Visualizing “typical” and “exotic” Internet traffic data

The threat of cyber attacks motivates the need to monitor Internet traffic data for potentially abnormal behavior. Due to the enormous volumes of such data, statistical process monitoring tools, such as those traditionally used on data in the product manufacturing arena, are inadequate. “Exotic” data may indicate a potential attack; detecting such data requires a characterization of “typical” data. We devise some new graphical displays, including a “skyline plot,” that permit ready visual identification of unusual Internet traffic patterns in “streaming” data, and use appropriate statistical measures to help identify potential cyberattacks. These methods are illustrated on a moderate-sized data set (135,605 records) collected at George Mason University.     

“Electric” Zip Tips™, Preliminary Results

Induction based fluidics (IBF), a new, simple patented approach for transporting liquids in the micro and the macro world, is discussed. Electric fields are shown to energize liquid/s in a container/s to execute an array of purposes. IBF is shown uniquely to energize N liquids in simple off the shelf devices, inductively. We discuss calibration and other issues, as we demonstrate how simple devices can dispense nanoliters and microliters with high precision and accuracy. Furthermore, we show preliminary single and eight channel data for the Zip Tip™ made by Millipore where the device transports liquids “electrically.” We briefly consider how such new devices, “electric” Zip Tips™, might automate desalting and the placement of digests for MALDI TOF analysis.     

Alias types for “environment-aware” computations

In previous work with Bono we introduced a calculus for modelling “environment-aware” computations, that is computations that adapt their behavior according to the capabilities of the environment. The calculus is an imperative, object-based language (with extensible objects and primitives for discriminating the presence or absence of attributes of objects) equipped with a small-step operational semantics.In this paper we define a type and effect system for the calculus. The typing judgements specify, via constraints, the shape of environments which guarantees the correct execution of expressions and the typing rules track the effect of expression evaluation on the environment. The type and effect system is sound w.r.t. the operational semantics of the language.     

Undergraduate students' use of information elicited during e-mail “tutorials”

This study considers those questions posed by students during e-mail “tutorials” to elicit information from “guest lecturers” and the use of that information by students in their essays. The “tutorials” were conducted for students in the U.K. by a “guest lecturer” in France. The “guest lecturer” was accredited as a tutor on the module for which the students were enrolled, and participated in the module by the provision of lecture notes prior to the e-mail tutorials. Data for the study, drawn from a comparative education assignment set for undergraduate students enrolled on the module, comprised surveys of students' perceived IT capabilities and attitudes towards IT, analyses of students' questions and analyses of students' essays. The findings of the study indicate (1) that tutees tend to pose questions to elicit information or clarification rather than to elicit the viewpoint or opinions of the “guest lecturer” and (2) that two-thirds of tutees' essays cited information elicited from the “guest lecturer”.     

A nexus of Cyber-Geography and Cyber-Psychology: Topos/“Notopia” and identity in hacking

This paper explores the Cyber-Psychological and Cyber-Geographic aspects of hacking and hacktivism. An examination of the literature related to hackers and hacking reveals a complex nexus of spatial (including cyber-spatial such as “Notopia”) and psychological aspects of hacking, from which emerges a central question of how humans perceive and manipulate their cyber-identities. Concealing (real and cyber) identities is typical in hacking. With our progressive acculturation with identity-less and place-less modes of existence, our cyber-identities through time may be studied from within John Locke’s criterion of “memory” and the spatial-geographical criterion of identity.     

Information retrieval expert system “matchmaker”

This paper describes the information system used to search for a potential matrimonial partner. The search is based on comparison of the subject's record, which consists of his/her answers to about 400 items of a specially designed questionnaire, to the records of the potential partners. The basic principle of the system is representation of the set of candidates for the client with psychological warnings about potential “conflict zones” in relationships between client and candidate rather than a ranking of candidates based on hypothetical “psychological compatibility” indices.     

