Pseudo-arithmetical operations as a basis for the general measure and integration theory

Several generalizations of the classical measure and integration theory are based on some generalizations of the standard arithmetical operations. The axiomatic approach to the pseudo-arithmetical operations of pseudo-addition and pseudo-multiplication is discussed. Some of required properties strongly influence the structure of these operations (and consequently the resulting measure and integral generalizations). So, e.g., the -idempotency of the -unit element u results to the idempotency of the pseudo-addition , i.e., =v (sup). Several other properties of and and their consequences are discussed and illustrated by examples.     

An EMG-study of work methods and equipment in crane coupling as a basis for job redesign

Previous studies have shown that physical strain is perceived as the main work environment problem for crane couplers. During one year, 70% of the crane couplers at two Swedish steelworks (n = 124) indicated complaints of the locomotor system. An experimental field study comprising seven healthy female crane couplers was therefore carried out to determine if crane coupling implies too high a physical strain for healthy individuals, and to suggest ergonomics solutions to such problems if they occur. The significance of using different methods and equipment for reducing physical strain was evaluated by vocational EMG (four shoulder/neck and arm muscles), heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion. The data suggest that crane coupling may have harmful effects on the shoulder/neck. The investigated changes in work methods and equipment reduced the peak loads. If the crane coupler also has to operate the crane by radio control, this implies a rationalisation as well as a reduction in strain.     

Laboratory study as basis of the development for a seat testing procedure in horizontal directions

Horizontal whole-body vibration (WBV) can have an influence on health and comfort of drivers. Driver seats with additional suspensions in x- and/or y-axis should reduce the influence of vibration on the driver. No standards or test procedures are available for testing seats with horizontal suspensions. A standard test procedure for seats with horizontal suspensions could be developed from a test protocol used in a recent inter-laboratory study. To reduce the variability of the results obtained by different laboratories or repetitions, the test procedures should carefully consider methodological aspects with relevance to the results. Specifications of typical signals obtained in practice, or well-defined random time series as a basis for generation of test signals, with defined signs of acceleration would enable identical excitations in time domain and could reduce the variability of results caused by the non-linearity of the seat–human system. Nine healthy subjects volunteered for the study to test a seat with suspensions in three directions. They were selected with regard to three groups of body mass (52.4–54.6, 75.5–77.1, 98–100.7 kg). A random signal and two signals obtained in practice (tractor and truck) were selected for excitations in x- and y-directions by a six DOF electro-hydraulic simulator (hexapod). The errors between the desired and measured accelerations were calculated. The error depends on the signal, the direction and the subject. In the time domain, the absolute value of the error ranged from 1.8% to 42.4%. The SEAT value generally depends on the body mass, but in some cases the SEAT value of a lighter subject was lower than the SEAT value of a heavy one. This indicates that only one heavy and one light subject are not suited to calculate reliable parameters for an evaluation and comparison of seats. The non-symmetric displacements of the seat frame in x-direction indicate the non-linear behaviour of the seat–subject system.

Relevance to industry

Driver seats with suspensions in horizontal directions can reduce the influence of WBV on the health-risk of drivers. Laboratory test procedures are helpful for the evaluation and design of seats, if the results obtained by different laboratories are comparable. The paper describes methodological aspects that affect the test results and their variability.     

UNIX as a basis for CAD software

The suitability of the UNIX operating system as a basis for constructing and using CAD software is assessed in the light of several years experience of using it for this purpose at EdCAAD.     

A case study in use of framework technology as the basis for a software engineering environment

In order to investigate the capabilities of varous types of integration infrastructure, the CASE Environments project at the Software Engineering Institute has conducted a series of studies integrating a variety of tools using framework technologies. This paper discusses one of these studies, in which a Software Engineering Environment was first modeled using a number of process notations and then constructed using control- and data-oriented frameworks. Public domain, commercial, and custom tools were integrated in support of the defined process scenario.     

