two different player vectors. One vector employs frequent sequences combined with event frequency, while the other vector features distinct skills characterizing a playing style. After constructing the vectors, we applied both of the clustering algorithms. Our findings show that both FCM and GMM successfully derived playing styles. FCM provided fuzzier clusters, meaning that it performed better at handling the fact that players may assume multiple playing styles. Additionally, the vectors based on the distinct skills of a hockey player led to highly interpretable clusters compared to the vectors using frequent sequences and event frequency. 

BAKGRUND: Ideella organisationer som jobbar med social trygghet har fått en allt mer betydande roll, både i praktiken och inom forskningen, då samhället idag genomgår större utmaningar än förut. Dessa organisationer syftar till att tjäna samhället, snarare än att maximera sin vinst, men för att överleva på marknaden behöver de anpassa sig efter den ökade konkurrensen. Ofta resulterar detta i att organisationerna blir mer affärsmässiga, vilket kan leda till att dessa blir mer långsiktigt hållbara och självständiga. Samtidigt medför detta en mer komplex relation mellan organisationernas dagliga, operativa verksamhet och deras sociala ändamål. Tidigare studier har undersökt affärsmässiga ideella organisationer och faktorer som påverkar dem, men det är ännu oklart hur de manövrerar det sociala och affärsmässiga i sin dagliga verksamhet. 

SYFTE OCH FORSKNINGSFRÅGOR: Syftet med denna studie är att få en fördjupad förståelse för hur ideella organisationer navigerar mellan socialt arbete och affärsmässiga initiativ. Genom att utforska individernas perspektiv i en kvalitativ fallstudie ämnar uppsatsen att ge nyanserade insikter om samspelet mellan socialt arbete och affärsmässighet i en svensk ideell organisation. Uppsatsen undersöker även hur detta samspel kan bidra till ideella organisationers verksamheter på olika sätt. Detta utforskas genom följande forskningsfrågor: Hur kan samspelet mellan socialt arbete och affärsmässighet bidra till långsiktighet och kvalitet? Hur kan samspelet mellan socialt arbete och affärsmässighet bidra till bibehållandet av en stark värdegrund?

METOD: Studien antar en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi där en fallstudie, genom semistrukturerade intervjuer, utförts. Vidare har studien utgått från ett fenomenologiskt forskningsperspektiv med en iterativ och abduktiv forskningsansats. 

SLUTSATS OCH KUNSKAPSBIDRAG: Studien indikerar att individerna upplever en någorlunda komplex relation mellan affärsmässighet och socialt arbete. Det finns moraliska dilemman som försvårar organisationens navigation samtidigt som det kan bidra till ökad konkurrenskraft, långsiktighet samt kvalitet av det sociala arbetet. Överlag upplevs de affärsmässiga initiativen som positivt bidragande, något som till stor del överensstämmer med tidigare forskning. Däremot bidrar vissa individer med erfarenheter som till viss del motsäger tidigare studier. Således har studien bidragit med en ytterligare förståelse av individernas upplevelser i en svensk ideell organisation, som inte endast bidrar till den existerande kunskapsbasen utan även utökar förståelsen internt i ideella organisationer, specifikt i Sverige. 

The interest rate derivatives (IRDs) market, despite being traded over-the-counterwith low liquidity and transparency, is one of the largest financial markets in the world.Its importance for market actors, banks and financial institutions both as an investmentvehicle and as a tool to hedge interest rate risk cannot be overstated. For the market tofunction well, its actors must develop models that determine quotes on these instrumentsaccurately. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to develop models that can determineintraday quotes on IRDs.To this end, this thesis employs three different methodologies to determine intradayquotes: time series forecasting models, repricing error filtering and an extended Kalmanfilter. The time series forecasting consists of a naive predictor, an exponentially-weightedmoving average (EWMA) and an auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) model. Therepricing error filtering builds upon a term structure measurement method developed byBlomvall and Ndengo (2013), and filters the resulting repricing errors using an EWMA-and ARMA-model. The third and final methodology applies a non-linear Kalman filterto the term structure and its innovations to determine IRD quotes.Three markets were studied: the USD, EUR and SEK markets. The models weretrained and evaluated on market data on a per-minute basis from a period of one month.The performance evaluation was conducted using a statistical test of improvements whichresulted in probabilities that one model has a smaller estimation error than another whenpredicting coming quotes on the IRDs.The results shows that no predictive ability was gained over time series forecastingwhen using models that take the shape and innovations of the term structure into consid-eration. In all markets studied in this work, the TSF models served as the best modelsfor determining IRD intraday quotes. The statistical test of improvements shows thatthe TSF models have an almost 100% chance of generating smaller errors than the othermodels. Out of the two TSF models, the EWMA-model was the best, outperforming theARMA-model with almost 100% certainty in the SEK and EUR markets, and roughly70% certainty in the USD market.  

An increased share of renewable power generation in the energy system is crucial for achieving the climate neutrality goals set up by Sweden and the EU. The Swedish Energy Agency considers solar power particularly important for supporting the transition to fossil-free electricity production in the short term. In recent years, interest in connecting larger solar power plants in Sweden has increased, along with an interest in other types of installations, such as batteries. Consequently, grid companies are experiencing a surge in new connection requests, leading to long lead times for grid connection. Applicants for grid connections perceive a need for greater transparency and clarity. In June of 2023, the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate was tasked by the government to investigate improved and efficient information sharing in the connection process. At the same time, grid companies report that many inquiries lack sufficient maturity levels, complicating and delaying their work. In January 2024, the Swedish TSO (Svenska kraftnät) published new recommendations for grid companies regarding the connection process and inquiries, which include increased requirements for maturity throughout the process. The Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate also suggests investigating the requirements for maturity levels in the connection process.

This study builds on the governmental assignment to the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate and Svenska kraftnät’s recommendations. Through qualitative research involving an interview study and thematic analysis, this study explores the perspectives of solar park developers and grid companies on perceived challenges in the connection process, increased maturity level requirements, and enhanced information sharing.

The results provide a general description of the park development process and a description of the connection process until signing a grid connection agreement. The process is divided into an indication phase, an investigation phase, and a pre-study phase. Key findings reveal that grid companies believe many solar park developers could be better prepared throughout the connection process. This lack of preparation results in additional work for grid companies and, along with complex grid analysis, presents significant challenges. Solar park developers´ ability to modularize complicates matters for grid companies, as this demands new working methods. Additionally, solar park developers face significant challenges due to insufficient insight regarding grid capacity and a general lack of transparency throughout the connection process. Many challenges are characterized by a lack of understanding of the other party´s work. In response to these identified challenges, several recommendations are presented to facilitate the connection process.

Both parties agree that changes in the connection process are necessary and are therefore positive towards increased maturity level requirements, provided they help streamline it. Opinions on when and to what extent these maturity level requirements will be effective vary among respondents. However, both grid companies and solar park developers are generally positive about the harmonization that these requirements could bring. Park developers correlate increased maturity level requirements with higher expectations for increased transparency and information sharing from grid companies.

One of the main conclusions is that electrification necessitates new working methods in the connection process. Different grid companies are at various stages of implementation regarding these methods. Changes in line with the recommendations from the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate and Svenska kraftnät can contribute to developments and are welcomed by both grid companies and solar park developers. Most of the challenges experienced in the connection process can be mitigated with increased dialogue between the parties in various forms.

Hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck har under de senaste decennierna blivit ett uppmärksammat samhällsproblem, både inom politiken och i media. Tidigare forskning inom ämnet har främst fokuserat på män som förövare och kvinnor som passiva offer, vilket skapat en kunskapslucka som denna studie avser att fylla. Med anledning av den bristande förståelsen för hur kvinnors roll framställs i hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck finns det skäl att undersöka ämnet närmare. 

Syftet med studien är att undersöka kvinnors roll som förövare i hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck, genom en kvalitativ analys av polisförhör. Genom att analysera hur den misstänkte, vittnen och målsägande beskriver kvinnors roll i dessa handlingar bidrar studien till en ökad förståelse av vilken roll kvinnor intar i hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Vi analyserar studiens empiri genom en tematisk innehållsanalys och använder därefter socialkonstruktivism och genusteorier för att granska polisförhören med målsäganden, vittnen och de misstänkta. 

Resultatet visade tre olika roller som kvinnorna intog i det hedersrelaterade våldet och förtrycket. Att kvinnor kan ha en drivande roll som förövare i hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck utmanar den traditionella bilden av kvinnor som enbart offer. Vidare visar det att kvinnor kan inta dubbla roller som samarbetande och stöttande i ärendena. Detta visar den komplexa rollen kvinnor intar inom hedersrelaterat våld och förtryck. Då de både stöttar målsägande i våldet och förtrycket men även samarbetar med manliga förövare för att utöva det under olika tillfällen. Slutligen kunde vi identifiera den tysta kvinnan, vilket var en roll vissa kvinnor intog som själva inte hade en talan i familjen och som själva befann sig i en utsatt position. Slutligen identifierade vi att de misstänkta uttalade sig om målsägandens frihet på ett sätt som stod i kontrast till målsägandens berättelser. Vi har funnit ett mönster mellan de misstänkta då de uttrycker sig på liknande sätt kring målsägandens frihet. Trots den misstänktes uttalanden om frihet, noterar vi att den misstänkte kan inta samtliga roller i relation till begreppet.

At Flex Power Modules, a company in Kalmar there is a need to be able to cheaply and easily measure heat flow from their products, which are electrical circuits. Not just the size of the heat flow, but also the direction and how the heat flow is distributed. They have previously devised a method using a thermal shunt circuit board that can be mounted between the product and its cooling system.  The shunt board has measurement points distributed across the board that can measure the change in electrical resistance due to temperature. But the methods functionality must be established. In order to do that, a shunt board must be calibrated with a number of tests. Partly to investigate things like self-heating, but a test can be done to get a direct connection between the heat flow and the resistance difference between the two sides of the shunt board. Then we avoid the need to know the temperature constant of the material in the shunt board.  With this, a final test can be done with a special test rig where two different temperatures can be held on either side of the product. The result from this test showed that it is possible to measure the heat flow and its size, which is consistent with the places on the product where we can expect more or less heat flow. We can also see the direction of the heat flow and see if the heat flows through the products cooling system or if the heat flows down into the circuit board it is mounted on.  With this result, the method is concluded to be working well! 

Den värdegrund som det svenska samhället och svensk stadsplanering vilar på har allt mer försvagats. Samtidigt innebär globalisering, invandring, miljöförstöring och tekniska förändringar svåra prövningar. Bör man som stadsplanerare tillmötesgå de multinationella företagens krav på en investeringsvänlig stad eller främja bättre miljö och minska stadens ekologiska avtryck? Bör ombyggnaden av innerstaden tillvarata allmännyttans behov eller de resursstarka hushållens anspråk på centralt belägna lägenheter?

Dessa frågeställningar och andra belyses i denna bok som tar ett brett grepp om etiken inom planeringen och bland planerare. Inledningsvis granskas olika etiska principer och deras genomslag i planeringsteoretiska sammanhang. Den empiriska analysen är tredelad. Hur planerare verksamma i tjugo av Sveriges största städer reflekterar över etiska ställningstaganden redovisas och analyseras i del ett. I del två undersöks med hjälp av en explorativ textanalys det etiska innehållet i Göteborgs och Malmös översiktsplaner. I del tre granskas planeringen i Hammarby sjöstad i Stockholm med hjälp av en ny etikåskådningsmodell. De empiriska avsnitten bygger på olika samhällsvetenskapliga metoder för hur etik kan undersökas, vilka även är användbara inom fler ämnesområden. Avslutningsvis presenteras ett utkast till hur etiska spörsmål kan tillföras befintlig planerarutbildning. 

Boken fyller ett sedan länge känt behov av utbildning i planeringsetik inom samhällsplanerarutbildningen. Den vänder sig till såväl studenter som lärare och forskare inom planerings- och samhällsbyggnadsutbildningar. Den bör även vara en angelägen läsning för planerare och andra offentligt anställda som möter etikfrågor i sin verksamhet.

FÖRFATTARNA:

Marcus Johansson, fil.dr i statskunskap, har forskat om maktfrågor i relation till invandrares politiska deltagande på lokal nivå. Han har arbetat i forskargruppen Centrum för urbana och regionala studier (CUReS) vid Örebro universitet.

Abdul Khakee har varit verksam som forskare och lärare inom svenskt universitetsväsende sedan 1964. Han forskar i framtidsstudiernas roll i strategisk planering, planeringsetik, policy analys och kulturpolitik. Han är professor emeritus i samhällsplanering och har publicerat flera böcker inom detta forskningsområde.

FÖRLAGET:

Linköping University Electronic Press är Linköping Universitets eget förlag som gett ut publikationer elektroniskt sedan 1996. Idag är förlaget värd för ett tiotal vetenskapliga tidskrifter, ger ut en rad databaser och publicerar även konferensproceedings, avhandlingar, rapporter och andra publikationer med anknytning till Linköpings universitet (LiU). Linköping University Electronic Press är en del av Universitetsbiblioteket.

In the realm of economic policy, the communications from key financial institutions like Sveriges Riksbank significantly influence market behaviors and expectations. However, the extensive minutes from the Riksbank meetings, dating back to 1999, present a challenge for extracting specific insights due to their sheer volume and detail. This thesis addresses this challenge by developing a specialized system that leverages semantic chunking and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to streamline the analysis of speech data from the Riksbank representatives. The system organizes data into coherent segments, enhancing the retrieval, searchability, and usability of institutional textual data. The tool's design integrates principles of user experience (UX) and visual usability, validated through user testing and the System Usability Scale (SUS). This approach aims to provide a precise and contextually accurate tool for economic policy analysis, thereby improving decision-making processes. The results indicate that the tool is user-friendly and effective, though further enhancements are suggested for broader applicability and improved functionality.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka eventuella skillnader i informationshämtning vid resande i kollektivtrafik med buss, och fånga kvalitativa upplevelser av kollektivtrafiken för äldre personer med och utan hörselnedsättning. Alla deltagare hade en synnedsättning, och separerades i två försöksgrupper baserat på om de också har en hörselnedsättning eller inte. 