The formation of learners’ semiosphere by authentic inquiry with an integrated learning object “Young Scientist”

An integrated learning object, a web-based inquiry environment “Young Scientist” for basic school level is introduced by applying the semiosphere conception for explaining learning processes. The study focused on the development of students’ (n = 30) awareness of the affordances of learning objects (LO) during the 3 inquiry tasks, and their ability of dynamically reconstructing meanings in the inquiry subtasks through exploiting these LO affordances in “Young Scientist”. The problem-solving data recorded by the inquiry system and the awareness questionnaire served as the data-collection methods.It was demonstrated that learners obtain complete awareness of the LO affordances in an integrated learning environment only after several problem-solving tasks. It was assumed that the perceived task-related properties and functions of LOs depend on students’ interrelations with LOs in specific learning contexts. Learners’ overall awareness of certain LO affordances, available in the inquiry system “Young Scientist”, developed with three kinds of patterns, describing the hierarchical development of the semiosphere model for learners. The better understanding of the LO affordances, characteristic to the formation of the functioning semiosphere, was significantly related to the advanced knowledge construction during these inquiry subtasks that presumed translation of information from one semiotic system to another. The implications of the research are discussed in the frames of the development of new contextual gateways for learning with virtual objects. It is assumed that effective LO-based learning has to be organized through pedagogically constrained gateways by manifesting certain LO affordances in the context in order to build up the dynamic semiosphere model for learners.     

A Calculus for “environment-aware” computation

We present a calculus for modelling “environment-aware” computations, that is computations that adapt their behaviour according to the capabilities of the environment. The calculus is an imperative, object-based language with extensible objects, equipped with a labelled transition semantics. A notion of bisimulation, lifting to computations a correspondence between the capabilities of different environments, is provided. Bisimulation can be used to prove that a program is “cross-environment”, i.e., it has the same behaviour when run in different environments.     

A “mixed” small gain and passivity theorem in the frequency domain

We show that the negative feedback interconnection of two causal, stable, linear time-invariant systems, with a “mixed” small gain and passivity property, is guaranteed to be finite-gain stable. This “mixed” small gain and passivity property refers to the characteristic that, at a particular frequency, systems in the feedback interconnection are either both “input and output strictly passive”; or both have “gain less than one”; or are both “input and output strictly passive” and simultaneously both have “gain less than one”. The “mixed” small gain and passivity property is described mathematically using the notion of dissipativity of systems, and finite-gain stability of the interconnection is proven via a stability result for dissipative interconnected systems.     

Justification of new technologies through the use of “cause and effect” analysis: Case of tile replacement at Kennedy space center

This paper presents a case of introducing new technology to a single stage in a maintenance operation composed of sequence of stages. The process - Thermal tile replacement - is a low volume, high value operation. A method for data collection at each stage, to estimate the variability in process quality, cost and duration is presented. The method involves: Identifying key product features, accuracy measure for each, rate of product rejection by feature and the associated probability density functions at each stage. The method relates accuracy variability by feature, “effect” to the contributing stage in the process “cause”. Simulation is used to justify the introduction of a new technology and to predict the percentage of product conformity in a “before” and “after” scenarios for the implementation of the new technology. The simulation model enables the quantification of technology impact on the product quality, overall productivity and the associated cost savings.     

The characteristics of a “stop–flow” mode of sensor array operation using data with the best classification performance

The paper presents an approach to characterizing a “stop–flow” mode of sensor array operation. The considered operation mode involves three successive phases of sensors exposure: flow (in a stream of measured gas), stop (in zero flow conditions) and recovery (in a stream of pure air). The mode was characterized by describing the distribution of information, which is relevant for classification of measured gases in the response of sensor array. The input data for classifier were the sets of sensors output values, acquired in discrete time moments of the measurement. Discriminant Function Analysis was used for data analysis. Organic vapours of ethanol, acetic acid and ethyl acetate in air were measured and classified. Our attention was focused on data sets which allowed for 100% efficient recognition of analytes. The number, size and composition of those data sets were examined versus time of sensor array response. This methodology allowed to observe the distribution of classification-relevant information in the response of sensor array obtained in “stop–flow” mode. Hence, it provided for the characterization of this mode.     