Geometry as a basis for finite element automation

This paper discusses the role of geometry in achieving automation of the overall finite element analysis process. Emphasis is placed on the geometry requirements for two of the key technologies within this process: fully automatic mesh generation and adaptive analysis. A geometric framework that permits the implementation of automated finite element procedures is presented. This includes high-level geometry-based problem specification and control, powerful data structures, and the geometric functionality that is necessary to support automation. An open architecture system, called TAGUS, which incorporates these notions and permits manipulation of geometry, topology, and attribute data from within an applications program, is also presented. In addition, the paper contrasts the geometry requirements of problems with static domains versus the special considerations that must be given for dynamically changing domains. Finally, a view of an integrated system architecture for analysis automation is presented.     

Model correspondence as a basis for schema domination

Conceptual schemata each representing some component of a system in the making, can be integrated in a variety of ways. Herein, we explore some fundamental notions of this. In particular, we examine some ways in which integration using correspondence assertions affects the interrelationship of two component schemata. Our analysis of the logic leads us to reject the commonly asserted requirement of constraining correspondence assertions to single predicates from a source schema. Much previous work has focussed on dominance with regard to preservation of information capacity as a primary integration criterion. However, even though it is desirable that the information capacity of a combined schema dominate one or both of its constituent schemata, we here discuss some aspects of why domination based on information capacity alone is insufficient for the integration to be semantically satisfactory, and we provide a framework for detecting mappings that prevent schema domination.     

Environmental mappings as a basis for the formulation of clothing demands

The basic functional demands on working clothes are protection and comfort. These basic demands are determined by the three variables: (1) level of activity of the worker, (2) environmental pollution and impacts, (3) surrounding climate. The environmental mapping is a systematic method to detect, quantify and analyse the demands on working clothes in different working situations. A pilot study was carried out in Swedish industry to investigate the general conditions regarding working clothes and to find the correspondence between clothing demands and environmental factors. The second study was motivated by clothing problems in the mechanical engineering industry. In both studies the three determining variables for the clothing of each interviewed person were given certain code values according to their measured or graded values. The pilot study confirmed the theoretical model for work classification. The model serves as an instrument for finding relevant clothing demands for clothing development and clothing procurement, and as a source of information for the workers so that they can check the clothing demands for their own working conditions. In the study of the mechanical engineering industry all 310 interviewed workers with 20 different professions could be divided into three groups with different clothing demands. These quantified functional clothing demands were transformed into certain demands in terms of textile material and model design. The development work finally resulted in new clothes, an overall and bib-and-brace trousers in various suitable materials.     

Dialogue as a basis for construction of speech systems

The structure of speech dialogue systems is analyzed. It is shown that the creation of speech recognition and synthesis systems is connected with the solution of direct and inverse problems as applied to the organization of speech dialogue. Attention is paid to the multilevel hierarchical organization of speech dialogue systems in which the interaction between recognition and synthesis channels is realized through a common knowledgebase. A generalized structure of data representation at different hierarchy levels is analyzed, and the hierarchy of qualities determining properties of a dialogue system is considered. __________ Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 2, pp. 30–41, March–April 2008.     

Task structures as a basis for modeling knowledge-based systems

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in improving the reliability and quality of AI systems. As a result, a number of approaches to knowledge-based systems modeling have been proposed. However, these approaches are limited in formally verifying the intended functionality and behavior of a knowledge-based system. In this article, we proposed a formal treatment to task structures to formally specify and verify knowledge-based systems modeled using these structures. The specification of a knowledge-based system modeled using task structures has two components: a model specification that describes static properties of the system, and a process specification that characterizes dynamic properties of the system. The static properties of a system are described by two models: a model about domain objects (domain model), and a model about the problem-solving states (state model). The dynamic properties of the system are characterized by (1) using the notion of state transition to explicitly describe what the functionality of a task is, and (2) specifying the sequence of tasks and interactions between tasks (i.e., behavior of a system) using task state expressions (TSE). The task structure extended with the proposed formalism not only provides a basis for detailed functional decomposition with procedure abstraction embedded in, but also facilitates the verification of the intended functionality and behavior of a knowledge-based system. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Using mapping studies as the basis for further research - A participant-observer case study

Context

We are strong advocates of evidence-based software engineering (EBSE) in general and systematic literature reviews (SLRs) in particular. We believe it is essential that the SLR methodology is used constructively to support software engineering research.