Ögonrörelsedata samlades in med hjälp av Pupil Invisible eye-tracking glasögon för att undersöka informationshämtning, och semistrukturerade intervjuer utfördes med deltagarna och analyserades enligt Interpretativ Fenomenologisk Analys för att fånga deltagarnas upplevelser. Deltagarna var mellan 79–85 år gamla, varav en grupp på fyra kvinnor alla hade en självskattad synnedsättning, medan den andra gruppen på tre män och en kvinna hade både självskattad syn- och hörselnedsättning. Studien fann att deltagare i båda grupperna främst använde sig av visuell information, i synnerhet omgivningen utanför bussen, men att gruppen med både syn- och hörselnedsättning tittade på informationsskylten i bussen både tidigare och mer ofta än deltagarna i gruppen med enbart synnedsättning, och även hade mindre vana av att åka buss. Gruppen med hörselnedsättning tog även upp fler problemområden kring kollektivtrafiken än gruppen med enbart synnedsättning. Studien fann även att placering i bussen kan vara en viktig faktor för att kunna orientera sig, då en deltagare med syn- och hörselnedsättning på en plats med dålig sikt i bussen fick svårt att veta var bussen befann sig. Dessa resultat bör studeras ytterligare för att vidare tillgänglighetsanpassa kollektivtrafiken.

Autonoma bussar erbjuder flera fördelar i vårt växande samhälle, inklusive ökad trafiksäkerhet, mer effektivt trafikflöde och förbättrad tillgänglighet för individer som inte kan köra själva. För att säkerställa att allmänheten fullt ut utnyttjar denna relativt nya teknik, är det avgörande att förstå de faktorer som påverkar individers intentioner att använda självkörande bussar. Denna studie undersökte, genom ett onlineexperiment med 89 deltagare, hur fyra oberoende variabler – tillit, förväntad prestanda, förväntningar och nyfikenhet –påverkar potentiella användares beteendeintentioner att använda självkörande bussar.

Resultaten visar att tillit och förväntad prestanda är signifikanta prediktorer föranvändarintentioner. Detta innebär att individer med hög tillit till tekniken och som uppfattarden som användbar är mer benägna att ha för avsikt att använda självkörande bussar.

Däremot hade förväntningar och nyfikenhet ingen signifikant påverkan påbeteendeintentionerna. Dessa resultat understryker vikten av att bygga tillit och visa depraktiska fördelarna med tekniken för att öka acceptansen och användningen av självkörandebussar. Studiens resultat bidrar till en djupare förståelse av de psykologiska faktorer sompåverkar acceptansen av autonoma fordon. Genom att identifiera och adressera dessa faktorerkan framtida forskning och implementeringsstrategier bättre stödja övergången till autonomatransportlösningar, vilket är avgörande för att maximera de samhälleliga fördelarna med denna innovation. 

 This study investigates the impact of Emergency Vehicle Approaching (EVA) warnings on driver behaviour, focusing on different modalities and the effects of false warnings. While previous research has established the safety benefits of EVA warnings, this study seeks to investigate and perhaps solidify existing theoretical frameworks regarding warning modalities and false warnings. The study, conducted in Sweden, involved participants driving in a simulator, the simulation consisted of driving along a three-lane highway. During the simulation each participant got three EVA warnings, these were all either visual or auditory. Two of the warnings were true meaning the participants were passed by an emergency vehicle, and one of the warnings was false meaning an emergency vehicle never appeared. The order of these warnings was either True/False/True or False/True/True. Analysis of how much participants delayed the emergency vehicle suggested a potential learning curve effect. False warnings, however, exhibited a recency effect, impacting participants’ responses to subsequent true warnings. The order of warnings influenced participants’ perceptions, with false warnings possibly reducing system credibility and task performance. There was a significant difference in delay times between modalities for the last true warning, whereas the auditive warning produced a significantly lower delay time. Subjective perceptions of behaviour were also observed. The difference in effect depending on modality was significant when participants were asked to assess the effect of the false warning on their behaviour. Theoretical frameworks such as multiple resource theory and the c-hip model supported these findings. Limitations included factors such as the experiment environment, loss of control group and the interpretation of Likert statements. Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of EVA warnings and the implications of false warnings on driver behavior, informing the development of more efficient warning systems for emergency vehicles.

A considerable variety of experimental psychological and neurological evidence has proven the cortical regions of the brain that are responsible for motor processes and perceptual processes to be in a state of continuous mutual communication. Resulting from this relationship is the phenomenon of cortical activity occurring in motor regions of the brain due to exposure to auditory stimuli. Behind this activity is the mirror neuron system, which can mirror auditory stimuli as motor activity, as proven by brain imaging experiments with musicians. The present study aims to investigate whether this phenomenon can be observed behaviourally for pianists, by examining the effect of piano music when engaged in other piano-like motor tasks. A motor-cognitive finger-sequencing experiment was conducted with a group of pianists (N = 11) and a musically naïve control group (N = 11). Each participant performed three similar tasks, with the sole difference being the accompanied auditory stimuli: the Quiet Test without any music (QT), the Piano Test with piano music (PT), and the non-Piano Test with non-piano-containing music (nPT). No significant results were found when examining the effect of different types of music on motor performance within the groups. The pianists did however significantly outperform the control group in speed, regardless of auditory stimulus. Despite the statistical results, the qualitative accounts of several pianists revealed that they experienced motor-related distractions during PT that were not present during QT and nPT. The results indicate the possibility of background piano music distracting pianists from performing similar motor tasks, although it might not affect their performance as drastically as initially theorised. Further research is necessary to uncover a clearer account of this relationship, as definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from the current results.

Följande ULF-projekt (Utveckling, lärande, forskning) är ett samarbete mellan en kommunal gymnasieskola i en mellanstor stad samt Linköpings Universitet. Syftet är att öka förståelsen för hur gymnasieelever upplever prestationssituationer. Genom en narrativ ansats har 261 elevberättelser analyserats och kategoriserats. De känslor som kan knytas till erfarenheter av att bli bedömda kallas i studien för prestationsemotioner. En prestation kan definieras som en aktivitet som mäts mot någon form av standard och prestationsemotioner är emotioner som kopplas till en sådan aktivitet. Vanligt förekommande positiva prestationsemotioner är stolthet, nöje, hopp, tacksamhet, avslappning, belåtenhet och lättnad. Negativa prestationsemotioner är oro, ångest, stress, skam, tristess, hopplöshet eller besvikelse (Pekrun, 2007; 2014). I studien finns en rad positiva och negativa emotioner som eleverna tillskriver sina prestationer, samt att elevernas känslor ofta förändras i samband med viktiga prestationer. Eleverna gör känsloresor som verkar ha betydelse för deras vilja och förmåga att prestera i framtiden. En mer utförlig resultatredovisning görs i en annan artikel i Venue. Utöver dessa resultat har projektet skapat ett kollegialt lärande som lyfter och bidrar till en mer hållbar bedömningspraktik.

I denna artikel presenteras resultat från ett ULF-projekt där lärare på en gymnasieskola, i samverkan med forskare från LiU, samlat in och analyserat elevers skrivna berättelser om sina erfarenheter av emotioner i relation till prestationer under de år som de gått på gymnasiet. En slutsats vi drar är att fler skolor bör analysera sin egen praktik angående emotioner i relation med bedömningstillfällen och att den metod lärare och forskare utvecklat i detta projekt ger gott stöd i ett sådant arbete. Det kan få stor betydelse för lärares arbete och för elevers lust att lära och prestera i skolan.

