Proactive meeting management for distributed collaborative design

This paper presents the CAIRO (Collaborative Agent Interaction control and synchROnization) system which is a distributed design negotiation environment that allows individuals to interact over computer networks without the physical and temporal constraints experienced in a traditional meeting environment. Requirements for a collaborative design negotiation environment are identified based on background research in meeting and negotiation processes as well as distributed artificial intelligence concepts. Furthermore, the paper describes an agent-based coordination and facilitation mechanism to support the design negotiation process, and a framework for effective documentation of meeting proceedings. These mechanisms are built on top of the CAIRO distributed communication infrastructure.     

模糊时间Petri网及扩展的模糊时间Petri网

网络实时系统对时间和QoS有严格要求,因此对设计、实现和测试的技术和工具都有很高的要求。模糊时间Petri网是将模糊集合理论用于不确定的或主观的时间信息的表示,在每个变迁上添加时间间隔约束对模糊时间Petri网进行扩展得到扩展的模糊时间Petri网,它是一种对网络实时系统进行建模和分析的形式化模型,Petri网数学理论基础能保证并发系统的可靠性和正确性。本文详细地介绍了模糊时间Petri网及可扩展的时间Petri网,可扩展的时间Petri网的网精简方法,使用design／CPN仿真,及使用EFTN对多媒体同步建模,并探讨了进一步研究的方向。     

A distributed and interactive system to integrated design and simulation for collaborative product development

The goal of applying collaborative product development in industry has raised the need to develop software tools supporting system integration and group collaboration. Current methods and tools mainly focus on the collaborative creation of design components and assemblies. However, few of them support the collaborative work in developing simulation models so that proposed design concepts and solutions can be evaluated by integrating expertise from several disciplines. The purpose of this research is to develop a distributed and interactive system on which designers and experts can work together to create, integrate and run simulations for engineering design. To develop such a system, a number of issues, e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of modeling work, the re-use of models, interaction and cooperation, accuracy of simulation, collaborative operation on models, etc., need to be addressed. This paper describes an open architecture to developing simulations for engineering design in a distributed and collaborative environment, identifies a set of key issues raised in this architecture, and presents the techniques employed in our solution.     

An Integrated Telepresence Environment for Collaboration in Construction

For construction projects involving transient ‘virtual organisations’ composed of non-collocated team-members, the adoption of concurrent engineering principles is seen as vital. An important aspect of concurrent engineering in construction is the need for an effective communications infrastructure between team members. Traditionally, such communication has been handled through person-to-person meetings, however the complexity of construction projects has grown and, as a result, reliance on new information and communications technologies is becoming increasingly necessary. Hence, within a concurrent engineering setting, there is the need for an integrated information and collaboration environment that will create a persistent space to support interaction between project personnel throughout all phases of construction projects. This joint initiative between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Loughborough University, British Telecommunications plc. (BT) and Kajima Corporation explores computer-supported mechanisms for enhancing distributed engineering collaboration. The goal of this paper is to develop a set of requirements, a system architecture and a system prototype to facilitate computer-supported collaboration among distributed teams. The prototype consists of a comprehensive working collaborative system built from the integration of complementary standalone applications. These applications are the CAIRO system, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Telepresence system developed by Loughborough University and BT.     

协同工作软件系统结构的研究和实现

设计和实现了一个CSCW(Computer Supported Cooperative Work)软件系统，该系统结构的核心思想体现在以下3方面：首先是可实现跨平台的协作，其次是可以同时支持同步协作与异步协作，最后是它支持多会议功能，即一个用户可同时处于若干会议中，并提出了一种利用客户端浏览器插件(Plug-in)来协调客户、客户和服务器以及客户和客户之间的通信机制，以此软件系统为平台实现了一个实例一一远程交互式考核系统ITS(Interactive Testing System)。在ITS中尝试性地提出了一种新型的远程交互式考核模式，并实现了交互式的远程学生考试与教师阅卷过程，同时支持同步协作与异步协作方式，满足了远程教育用户在地域分布、平台各异的情况下的同步与异步的交流要求。     

Engineering knowledge formalization and proposition for informatics development towards a CAD-integrated DfX system for product design