Objective

This study aims to assess the value of mapping studies which are a form of SLR that aims to identify and categorise the available research on a broad software engineering topic.

Method

We used a multi-case, participant-observer case study using five examples of studies that were based on preceding mapping studies. We also validated our results by contacting two other researchers who had undertaken studies based on preceding mapping studies and by assessing review comments related to our follow-on studies.

Results

Our original case study identified 11 unique benefits that can accrue from basing research on a preceding mapping study of which only two were case specific. We also identified nine problems associated with using preceding mapping studies of which two were case specific. These results were consistent with the information obtained from the validation activities. We did not find an example of an independent research group making use of a mapping study produced by other researchers.

Conclusion

Mapping studies can save time and effort for researchers and provide baselines to assist new research efforts. However, they must be of high quality in terms of completeness and rigour if they are to be a reliable basis for follow-on research.     

Sketch theory as a framework for knowledge management

In this paper, we give an overview of sketch theory as a knowledge management framework and discuss its strengths relative to logic, the semantic web and relational algebra. Sketch theory, for example, supports modularity among meta-data, instance data and uncertainty. It also provides a notion of constraint-preserving map. We explore Q-trees as a technique for inference with sketches and compare it to logical deduction. Ideas can be formulated in distinct ways even within a fixed formalism. We illustrate solution of this alignment problem using sketches and the notion of Morita equivalence of logical theories. Sketch theory provides rich notions of contextual view with which we compute illustrative examples. Finally, we outline a program for advancing sketch theory as a complement to other knowledge management technologies and discuss transformations between sketches and other models.     

Texture as the basis for individual tree identification

Recognizing plants from imagery is a complex task due to their irregular nature. In this research, three tree species, Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata Sieb. & Zucc.), Hicks yew (Taxus x media), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), were identified using their textural properties. First, the plants were separated from their backgrounds in digital images based on a combination of textural features. Textural feature values for energy, local homogeneity, and inertia were derived from the co-occurrence matrix and differed significantly between the trees and their backgrounds. Subsequently, these features were used to construct the feature space where the nearest-neighbor method was applied to discriminate trees from their backgrounds. The recognition rates for Japanese yew, Hicks yew, and eastern white pine were 87%, 93%, and 93%, respectively. The study demonstrates that the texture features selected and the methods employed satisfactorily separated the trees from their relatively complex backgrounds and effectively differentiated between the three species. This research can lead to potentially useful applications in forestry and related disciplines.     

Triangulation as a basis for knowledge discovery in software engineering

Everyone agrees that reliable empirical “facts” must be derived from a series of investigations. However, the question of what is an appropriate framework for this series is an unresolved issue. Other articles in this issue present replication as the basis for this framework (Shull FJ, Carver JC, Vegas S, Juristo N (2008) The role of replications in Empirical Software Engineering, J Empir Softw Eng (in press)); however, alternatives exist! This brief note argues triangulation should be considered as the basis for this knowledge discovery (from empirical evaluation) strategy.

Classifying architectural constraints as a basis for software quality assessment

Architectural styles and patterns have been studied since the inception of software architecture as a discipline. We generalise architectural styles, patterns and similar concepts by introducing the notion of architectural constraints. An architectural constraint is a vehicle for the reuse of architectural design knowledge and for the improvement of software quality. It may be used for improving architectural analyses of quality characteristics of the software system to be realised. We present the method for surveying the literature on architectural constraint concepts, and provide a taxonomy covering various definitions of architectural styles and patterns.