Denna studie undersöker om och hur biomedikalisering genom fosterdiagnostik formar gravidas tankar kring friskhet/normbrytande funktionalitet genom de fosterdiagnostiska tester som erbjuds vid rutinmässiga besök på mödravårdscentralen. Det empiriska materialet utgörs av en anonym enkätstudie med fritextsvar med 89 informanter som har varit inskrivna i Linköpings mödravård de senaste fem åren. Materialet analyseras utifrån kritiska perspektiv på funktionalitet och biomedikalisering. Studien visar att fosterdiagnostiska tester har normaliserats och etablerats som en självklar del av graviditeten snarare än en valmöjlighet, där gränsen mellan vårdens rekommendationer och individens val är uppluckrad. Vidare visar studien hur ansvar och kontroll har flyttats över från vården som auktoritet till individen i ett nyliberalt samhälle, som präglas av ny pastoral makt som interpellerar den gravida där screening och diagnostik uppfattas som en trygghet. Studien visar att fosterdiagnostik är en del av en nyliberal samhällsomvandling där en statligt reglerad befolkningspolitik, liksom det etiska ansvaret i vårdkedjan har förskjutits till individens ansvar för hälsa och friskhet för sig och sin eventuella avkomma.

In recent years, there has been a significant surge in the development of artificial intelligence, with machine learning emerging as a fundamental aspect of its applications. Machine learning algorithms enable systems to learn from data and make predictions or decisions without explicit programming. In distributed environments, where data is often distributed across multiple nodes, decentralized learning methods have become increasingly prevalent. These methods allow for collaborative model training without using centralized data, offering benefits such as scalability, privacy, and efficiency. To ensure convergence and accuracy of the learned models, achieving consensus among distributed nodes is paramount. Consensus mechanisms enable nodes to agree on a common model despite variations in local data distributions and computational resources, forming the backbone of decentralized learning systems. Thus, the development of efficient consensus protocols is essential for realizing the potential of decentralized learning in various domains, ranging from IoT applications to large-scale data analytics.

This thesis explores strategies to minimize the communication cost in wireless multi-agents systems. It examines the potential of leveraging the broadcast nature of wireless networks, focusing on two frameworks: distributed average consensus and decentralized learning.

In distributed average consensus, wherein nodes aim to converge to the average of the initial values despite communication limitations, a novel probabilistic scheduling approach is proposed. This approach aims to streamline communication by selectively choosing a subset of nodes to broadcast information to their neighbors in each iteration. Various heuristic methods for determining node broadcast probabilities are evaluated, alongside the introduction of a pre-compensation technique to mitigate potential bias. These contributions shed light on the design of communication-efficient consensus protocols tailored to wireless environments with restricted resources.

Transitioning to decentralized learning, the thesis introduces BASS (Broadcast-based Subgraph Sampling) to expedite the convergence of D-SGD (decentralized stochastic gradient descent) while considering the communication overhead. By generating a set of mixing matrix candidates that represent sparse subgraphs of the network topology, BASS facilitates the activation of collision-free subset of nodes in each iteration, optimizing communication efficiency. The optimization of sampling probabilities and the mixing matrices significantly enhances convergence speed and resource utilization compared to existing approaches. These findings underscore the inherent advantages of leveraging the broadcast capabilities of wireless channels to enhance the efficiency of decentralized optimization and learning algorithms in distributed systems.

Här sammanfattas vår forskning om påverkansarbete, beslutsfattande och förändring av EU:s politik för grön energiomställning och klimatneutralitet. Fokus ligger på resurs- och energieffektiva byggnader, men även energieffektivisering mer generellt och andra områden inom EU:s lagstiftningspaket Fit for 55. Beslutsfattandet kring energieffektivitet och minskad klimatpåverkan är komplext och påverkas av olika faktorer, inklusive intressenter, intressekonflikter och strategier. Bristande förståelse för politiska dynamiker kan hindra effektiv utformning och genomförande av energipolitik, vilket i sin tur kan försvåra arbetet med att uppnå klimatmål och främja hållbar utveckling. I våra projekt lämnas kunskap om processerna kring beslutsfattande och förändring av EU-politiken. Här presenteras ett kunskapsunderlag att dels påverka framtida EU-direktiv om energieffektivitet och byggnaders energiprestanda, dels främja svensk innovation och förbättra implementering av energieffektiviserande åtgärder i byggd miljö i Sverige såväl som EU och globalt. Resultaten visar att en djupare förståelse för sociala, politiska och institutionella faktorer är avgörande för att effektivt driva hållbar energipolitik. Vi betonar även behovet av ökad transparens för lobbyister för att säkerställa en rättvis och öppen politisk process.

This thesis aims to understand the usage of trolls in Norwegian popular culture such as a movie and on a tourist site. In order to do so, we are doing a multimodal critical discourse analysis on Trolljegeren (2010) and the website 'The Mythical Norwegian Troll' on Visit Norway's international webpage. We are also using the concept of recontextualisation to further the understanding of how the use of trolls have developed over time. To theorize the discursive aspect of the use of trolls we apply Laurajane Smith's theory on cultural heritage as a hegemonic discourse. The analysis reveals significant variations in the usage of trolls, underscoring their role as a marketing asset within the tourist industry. Consequently, it underscores the intricate interplay between folklore, mainstream media, tourism, and cultural heritage. Central to our findings is the assertion that the underlying ideology guiding the portrayal of trolls constitutes a form of nationalism.

Localization and navigation technologies have become integral to modern society, playing crucial roles in daily life. They enable efficient and safe travel, allow emergency services to reach and assist individuals quickly, and are indispensable components of autonomous systems. Indoor localization technology, aimed at enabling precise location determination in indoor environments, has garnered significant research interest. One intriguing research direction is magnetic field-based localization technology, which exploits spatial variations in indoor magnetic fields to provide position information.

This thesis investigates how indoor magnetic fields can be used for localization and develops a magnetic field-aided localization system that does not rely on any preinstalled infrastructures, such as electric coils, or external localization information. To achieve this, a sensor platform consisting of a planar magnetometer array and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) was built. The array captures the spatial variations of the magnetic field, from which odometry information can be inferred. This odometry information is then used to aid an inertial navigation system (INS) constructed around the IMU on the array.

The thesis addresses three key challenges faced when realizing a magnetic field-based INS using the developed sensor platform. The first challenge is the calibration of the sensors to ensure their measurements are accurate enough for the localization system. The second challenge is to create a magnetic field model that can be used to realize a magnetic field-aided INS. The final challenge is to design a state estimation algorithm that provides consistent estimates so that the perceived uncertainties match the true estimation errors as closely as possible.