Target design methodologies (DfX) were developed to cope with specific engineering design issues such as cost-effectiveness, manufacturability, assemblability, maintainability, among others. However, DfX methodologies are undergoing the lack of real integration with 3D CAD systems. Their principles are currently applied downstream of the 3D modelling by following the well-known rules available from the literature and engineers’ know-how (tacit internal knowledge).This paper provides a method to formalize complex DfX engineering knowledge into explicit knowledge that can be reused for Advanced Engineering Informatics to aid designers and engineers in developing mechanical products. This research work wants to define a general method (ontology) able to couple DfX design guidelines (engineering knowledge) with geometrical product features of a product 3D model (engineering parametric data). A common layer for all DfX methods (horizontal) and dedicated layers for each DfX method (vertical) allow creating the suitable ontology for the systematic collection of the DfX rules considering each target. Moreover, the proposed framework is the first step for developing (future work) a software tool to assist engineers and designers during product development (3D CAD modelling).A design for assembly (DfA) case study shows how to collect assembly rules in the given framework. It demonstrates the applicability of the CAD-integrated DfX system in the mechanical design of a jig-crane. Several benefits are recognized: (i) systematic collection of DfA rules for informatics development, (ii) identification of assembly issues in the product development process, and (iii) reduction of effort and time during the design review.     

嵌入式系统的软硬件协同设计

随着电子系统的复杂化，系统设计已成为一门重要学科。传统的反复试验法已经越来越不适应时代的关键。近年来，发展迅速的软硬件协同设计技术越来越受到人们的重视。它是在系统目标要求的指导下，通过综合分析系统软硬件功能及现有资源，最大限度地挖掘系统软硬件之间的并发性，协同设计软硬件体系结构，以使系统工作在最佳工作状态，本文系统地阐述了软硬件协同设计技术的特点及设计过程中应该注意的问题。     

P-smart—a virtual system for clothing thermal functional design

This paper presents a virtual CAD system developed for clothing thermal functional design and simulation. It allows designers and engineers in virtual space to design and preview the thermal functional performance of clothing and gives feedback to improve the design iteratively. The system provides designers with an effective tool for designing and engineering clothing to achieve superior thermal functional performance.     

VERSION CONTROL OF DISTRIBUTED EDBMS FOR CSCW

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CAD智能工程数据库集成系统

从设计过程入手,通过对共性工程数据及其关系的讨论,基于C/S结构的分布式计算,引入知识工程,建立知识库,应用推理机制,提出了一种CAD技术集成方案和系统实现原型,通过开发方便的操作工具,使得共性工程数据库中的数据的使用和管理具有智能化,方便设计人员使用和提高设计效率。     

Development of anthropometric work environment for Taiwanese workers

This paper presents the first-stage extended results of an anthropometry survey project that has been done recently in Taiwan. The purpose of the anthropometry survey project was to construct a static and dynamic anthropometric database for local workers, for use by designers and engineers involved in designing the work-related facilities. Local human factors researchers and specialists were involved in this large-scale survey. According to the worker population structure in Taiwan's main industries, 1200 subjects were measured. The database consists of data for 266 static-body dimensions and 42 dynamic ranges of motion. The statistical data are presented in a conventional paper hardcopy handbook and a computerized on-line searching system. It is expected that the data can be used by designers and engineers to create ergonomically designed equipment, devices, and work environment for local workers, thereby ensuring a safe work environment. Based on such data, the primary dimensions for work environment design applications were also proposed. In addition, the stature ratio for males was compared with that of females.Relevance to industryThe anthropometric data collected in this work provide the designers and engineers the basis for designing safe, healthy, and comfort work environment and facilities for Taiwanese workers. These data can further be analyzed and used for production and inventory planning to meet the market demand and reduce the costs.     

分布式冲突检测系统的研究与实现

提出一种支持并行设计的分布式冲突检测方法,设计并开发分布式冲突检测系统。该系统以约束网络的一致性区间求解算法为核心,通过计算约束网络中各设计参数的可行域区间,可以有效地检测产品设计过程中的冲突。软件系统采用B/S结构,以支持地理分布的协同设计团队的设计工作,并以铁路列车某型转向架工程设计为例验证了该方法的有效性。     

Multi-model driven collaborative development platform for service-oriented e-Business systems

Enterprises need to be responsive to meet dynamic businesses and requirements. Service-oriented architecture and Web services can improve e-Business systems to be integrated and flexible. This paper proposes a multi-model driven collaborative development platform for service-oriented e-Business systems. The platform provides engineers/consultants with three views, i.e., business view, process view, and service view to support service-oriented software engineering, top-down business design and bottom-up service composite and development. The views are kept consistent through model-driven translation mechanisms. The platform employs three models, i.e., service meta-model, process model and business model to implement the translation. On the platform, business and technical consultants/engineers can use the views designated for their roles to collaborate for a service-oriented e-Business system based at the distributed sites of, e.g., IT vendors and their clients. The collaboration is featured with visual development and rapid demonstration. Comparingly, most of the mainstream development environments focus on object-oriented application development other than service-oriented business process modeling. The platform has been developed and deployed in an innovation centre to be evaluated by visiting customers.     

