: RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO SPRING 2012 www.waikato.ac.nz Improving IV infusion THE humble drip has given way to hi-tech infusion pumps in hospitals in New Zealand and around the world – but software glitches and issues around the usability of the new devices have raised questions about safety. “Hospitals don’t let the manuals for these devices get anywhere near their staff,” says Dr Judy Bowen, an expert on the design of safety-critical interactive systems in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Waikato. “The Waikato District Health Board develops some of its own training materials and uses those developed by pump distributors – and when you look at how these devices work, you can understand why.” Dr Bowen and Professor Steve Reeves of the Formal Methods Group are working with the DHB’s Biomedical Division at Waikato Hospital to “reverse engineer” some of the pumps used in the hospital. Dr Bowen is focusing on the user interface by mathematically modelling the instructions in the manual and seeing what divergences there are with the device’s actual behaviour. “We’ve found some interesting and unexpected behaviours,” she says. “For example, when you hit PUMP PRIMING: Dr Judy Bowen and Professor Steve Reeves say medical infusion pumps are a prime candidate for formal software Continued Page 2 modelling techniques to improve safety. Waikato to Washington: SIFE students take on the world A GROUP of Waikato University students is off around waterways to reduce nitrogen leaching to Washington DC in September to represent into the water, together with research into the New Zealand at this year’s SIFE (Students In Free eradication of the pest koi carp. Enterprise) World Cup. The other two projects are Easy Rider, which SIFE is a global umbrella for tertiary students provides business advice to a local transport to work as a club to use their learning to enhance company for the disabled and elderly, and the their local community through economic, social Phoenix Project, which works with Hamilton’s and environmental initiatives. Richmond Centre and Kauri Centre to support at- Eight students from the 44-strong Waikato risk youth in education. SIFE team presented the group’s key projects at the The team will also have to complete a series of SIFE National Awards in Auckland in July, beating challenges at the SIFE World Cup, and showcase other finalists AUT and Massey University to win New Zealand at a cultural exhibition. the national title for the second year running. Ms Milicich says the real challenge will be They now go on to compete with the national finding the funding to take a team of 10 to the champions from 39 countries at the SIFE World KIWI DIGGERS: Gina the Waikato, can punch well above their weight on US. “We are looking for sponsorship from willing Cup in Washington DC. Milicich (left) with the world stage. We will be up against the top businesses to allow Waikato to take on the world.” SIFE team member and Waikato Management members of the SIFE teams from some pretty big universities, but I think Waikato Ripple Effect School student Gina Milicich says representing we are up to the challenge.” The SIFE World Cup takes place on 30 September – team working to clean New Zealand will be a great honour. up our waterways. One of SIFE Waikato’s three key projects is 2 October in Washington DC. If you are interested “Our performance at the Olympics has the Ripple Effect, an environmental initiative in sponsoring the Waikato team please contact SIFE proven that New Zealanders, especially those from encouraging Waikato farmers to plant native trees at [email protected] Threshold concepts Back to the future Win some, lose some Making music in cyberspace Opening the door Looking to whānau How migration Teleperformance: to understanding traditions for better to New Zealand It’s music, Jim, but in science and child rearing. stacks up for not as we know it. engineering. Pacific Islanders. Page 4 Page 8 Page 10 Page 11 From the Research wins for Waikato THE University of Waikato’s WAND Network Vice-Chancellor Research Group has been awarded almost $1.5 million in government funding over four years to By PROFESSOR ROY CRAWFORD develop models and tools to monitor the performance AT THE University of Waikato, our mission is to of internet networks across New Zealand. add value – whether that be through cutting- It’s one of two University of Waikato-led projects edge research leading to the development of new to win funding in the first tranche of the 2012 technologies, the rigorous analysis of current trends Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment informing policy and practice, or turning out a new research funding round. generation of highly skilled, well-informed and work- The network infrastructure monitoring project ready graduates. is being led by Dr Richard Nelson, and will As a young university, we believe we punch involve the first-ever comprehensive measurement above our weight in the contribution we make to of the performance and topology of the network New Zealand Inc. Waikato was placed top among infrastructure across the whole country. New Zealand universities in the latest Times Higher “We’re aiming to build a distributed platform to Education world rankings for universities under monitor the links between all the different networks, ACTIVE AGEING: It’s envisaged the monitoring platform will be the age of 50. We also made it into the top 60 which will allow network operators to detect problems Waikato researchers able to automatically identify and locate network worldwide – a result that reflects our commitment in service without having to wait for users to alert will look at ways to keep problems which will help improve the resilience of to excellence in teaching and research. them,” says Dr Nelson. New Zealand’s older New Zealand’s digital infrastructure. In this issue of re:think you can read about He and his colleague Associate Professor Tony people independent The second project involves finding ways to keep some of the many ways in which the University McGregor will use the technology developed through and productive. older people in our communities more independent, of Waikato is engaging with a range of partners the project to build better tools for service providers productive and digitally ‘connected’. to add value. themselves to monitor their networks. The two-year $687,000 investigation will be Waikato researchers are also involved in collaborative led by Professor Peggy Koopman-Boyden from the projects being led by other universities and CRIs. National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis (NIDEA) at Waikato. » Earth scientist Professor Craig Cary will work on a “Almost half the labour force is already 40 or $1 million project with GNS Science to produce the older and by mid-century the labour force will not be biggest repository of geochemical and genetic data replacing itself,” she says. PROFESSOR PEGGY ever collected in New Zealand. “Skills shortages are already emerging so we need KOOPMAN-BOYDEN: » Professor Barry Barton of Te Piringa - Faculty of Law to be thinking about improving and maximising the Maximising the is part of the Energy Cultures project, led by Otago potential of older workers. If they can’t contribute to potential of older University, looking at the future of transport. their full economic capacity for any number of reasons, workers. then there are implications not only for their individual We have researchers working with a local » NIDEA’s Professor Natalie Jackson and Professor futures but for business and society as a whole.” company to develop nutraceuticals to enhance Jacques Poot and Waikato Management School Digital technology links to that, says Professor digestive health, while others are developing three- economist Dr Michael Cameron will work on Massey Koopman-Boyden. “There’s the risk of social dimensional camera technology that works at the University’s project, Nga Tangata Oho Mairangi: isolation if people don’t have access to the internet, speed of light. regional impacts of demographic and economic and the lack of computer skills may also create A group of computer scientists is working change, which is worth $800,000 over two years. barriers to working.” with the Waikato DHB to apply formal software » Dr Cameron will also contribute to Waikato University’s The second tranche of MBIE research funding is modelling techniques to ensure the new generation DR RICHARD independent ageing study, and is part of a four-year expected to be announced in mid-September. of hi-tech medical devices are user-friendly and NELSON: Monitoring $7.2 million NIWA-led project, New Zealand climate the internet [email protected] error-free, while a long-running research project on changes: impacts and implications. mild traumatic brain injury is now focusing on the infrastructure. [email protected] impact of these common injuries on children and young people. Improving IV infusion techniques like these to derive user and to a lucrative niche export industry for The University of Waikato is also leading key service manuals would provide us with more New Zealand.” research which aims to enhance Māori health and From Page 1 accurate information for safer operation of Back at Waikato Hospital, the wellbeing. Te Kotahi Research Institute, established the on/off button during set-up, the pump the device.” researchers are now using their initial last year, and the Māori and Psychology Research reverts to its initial settings, so the operator Formal software modelling is already findings to advise on where and how the Unit are spearheading studies on childrearing would then need to reset the infusion rate, being used in safety-critical areas such as devices can be safely used.