To address the first challenge, an easy-to-use and efficient calibration method is proposed to correct the misalignment of the IMU’s and magnetometer’s sensitivity axes, sensor biases, and scale factors. The second challenge is met by proposing a polynomial magnetic field model to construct a local small-scale magnetic field map and a tightly integrated magnetic field-aided INS. The proposed system was evaluated on simulation and real-world datasets, demonstrating a significant reduction in position drift compared to a stand-alone INS and showing performance comparable to state-of-the-art magnetic field odometry. Additionally, the system offers flexibility in sensor configurations, including sensor placement and the number of sensors involved. Finally, an observability-constrained magnetic field-aided INS is proposed to address the inconsistencies identified in the developed magnetic field-aided INS. This new system maintains the yaw angle unobservable, and demonstrates improved performance and consistency compared to the initial system.

The results show that the proposed magnetic field-aided INS can be realized by low-cost sensors and appropriate signal-processing algorithms. It could be integrated into magnetic field simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) systems to extend their exploration phase. Most importantly, it showcases the possibility of building self-contained, accurate, and consistent indoor localization systems with magnetic fields.

Sweden's migration policy has undergone crucial changes since the last national elections in 2022. With the right-wing Sweden Democrats being a part of the current government, rules have become stricter, the political tone harsher. Fear and hate seem to dominate discursive spaces, 'the migrant' is perceived as a threat to Swedish Society. In political debates and media coverage, emotional expressions shape these discursive dynamics significantly. This thes isinvestigates Swedish migration discourses from an emotion-focused perspective, applying the method of Emotion Discourse Analysis. Therefore, it examines two discursive events from 2023, one being a press conference about the planned Reporting Act and the second being a speech held by Jimmie Åkesson at the national conference of the Sweden Democrats. The theoretical lens combining Sarah Ahmed's Cultural Politics of Emotion with Simon Koschut's Affective Sites of Contestation helps to uncover the emotional victimisation of the migrant figure in all discursive spaces, where fear and pity dominate the emotionality of discourse. Concurrently, it becomes evident that minorities can reclaim autonomy through emotional mobilisation when they have access to discursive public spaces where they are able to perform agency.

High-temperature coatings, such as metallic MCrAlY (M: Ni and/or Co) coatings, are widely employed to improve the oxidation resistance of superalloys. However, interdiffusion between the coatings and the superalloys under elevated service temperatures leads to microstructural degradation in both. Some of the underlying degradation mechanisms are still elusive, such as the γ′ (Ni3Al) phase depletion in the superalloys, where a large amount of γ′ precipitates dissolve in the γ matrix, even though the incoming Al from the coatings locally increases the Al content. In this research, we investigated the interdiffusion and oxidation behaviors in coating/superalloy systems of Amdry365 (MCrAlY)/IN792, Ta-containing (MCrAlYTa) coatings/IN792 and high-entropy-alloying (AlCrFeCoNi) coatings/IN792 at 1100 °C. Multiple microscopic techniques were employed to study microstructural evolution and chemical compositional changes. Thermodynamic calculations were used to reveal the underlying mechanisms of these changes.

The experimental and simulation results reveal a dominant effect of fast-diffusion Al from the coating towards the superalloy in the early stage of phase transitions. This leads to β phase depletion on the coating side and the formation of β as well as and increment of γ′ phase on the superalloy side. We propose an Al-Cr interference (ACI) effect to account for the pile-up behavior of Cr and the reduced Al content observed near the coating/superalloy interface. The incoming Al from the coating enhances the Cr potential in the superalloy, causing Cr diffusion from the interior of the superalloy to the coating/superalloy interface., Meanwhile, the pile-up of Cr increases the Al potential, which accelerates Al diffusion from this region into the interior of the superalloy. Furthermore, local-phase- equilibrium calculations reveal that γ′ phase depletion in the substrate is ascribed to the loss of γ′ forming elements, Ti and Ta. The incoming Al accelerates γ′ phase depletion, since it enhances the potential of Ti and Ta promoting their diffusion from the superalloy side to the coating side. Adding Ta to coatings impedes γ′ depletion in the substrate superalloys and also promotes the phase transition from β (NiAl) to γ′ in the coatings. As for the oxidation behavior, a high Ta content in coatings, such as the coating with 7.2 wt.% Ta reduces the oxidation resistance due to the formation of excessive Ta-rich oxides. It is observed in the high entropy alloy coatings that a lower Al/Cr ratio benefits oxidation resistance as its protective scale consists of larger Al₂O₃ grains, reducing the number of grain boundaries that function as fast diffusion paths for oxygen.

This research clarifies a confusing point: the reason for γ′ phase depletion is the increase of Cr and Co related to interdiffusion. These results answer a long-standing but critical question in the coating/superalloy interdiffusion research, i.e., why the γ′ precipitates dissolve in the γ matrix even though the incoming Al from coatings increases the Al content. The γ′ phase depletion is ascribed to the loss of γ′ forming elements, Ti and Ta, whereas the incoming Al cannot offset their effect. The diffusion simulation performed in this work still requires a long calculation time, as a large number of elements were considered in the diffusion model. According to our findings, γ′ depletion is mainly dependent on the loss of Ta, Ti. Hence, a simplified prediction model for γ′ depletion for fast computation can be established by considering only the diffusion of Ta, Ti and Al.

This study aims to explore the multifaced dimensions of integration that are not limited by the conventional lines created around nations and ethnicities, by using musical preference as a tool to investigate it. The research is conducted through the examples of 9 individuals of various backgrounds from Turkey living in Sweden. The study does not claim to reflect a whole portrayal, but instead, it can give us an idea of diversity even in such a small sample pool. First, various historical examples illustrate how identity-building, a sense of belonging, and music as an identity marker go hand in hand. Then, a theoretical framework is developed explaining how the terms "acoustemology" and "mutual integration" align in explaining the constant evolution and change of accumulated senses of culture, society, identity, and belonging through the development of the term "acoustic dictionary".

The study follows a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews conducted with the interviewees, to gather information on their musical listening habits, preferences, sonic experiences, and how these relate to the interviewees' views on integration, belonging, home, and identity.

The results show an existent direct link between musical taste, personal identity formation, expectations of integration, and sense of belonging. The same notions contribute to individuals' own creation of themselves, the formation of their musical tastes in similar ways, and enable them to experience their very own sonic experiences and develop their own acoustic dictionaries. In many cases, idealized imaginaries constructed with the need to belong seem to be functioning as a barrier against integration, in both sides of the society. Music serves to manifest and recreate constructed identities, and unify people by dividing them at the same time. This study suggests that a complete understanding of individuals with entirely distinct cultural sets of ideas and values on top of personal background and experience may be challenging, but a better way of communication is possible through studying other acoustic dictionaries, by dialogue, by talking, by singing, and by listening.

Background: Gestational weight gain (GWG), affects almost 50% of pregnant women and effective and scalable interventions are needed and should be inclusive for all irrespectively of origin. The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate the HealthyMoms app targeting GWG as well as dietary and physical activity behaviors and how the app may be adapted to also reach women of migrant backgrounds. The first part evaluated the effectiveness of the HealthyMoms trial and the dietary assessment method used in it (Paper I-II). The second part aimed to explore how the HealthyMoms app could be adapted to reach Arabic- and Somali-speaking women (Paper III-IV).   

