Improving online learning activity interoperability with Acos server

Modern online learning management systems (LMSs) support a variety of online learning activities, such as animations, exercises, and other interactive learning materials. However, there are many technical challenges in using the same activities in multiple LMSs because content is typically tightly coupled with one protocol to communicate with the LMS and different LMSs use different protocols for launching activities and receiving grades. This leads to low reusability of learning activities and similar content being developed in multiple places. To overcome these issues, we present Acos, a smart learning content server, which emphasizes the reusability of online learning activities by decoupling the content and existing interoperability protocols. It allows integrating the same learning activities into multiple LMSs using different protocols by providing a uniform interface for learning activities. Adapting this architecture allows instructors to choose activities based on pedagogical goals instead of letting technical restrictions of LMSs dictate the content selection process. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Shared computer-aided structural design model for construction industry (infrastructure)

The current interaction between participants in a construction project requires much time and is often a cause of mistakes and misunderstandings. Improvement of this interaction may therefore contribute to an improvement of the construction process as a whole. The lack of interoperability is the main problem behind such interaction drawbacks. In this paper, an infrastructure for a technology transfer model, namely Shared Computer-Aided Structural Design (sCAsD) model, is developed. It is built upon three basic building blocks: the Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data (STEP, ISO-10303) Parts 104 and 107, the CIMsteel Integration Standard (CIS/2.0) resources, and the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard that is being developed by the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI). The sCAsD model is an extension for the structural domain/view of the IFC model, providing professional standardization within the synergy effect of the IFC. The model infrastructure is explained and discussed in terms of model schemata. In addition, model feasibility is studied within two assessments for model schemata and model realization in the construction industry. The former assessment has verified the robustness and effectiveness of the model through using a model interface in data handling within an application of an integrated earthquake simulation. Meanwhile, the assessment of model realization has validated the roadmap of model implementation in the construction industry through IAI. The model has been accepted as a formal IAI project, namely ST-7, and is being supported by IAI Japan chapter.     

Improving quality with a manufacturing process

A model that patterns software manufacturing after hardware manufacturing is presented. The model introduces a testing and analysis station between each development phase. At each station, the incoming product is tested and failure data are analyzed and compared with the quality criteria used. The decision is then made whether to proceed to the next phase or repair the software. A case study showing how the model was applied to a back-end process is presented     

在小型软件开发过程中引入PSP技术

本文基于对CMM/PSP/TSP的理论研究,重点探讨并尝试了将PSP技术应用于小型软件开发,就软件过程的改善提供了一些参考意见。     

Interactive fruit panel (IFP): a tangible serious game for children with special needs to learn an alternative communication system

Universal Access in the Information Society - After several months working with Mateo, a child with special needs, the therapist of the Early Childhood Treatment Center (ECTC) was astonished by how...     

Broadcasting Sequential Processes (BSP)

Communication in a broadcast protocol multiprocessor (BPM) is inherently different from that in distributed systems formed by explicit links between processors. A message broadcast by a processor in a BPM is received directly by all other processors in the network instead of being restricted to only one processor. Broadcasting is an inexpensive way of communicating with a large number of processors on a BPM. In this paper I will describe a new approach to user-level distributed programming called broadcast programming, i.e., distributed programs written as cooperating broadcasting sequential processes (BSP). Existing concurrent programming languages do not provide facilities to exploit the broadcast capability of a BPM. The idea of distributed programs written as BSP is tailored to exploiting a BPM architecture but is not restricted to such an architecture-however, implementation of the broadcast capability may not be as efficient on other architectures. I will illustrate the utility and convenience of broadcast programming with many examples. These examples will also be used to explore the suitability and advantages of BSP and to determine appropriate facilities for BSP.     

