Since its introduction to the iPhone X in 2017, Apple’s Face ID has been regarded as more accurate than facial recognition systems used by their competitors due to the use of depth information and infrared images to capture accurate face data. The goal of this thesis is to explore the usability of current smartphone facial recognition systems as represented by the latest generation of Apple’s Face ID. To that end, a research study was conducted to test the usability of Apple’s Face ID on the iPhone XR under diverse, simulated conditions designed to replicate real-life scenarios under which a consumer may need to use Face ID. The goal of the study was to make observations on Face ID usability and create a preliminary understanding of areas in which technology may struggle and/or fail. From the results of the research study, Face ID on the iPhone XR generally performed well under low-light conditions and adapted to minor changes in the conditions under which a face capture is done, but did not do as well when the user did not maintain full eye contact with the camera or when the capture is done at an angle.

As the frequency of US-based disasters increases, so does the need for effective governmental contingency planning and improvement. The current, external evaluation method presents several opportunities for improvement, including cost, efficacy of results, and turnaround time for results. Utilizing a tabletop exercise as it's model, this study designed a self-evaluation tool to test if the data provided by such a tool is similar to the data provided by an external evaluator. After testing it in a government-sanctioned tabletop exercise, the tool showed its ability to be utilized in an exercise and evaluate the participants, based off their perceived success in the exercise. The results of the study indicate a strong, positive correlation between the results of the participant and evaluator populations surveyed as well as statistical equality between the two groups.

Biological diversity is threatened by increasing anthropogenic modification of natural environments and increasing demands on natural resources. Sonoran desert tortoises (Gopherus morafkai) currently have Candidate status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) based on health and habitat threats. To ensure this animal persists in the midst of multiple threats requires an understanding of the life history and ecology of each population. I looked at one physiological and one behavioral aspect of a population of tortoises at the Sugarloaf Mountain (SL) study site in central Arizona, USA. I used 21 years of capture-recapture records to estimate growth parameters of the entire population. I investigated habitat selection of juvenile tortoises by selecting 117 locations of 11 tortoises that had been tracked by radio-telemetry one to three times weekly for two years, selecting locations from both summer active season and during winter hibernation. I compared 22 microhabitat variables of tortoise locations to random SL locations to determine habitat use and availability. Male tortoises at SL reach a greater asymptotic length than females, and males and females appear to grow at the same rate. Juvenile tortoises at the SL site use steep rocky hillsides with high proportions of sand and annual vegetation, few succulents, and enclosed shelters in summer. They use enclosed shelters on steep slopes for winter hibernation. An understanding of these features can allow managers to quantify Sonoran desert tortoise habitat needs and life history characteristics and to understand the impact of land use policies.