Methods: Paper I was a randomized controlled trial in healthy pregnant women (n=305). After baseline assessment (week 14), women were randomized to the intervention (n=152) or control group (n=153). The intervention group received standard care and the HealthyMoms app. The primary outcome was GWG between baseline and follow-up measurement (week 37). Secondary outcomes included body fatness (air displacement plethysmography), dietary habits (SHEI score), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (accelerometry), glycemia and insulin resistance. Paper II: Nested validation study of RiksmatenFlex (dietary assessment method in HealthyMoms) in a subsample of the trial. Three days of dietary data (energy, foods groups, macronutrients and SHEI score) from RiksmatenFlex was compared to 24 h telephone dietary recalls (n=52). Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured with the doubly labelled water method (n=24). Paper III: A qualitative exploration of healthcare professionals’ views on supporting healthy lifestyle behaviors in pregnant migrant women was performed through individual interviews over phone or in person with healthcare professionals working in maternity healthcare (n=14). An inductive thematic analysis was performed. Paper IV: Individual interviews with Arabic (n=10) and Somali women (n=9) exploring what support is needed for healthy lifestyle behaviors and how the HealthyMoms app could be adapted. Data was analyzed using content analysis (inductive latent approach).   

Results: Paper I: No statistically significant effect on GWG was observed, although data indicated that the effect of the HealthyMoms app differed according to pre-pregnancy BMI, where women with overweight and obesity in the intervention group had lower GWG compared to the control group in the imputed (–1.33 kg; 95% CI –2.92 to 0.26; P=.10) and completers-only analyses (–1.67 kg; 95% CI –3.26 to –0.09; P=.031). Participants in the intervention group further had higher SHEI score at follow-up compared to the control group (0.27; 95% CI 0.05-0.50; P=.017). No other effects for secondary outcomes were found. Paper II: Average energy intake from RiksmatenFlex (10015 [SD 2004] kJ) was similar to TEE (10252 [SD 1197] kJ) (P=.596). Mean differences between average intakes of unhealthy and healthy foods and average SHEI score between RiksmatenFlex and 24 h telephone dietary recalls were small, although Bland and Altman analyses showed wide limits of agreement for all variables. Moreover, correlations between dietary variables assessed with the two dietary methods were high (r=0.751-0.931; P<.001). Paper III: Healthcare professionals discussed challenges in their health promotion work including cultural and educational aspects as well as the need of increased awareness among pregnant migrant women and persons in the social context. Healthcare professionals further highlighted a lack of resources in the clinical practice and a need for increased cultural awareness in themselves to support healthy lifestyle behaviors. Providing the HealthyMoms app in Arabic and Somali with culturally adjusted information could be a helpful tool for women and for healthcare professionals in maternity healthcare. Paper IV: Arabic- and Somali-speaking women expressed a need of more knowledge about pregnancy and healthy lifestyle behaviors. The social context, and especially partners could support lifestyle behaviors. The social context could further be a source of misinformation which might negatively affect women’s diet or physical activity. Women had high trust in maternity healthcare but wanted more information related to lifestyle behaviors. A translated HealthyMoms app was seen as a helpful support for lifestyle behaviors, and it was reported that translation alone could be sufficient, however, audio- and video content was requested as well as inclusion of partners in the app.   

Conclusions: This thesis shows that the HealthyMoms app significantly improved dietary habits among pregnant women and has potential to reduce GWG in women with overweight and obesity. The dietary assessment method (RiksmatenFlex) showed acceptable agreement for average energy, macronutrients, key food groups and adherence to dietary guidelines, which strengthens the credibility of the obtained trial results and supports further use of the method. Finally, this thesis demonstrates the potential of the HealthyMoms app also for Arabic- and Somali-speaking women, i.e., two of the largest migrant groups in Sweden. It was requested that the app should include audio and video content, however, the need of other cultural adaptations needs further investigation. 

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease, primarily caused by atherosclerosis, is the leading cause of death worldwide. Previous studies show that inflammation plays a big role in all different stages of atherosclerosis. A previous clinical trial demonstrated that blocking inflammasome effects significantly reduced cardiovascular events, indicating that inflammasome suppression could be beneficial.

Aim: This study investigates how treatments with statins (atorvastatin, rosuvastatin), β- blockers (metoprolol), lutein, and cytokines (IL-18) affect inflammasome activities. 

Method and Material: Blood samples from ten healthy individuals were used to isolate monocytes and neutrophils. Cells were stimulated with the aforementioned substances, and caspase-1 activity was measured as an indicator of inflammasome activation.           

Results & Discussion: Monocytes have higher intrinsic and stimulated inflammasome activity compared to neutrophils. Statins increased caspase-1 activity in partially activated monocytes, suggesting a potential pro-inflammatory effect in monocytes. There was a significant decrease of caspase-1 activity when the monocytes were treated with metoprolol underlining a potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of β-blockers in monocytes. 

Conclusion: These findings highlight the potential effects of statins and metoprolol on inflammation and the need for further research on their impact on cardiovascular disease. 

Dagens journalsystem inom hälso- och sjukvården är otillräckliga för att effektivt använda vårdinformationen för patientvård, forskning och utveckling av beslutsstöd, vilket ökar den administrativa bördan för läkare och minskar direkt patienttid. Syftet med denna kandidatuppsats är att undersöka egenskaper hos designsystem för journalsystem och utifrån detta utveckla en prototyp av en dikteringskomponent som ska bidra till Region Östergötlands designsystem. Metoder som genomförts för att uppnå syftet med projektet är en konkurrentanalys över dikteringsfunktioner på marknaden, intervjuer med personer som arbetar med design- och journalsystem samt en tematisk analys av intervjumaterialet. Resultaten från den tematiska analysen visar att designsystem för journalsystem bör ha egenskaper som anpassningsbarhet, säkerhet, tydlighet, effektivitet och smalt syfte. Den framtagna dikteringskomponenten är grundad i den tematiska analysen, konkurrentanalysen och relevanta designprinciper. Denna prototyp är ett inledande designförslag som behöver vidareutvecklas innan komponenten är fullständig. Projektet är fortsättningsvis menat att bidra med insikter om hur man kan utveckla designsystem för journalsystem och som kan appliceras på vidare forskning inom ämnet.

This thesis provides recommendations for enhancing the educational concept of Sweden's National Pre-Hospital Mass Casualty Triage System (MCTS). The research is grounded in thematic analysis and comparative literature review within cognitive science and training research. It aims to address the need for an efficient and effective MCTS educational concept. The study employs a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders such as triage instructors, healthcare professionals, and emergency responders. The thematic analysis of these interviews reveals key elements for an effective educational concept: clear guidelines for correct and incorrect triage, integration into existing training programs with follow-up, and the necessity for short and simple educational modules to facilitate rapid dissemination. Additionally, cognitive science insights emphasise the importance of realistic simulations and a balanced approach to theory and practice in enhancing learning outcomes. Key training needs identified include understanding the dynamic flow of patients and resources, and adapting the utilitarian principles of MCTS, which focus on saving the greatest number of lives rather than individual patient care. The study also addresses the integration of various groups, including non-medical professionals, into the triage process, highlighting the need for strong inter-organizational cooperation and tailored educational strategies. The findings contribute to the ongoing development of Sweden's national MCTS by offering practical recommendations for an educational system that is efficient, scalable, and capable of being consistently applied across different regions and emergency scenarios. This research underscores the critical role of structured, evidence-based training in preparing responders to effectively manage MCIs and improve overall disaster response outcomes.