Web-Based Support for Cooperative Software Engineering

The Tatami project is building a system to support software engineering over the internet, exploiting recent advances in Web technology, interface design, and specification. Our effort to improve the usability of such systems has led us into algebraic semiotics, while our effort to develop better formal methods for distributed concurrent systems has led us into hidden algebra and fuzzy logic. This paper discusses the Tatami system design, especially its software architecture, and its user interface principles. New work in the latter area includes an extension of algebraic semiotics to dynamic multimedia interfaces, and integrating Gibsonian affordances with algebraic semiotics.     

支持并行设计的产品数据管理

产品数据管理是基于数据库,分布计算和网络通讯等技术发展起来的新型工程数据管理技术,是有效管理和控制所有与产品有关的信息的并行设计框架,本文研究了支持大型电子设备并行设计的产品数据管理系统ＹＣ－Ｂｒｉｄｇｅ的开放式体系结构,并介绍了它的主要功能,实现方法及技术特点。     

A system for design and concurrent engineering under imprecision

This paper proposes an approach to handling imprecision in design and concurrent engineering systems by using interval analysis and constraint networks. By allowing design parameters to be specified with intervals rather than exact points, this approach permits designers to iteratively transform vague conceptual designs into detailed final designs. When a designer changes a variable's interval or assigns a value, the results are propagated through constraints and the resulting feasible interval for all other dependent variables is pruned. The interval constraint network approach described in this paper extends previous work by allowing the representation of and reasoning about complex constraints involving conditions, conjunctions and disjunctions, as well as both symbolic and numeric variables. Many concurrent engineering constraints cannot be modeled without this sort of representational flexibility. A prototype of this approach has been implemented in a system called SPARK-IP. The operation of SPARK-IP is demonstrated through a concurrent engineering design problem involving printed wiring boards.     

实践十号返回卫星时间同步系统设计与验证

根据返回式卫星的特点,卫星在轨飞行包括两个阶段的时间同步工作模式:1)“返回舱和仪器舱在轨段组合体”时间模式;2)两舱分离后,“仪器舱留轨段”时间模式;因此,如何设计返回式卫星的时间系统,并进行优化使其在不同阶段完成不同任务,是返回式卫星时间系统设计的关键点;返回式卫星时间包括时间产生、时间维护、时间发布及时间传输;返回式卫星时间系统设计就是为了满足时间用户对时间同步精度的需求,通过特定方法和必要手段对星上时间产生、维护和发布机制进行相应的系统设计;针对实践十号返回式科学实验卫星时间同步需求、时间管理模型、时间系统架构以及时间系统的设计进行了说明,并对卫星在整星电测以及在轨运行的验证情况进行说明。     

Extending Design Environments to Software Architecture Design

Designing a complex software system is a cognitively challenging task; thus, designers need cognitive support to create good designs. Domain-oriented design environments are cooperative problem-solving systems that support designers in complex design tasks. In this paper we present the architecture and facilities of Argo, a domain-oriented design environment for software architecture. Argo's own architecture is motivated by the desire to achieve reuse and extensibility of the design environment. It separates domain-neutral code from domain-oriented code, which is distributed among active design materials as opposed to being centralized in the design environment. Argo's facilities are motivated by the observed cognitive needs of designers. These facilities extend previous work in design environments by enhancing support for reflection-in-action, and adding new support for opportunistic design and comprehension and problem solving.     

基于Java语言的分布式多媒体同步设计方法

首先介绍了分布式多媒体同步的理论基础及设计方法，然后结出了Java伪代码的算法实现。对分布式多媒体系统的开发有一定的意义，弥补了分布式多媒体同步设计的一个空缺。     

Collaboration Among Designers: Analysing an Activity for System Development

Workplace studies provide an important input to system development, yet there is no straightforward way of translating empirical results into requirements. This study contributes to the development of methods by reporting an activity theory based approach consisting of (i) field observations, (ii) modelling and (iii) a specific task analysis for system requirements. The research informed the further development of the Build-it system, a multi-user system designed to support co-located interaction between designers in engineering and architecture, and other stakeholders such as clients, operators, or inhabitants. The background research was conducted in four engineering companies and comprised of meeting observations, a questionnaire on design collaboration (n=94) and the analysis of 20 artefacts. The findings indicate that collaboration is of critical importance to the design process, and at least some of the tasks in engineering design could be supported by a system like Build-it. The task analysis for system requirements involved potential users from engineering but extended the scope to other domains, namely architecture and chemical process engineering (n=22). In all three domains a multi-user system like Build-it would be advantageous; however, the specific requirements varied more than expected. The study critically reflects on the use of generic concepts and the process of conducting research for the purpose of understanding work for design.