Non-linear mechanic and electric behavior of a robot axis with a “harmonic-drive” gear

This paper presents a study of a complete robot axis including the electrical and the mechanical parts. The motorization of the robot arm presented here has been carried out using a DC motor, a “harmonic-drive” type gear system and three control loops (current, speed and position). Each component is studied and modeled taking into account non-linearities such as current limitation, backlash, low rigidity and non-linear friction. The results obtained through computation of the model are compared with measurements on the real arm (motor current and speed) using speed and position loops.     

‘Because it’s boring, irrelevant and I don’t like computers’: Why high school girls avoid professionally-oriented ICT subjects

The current paper details results from the Girls and ICT survey phase of a three year study investigating factors associated with low participation rates by females in education pathways leading to professional level information and communications technology (ICT) professions. The study is funded through the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Linkage Grants Scheme. It involves a research partnership between Education Queensland (EQ), industry partner Technology One and academic researchers at (affiliation removed for review purposes). Respondents to the survey were 1453 senior high school girls. Comparisons were drawn between Takers (n = 131) and Non Takers (n = 1322) of advanced level computing subjects. Significant differences between the groups were found on four questions: “The subjects are interesting”; “I am very interested in computers”; “The subject will be helpful to me in my chosen career path after school”; and “It suited my timetable”. The research has demonstrated that senior high school girls tend to perceive advanced computing subjects as boring and they express a strong aversion to computers.     

No-Longer-Foreign: Teaching an ML compiler to speak C “natively”

We present a new foreign-function interface for SML/NJ. It is based on the idea of data-level interoperability—the ability of ML programs to inspect as well as manipulate C data structures directly.The core component of this work is an encoding of the almost² complete C type system in ML types. The encoding makes extensive use of a “folklore” typing trick, taking advantage of ML's polymorphism, its type constructors, its abstraction mechanisms, and even functors. A small low-level component which deals with C struct and union declarations as well as program linkage is hidden from the programmer's eye by a simple program-generator tool that translates C declarations to corresponding ML glue code.     

Wiki Technology as A “Free” Collaborative Tool within an Organizational Setting

This article provides a brief tutorial of Wiki technology as a collaborative tool. A case example from a university administration context suggests that - like many other end-user technologies - training and support needs should be carefully considered before the potential value of using this “free” technology to support knowledge management efforts can be satisfactorily realized.     

“Beating” Fitts’ law: virtual enhancements for pointing facilitation

We survey recent research into new techniques for artificially facilitating pointing at targets in graphical user interfaces. While pointing in the physical world is governed by Fitts’ law and constrained by physical laws, pointing in the virtual world does not necessarily have to abide by the same constraints, opening the possibility for “beating” Fitts’ law with the aid of the computer by artificially reducing the target distance, increasing the target width, or both. The survey suggests that while the techniques developed to date are promising, particularly when applied to the selection of single isolated targets, many of them do not scale well to the common situation in graphical user interfaces where multiple targets are located in close proximity.     

A Novel PDMS Microfluidic Spotter for Fabrication of Protein Chips and Microarrays

A novel polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) microfluidic spotter system has been developed for the patterning of surface microarrays that require individually addressing each spot area and high probe density. Microfluidic channels are used to address each spot region, and large spot arrays can be addressed in parallel. Fluorescence intensity measurement of dye-spotted samples compared to control and pipetted drops demonstrated a minimum of three-fold increase in dye surface density compared to pin-spotted dyes. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurement of protein-spotted samples as compared to pin-spotted samples demonstrated an 86-fold increase in protein surface concentration. The spotting system has been applied successfully to protein microarrays for SPR applications, in both a 12-spot linear and 48-spot two-dimensional (2-D) array format. This novel spotter system can be applied to the production of high-throughput arrays in the fields of genomics, proteomics, immunoassays, and fluorescence or luminescence assays.1565