This thesis navigates the intricate landscape of decolonizing yoga within the Western yoga community by synthesising decolonial feminist theories, ancient Indian wisdom, and contemporary activist perspectives. Starting with a critical examination of the power dynamics, exclusionary practices, and commodification within the global yoga community as results of cultural appropriation, the subsequent analysis explores strategies for transforming appropriation into appreciation. Therefore, a multi-dimensional methodology, including thematic content analysis, semi-structured interviews, and the application of ‘Two-Eyed Seeing’ – a holistic approach bridging Indigenous and Western viewpoints – is employed, and results are analysed through the lens of intersectionality and decolonial feminist theories. By combining fundamental principles of yoga with strategies of present-day activists, the findings highlight the need for self-reflection, compassionate communication, and collective action to dismantle oppressive structures, amplify marginalised voices, and cultivate more authenticity, inclusivity, and equity within the Western yoga community.

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) present severe risks to patients undergoing surgery, causing suffering, health complications, and financial burdens to society. Orthopaedic patients, especially those undergoing joint procedures, are particularly vulnerable to SSIs due to the use of implants. Preventing SSIs involves collaborative efforts among healthcare teams and includes skin preparation to reduce bacterial colonisation. Effective and patient-safe skin preparation is an important part of the preventive work. Internationally, there are variations in the responsibility for infection control and skin preparation in the operating room (OR). Swedish OR nurses are uniquely educated in infection prevention and hold responsibility for the prevention of SSIs during the perioperative phase. For patient safety it is important to investigate skin preparation from the perspective of OR nurses. This thesis investigate and compares skin preparation practices used by OR nurses from various perspectives, which may identify vulnerabilities in practices and contribute to enhanced patient safety.  

Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate and compare skin preparation practices as performed by OR nurses to decrease bacterial colonisation and prevent SSIs.   

Methods: Four studies with varying designs were conducted. A cross-sectional survey investigated the prevalence, utilization patterns and knowledge of different skin preparation methods. A focus group study, guided by Kreuger & Casey's principles, explored skin preparation practices from the perspective of OR nurses. An integrative review synthesized existing research on SSI prevention prerequisites as seen by OR nurses. Finally, a randomized controlled study compared the efficacy of two skin preparation methods for cleaning and disinfecting around sutured wounds.  

Results: The main findings of this thesis address skin preparation in the perioperative phase at both fundamental and operational levels. On the operational level, the results reveal practices with variations and deviations from manufacturers' recommendations and existing scientific evidence, influenced by fundamental factors such as evidence, demands, traditions, routines, authorities' preferences, and OR conditions. OR nurses requested more scientific evidence for skin preparation. Unfortunately, the RCT study could not contribute significant results for cleaning/disinfection around sutured wounds. The OR nurse's responsibility and leadership in SSI prevention were experienced as essential aspects of the profession, although this responsibility was not fully respected by the other OR team members. Adequate resources were considered important for SSI prevention, including sufficient time for safe person-centred care, which was often perceived as lacking.  

Conclusions: Influential fundamental factors such as scientific evidence, traditions, OR conditions, demands, resources and hierarchy impacted skin preparation during the perioperative phase. Addressing these fundamental issues is essential to ensure evidence-based practices and enhance patient safety. Large multi-centre studies on skin preparation including local cleaning and the cleaning of sutured wounds are needed. The fundamental level affected the operational level, where findings of tradition-based care, potential low-value care, and inefficient use of resources underscore the need for further scientific evidence and de-implantation of tradition-based nursing. OR nurses must advocate for their central role in SSI prevention and use safe, evidence-based nursing practices. Improved patient safety stresses the need for respect and understanding of SSI prevention from the OR team and the management as well as ensuring the provision of adequate resources, including sufficient time for person-centred care. 

Felix Klein’s Erlangen Programme of 1872 introduced a methodology to unify non-Euclidean geometries. Similarly, geometric deep learning (GDL) constitutes a unifying framework for various neural network architectures. GDL is built from the first principles of geometry—symmetry and scale separation—and enables tractable learning in high dimensions. Symmetries play a vital role in preserving structural information of geometric data and allow models (i.e., neural networks) to adjust to different geometric transformations. 

In this context, spheres exhibit a maximal set of symmetries compared to other geometric entities in Euclidean space. The orthogonal group O(n) fully encapsulates the symmetry structure of an nD sphere, including both rotational and reflection symmetries. In this thesis, we focus on integrating these symmetries into a model as an inductive bias, which is a crucial requirement for addressing problems in 3D vision as well as in natural sciences and their related applications. 

In Paper A, we focus on 3D geometry and use the symmetries of spheres as geometric entities to construct neurons with spherical decision surfaces—spherical neurons—using a conformal embedding of Euclidean space. We also demonstrate that spherical neuron activations are non-linear due to the inherent non-linearity of the input embedding, and thus, do not necessarily require an activation function. In addition, we show graphically, theoretically, and experimentally that spherical neuron activations are isometries in Euclidean space, which is a prerequisite for the equivariance contributions of our subsequent work. 

In Paper B, we closely examine the isometry property of the spherical neurons in the context of equivariance under 3D rotations (i.e., SO(3)-equivariance). Focusing on 3D in this work and based on a minimal set of four spherical neurons (one learned spherical decision surface and three copies), the centers of which are rotated into the corresponding vertices of a regular tetrahedron, we construct a spherical filter bank. We call it a steerable 3D spherical neuron because, as we verify later, it constitutes a steerable filter. Finally, we derive a 3D steerability constraint for a spherical neuron (i.e., a single spherical decision surface). 

In Paper C, we present a learnable point-cloud descriptor invariant under 3D rotations and reflections, i.e., the O(3) actions, utilizing the steerable 3D spherical neurons we introduced previously, as well as vector neurons from related work. Specifically, we propose an embedding of the 3D steerable neurons into 4D vector neurons, which leverages end-to-end training of the model. The resulting model, termed TetraSphere, sets a new state-of-the-art performance classifying randomly rotated real-world object scans. Thus, our results reveal the practical value of steerable 3D spherical neurons for learning in 3D Euclidean space. 

In Paper D, we generalize to nD the concepts we previously established in 3D, and propose O(n)-equivariant neurons with spherical decision surfaces, which we call Deep Equivariant Hyper-spheres. We demonstrate how to combine them in a network that directly operates on the basis of the input points and propose an invariant operator based on the relation between two points and a sphere, which as we show, turns out to be a Gram matrix. 

In summary, this thesis introduces techniques based on spherical neurons that enhance the GDL framework, with a specific focus on equivariant and invariant learning on point sets. 

To achieve progression in a product portfolio, companies employ industrial designers to aid in the development and creation of new products. Researchers have shown that industrial designers play a consolidating role at both strategic and operational management levels due to the need to incorporate requirements from several company functions, such as brand, research and development, production, economics and senior management. This article investigates how to expand the ways in which a product portfolio may be extended and updated, from an industrial design perspective. Seven product portfolio development strategies were identified. Inspired by studies of competitor's influence on an existing portfolio, a theoretical descriptive model was developed: the Industrial Design Product Portfolio Management model, which positions the suggested product portfolio development strategies in relation to existing and competing products. The findings may advance our current understanding of existing product portfolio management strategies and the connection between management and product design. Thus, it could be a useful framework for academics, teachers and professionals. 

Industrial designers make decisions in a different way than other professions. This creates a discrepancy in cross-functional development projects which impacts both the organisation and how strategic decisions are made in a company. A multi-case study was conducted to investigate how design functions in five mature Swedish manufacturing companies were organised and how they made design decisions. Sixteen senior design mangers, chief designers, and senior studio engineers were interviewed. The research found that design teams could be organised in three separate ways depending on the level of strategic involvement in the company and how many were assigned to the team. The respondents described a dual decision process where proposals are judged in a continuum between two intuitive measures, ’Wow’ and ’Shame’, and a compromise phase with input from other company functions. The results can aid senior management in their understanding of strategic design functions and further the academic design decision discourse. 

Teacher professionalism has long been subject to contestation as embedded with certain ideas, norms and values. Transnational discourses on teacher professionalism have spurred the recontextualisation of the idea of teacher assistants in Swedish educational reform. Policy imperatives around increasing teachers’ professional responsibility and accountability have raised issues regarding what values around teacher professionalism ought to be prioritised. The aim of this article is to explore teachers’ values regarding professional responsibility in the compulsory school context based on the interaction with teacher assistants and in light of policy discourses on teacher professionalism. The concept of “discursive space” is utilised to explore juxtaposed values within the local and across national and transnational levels. This concept is based in a combination of discursive institutionalism and curriculum theory with an actor-centred approach around ideas and discourses in an institutional context. The analysis shows dilemmas around holistic aspects and fragmentation regarding professional responsibility, but also, possibilities when “sharing” responsibilities with teacher assistants. Dilemmas emerge around questions on purpose and temporal struggles. Dilemmas emerge regarding professional responsibility against accountability purposes and result-orientation. Re-negotiation of teacher professionalism is spurred by the idea of teacher assistants, and surrounding discourses, creating dilemmas for teachers in the negotiated discursive space.

Drivable space refers to the areas where a autonomous vehicle can safely navigate without colliding with an obstacle. Drivable space detection system inform driving decisions such as obstacle avoidance and trajectory planning. It is a crucial component in the perception system to ensure safe operations. As one of the sensor types in the perception system, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) can provide more accurate three-dimensional spatial position perception compared to other sensors (such as cameras) and is less affected by environmental factors like lighting and weather conditions. This thesis employs deep neural networks to detect drivable spaces in point clouds generated by LiDAR. By decomposing and evaluating the components of existing works, the convolutional attention module is identified as the component that contributes the most to the model’s performance. Based on the evaluation results, this thesis introduces another convolutional attention mechanism that is more suitable for the task, further enhancing the model’s performance. Finally, Monte Carlo dropout is utilized to assess the model’s uncertainty, and the causes of uncertainty are analyzed. 

The main purposes of this project were to optimize the lecithin dosage in seven different chocolates and compounds at Cloetta’s site in Ljungsbro, and to examine the effect of tempering and storing on the rheological properties, viscosity, and yield value, of the chocolate. This main purpose was divided into five subgoals, where sub-goal 1-4 aimed to investigate the effect of different lecithin dosages on rheological properties of chocolates and compounds, and the last subgoal aimed to investigate the rheological effect of tempering and storing. Three factors affecting the rheological properties of chocolate and compounds are yield value, viscosity, and particle size distribution. Therefore, different lecithin dosages were added to chocolates. Yield value and viscosity of the chocolate and compounds when an incrementally increased dosage of lecithin was added were measured using a rheometer and analyzed. Particle size distribution was measured using a laser diffractometer and the results were analyzed. Sub-goal 1-4 was fulfilled and out of seven examined chocolate or compounds six recipes can be adjusted to achieve a more stable process. Subgoal 5 was partly fulfilled. The effect of tempering and storing on chocolate type A was examined and a change of lecithin dosage, from 0.53% to 0.59% lecithin was implemented industrially with successful results. A more stable, and therefore a more profitable process was obtained. Due to time restrictions, the effect of tempering and storing on chocolates and compounds B – G were not examined. This would be of highest interest to further investigate.

Bioelectronics represents an interdisciplinary field merging biology with electronics with the focus on developing devices that interact with biological systems. Therefore, bioelectronics can help us to understand and utilize biological processes with electronic means. This can aid in the progression of healthcare such as improved diagnostic tools, innovative therapy, or personalized medicine. Interfacing biology and electronics presents significant challenges in material science, necessitating the continuous exploration of new materials and measurement systems that meet both electronic and biological requirements. Organic mixed ionic-electronic conductive polymers are one material class that has gained great interest due to, as the name suggests, their dual ionic and electronic properties. Furthermore, these polymers have shown greatly adaptability at interfacing with biology, often superior to traditional materials as has been observed in neural probes. This curious interplay of ions and electrons in these polymers is harnessed by organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), which transduce biological signals into electrical ones. OECTs are used to amplify measured electric signals or when functionalized with specific biorecognition elements to detect analytes. Given the operation principle of OECTs within aqueous environments, a variety of (bio-)sensors can be realized to interact with biological processes based on capacitive or faradaic currents. An adaptable sensor platform that can be used as a point-of-care device is highly sought after, as for example glucose sensors. In general, biosensors and their point-of-care applications play an important role in society for diagnostics, as evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and for personalized medicine.

This work explores various aspects of OECT biosensors, including capacitive sensors with aptamers, enzymatic sensing, and enzymatically polymerized OECTs. OECTs are integrated with recognition elements on different surfaces to measure biomarkers for inflammation, and enzymes are incorporated into ad-hoc formed glucose sensor. The first works employ a classical layer-by-layer technique, clearly delineating the interaction sites. Later investigations utilize the small size of electro-polymerizable monomers to achieve conformability between enzymes and polymers, resulting in seamless, interconnected bioelectronic devices. Furthermore, biological processes can be utilized in the fabrication of enzymatically formed OECTs. Lastly OECTs formed by enzymatic polymerization exhibit high electrical stability with bio-integrability. These studies highlight various facets of OECTs and their interactions with biological entities, underscoring their potential in advancing bioelectronic applications.

Chronic wounds cause significant suffering and impose considerable socioeconomic burdens. The development of smart bandages, integrating diagnostic and therapeutic models, holds promise for personalized chronic wound management. However, a challenge lies in the initial high release and passive diffusion of doped drugs, potentially leading to overdosing. Here we compare the potential of single and bilayer polypyrrole polymer structures in terms of passive and initial burst releases of dexamethasone. Controlled drug delivery using a single-layer polymer was achieved with a rate of 436±175 μgh-1cm-2 dexamethasone, almost free from both passive and burst release. This result challenges previous observations of drug delivery and warrants further investigation. Similar measurements with bilayer polymers showed a drug delivery rate that was about 6 times lower than that of the single layer and burst release was observed in this case. During alternating periods of active and passive dexamethasone release from the bilayer conducting polymer the release rate was about 100 times higher during the active release than during the passive state. The findings show potential for reducing both issues of burst release and passive release. However, challenges remain with the release of pyrrole residues from the bilayer system. Further research is therefore needed in order to arrive at controlled drug release in smart bandages