Adaptive CAD model (re-)construction with THB-splines

Computer Aided Design (CAD) software libraries rely on the tensor-product NURBS model as standard spline technology. However, in applications of industrial complexity, this mathematical model does not provide sufficient flexibility as an effective geometric modeling option. In particular, the multivariate tensor-product construction precludes the design of adaptive spline representations that support local refinements. Consequently, many patches and trimming operations are needed in challenging applications. The investigation of generalizations of tensor-product splines that support adaptive refinement has recently gained significant momentum due to the advent of Isogeometric Analysis (IgA) [2], where adaptivity is needed for performing local refinement in numerical simulations. Moreover, traditional CAD models containing many small (and possibly trimmed) patches are not directly usable for IgA. Truncated hierarchical B-splines (THB-splines) provide the possibility of introducing different levels of resolution in an adaptive framework, while simultaneously preserving the main properties of standard B-splines. We demonstrate that surface fitting schemes based on THB-spline representations may lead to significant improvements for the geometric (re-)construction of critical turbine blade parts. Furthermore, the local THB-spline evaluation in terms of B-spline patches can be properly combined with commercial geometric modeling kernels in order to convert the multilevel spline representation into an equivalent – namely, exact – CAD geometry. This software interface fully integrates the adaptive modeling tool into CAD systems that comply with the current NURBS standard. It also paves the way for the introduction of isogeometric simulations into complex real world applications.     

论信息产业(软件方向)应向层次结构发展

信息产业成为当今世界的主导产业,成为物质经济向信息经济转换的重要标志.可以说,大力发展信息产业已成为当今世界的一大潮流和趋势,但我国信息产业发展中存在着不少的问题,特别在大型信息系统的软件方面,中国具有自主产权的非常少,面对这个问题,我们需要一个明确的方向--信息产业(软件方向)应向层次结构发展.     

Improving software security with static automated code analysis in an industry setting

Software security can be improved by identifying and correcting vulnerabilities. In order to reduce the cost of rework, vulnerabilities should be detected as early and efficiently as possible. Static automated code analysis is an approach for early detection. So far, only few empirical studies have been conducted in an industrial context to evaluate static automated code analysis. A case study was conducted to evaluate static code analysis in industry focusing on defect detection capability, deployment, and usage of static automated code analysis with a focus on software security. We identified that the tool was capable of detecting memory related vulnerabilities, but few vulnerabilities of other types. The deployment of the tool played an important role in its success as an early vulnerability detector, but also the developers perception of the tools merit. Classifying the warnings from the tool was harder for the developers than to correct them. The correction of false positives in some cases created new vulnerabilities in previously safe code. With regard to defect detection ability, we conclude that static code analysis is able to identify vulnerabilities in different categories. In terms of deployment, we conclude that the tool should be integrated with bug reporting systems, and developers need to share the responsibility for classifying and reporting warnings. With regard to tool usage by developers, we propose to use multiple persons (at least two) in classifying a warning. The same goes for making the decision of how to act based on the warning. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

结合船舶工程建设需求 探讨我国自主CAE软件产业建设

针对我国缺乏自主CAE软件的现况,结合船舶工程建设的创新发展需求,探讨建设自主CAE软件产业的可行性.阐述政府在政策和经济上扶持的重要性,指出生产性服务业、先进制造业与自主CAE软件产业联动对我国船舶工业自主创新发展的必要性.     

Improving the gossiping effectiveness with distributed strategic learning (Invited paper)

Gossiping is a widely known and successful approach to reliable communications, tolerating packet losses and link crashes. It has been extensively used in several middleware kinds, such as event notification services and application domains, like infrastructures for air traffic management, power grid control, health information exchange, just to cite some of them. Despite achieving a high loss-tolerance and scalability degrees, gossiping is affected by degraded performances and heavy traffic loads on the network. For this reason, it may be not optimal in applications where reliability must be provided jointly with timeliness and/or in congestion-prone networks. The crucial aspect for improving a gossiping scheme is deciding which nodes should receive a gossiping message, and our driving idea is to adopt a distributed strategic learning logic to determine such nodes in an efficient manner. This is able to resolve gossiping’s weakness points and to achieve better performance and reduced traffic loads.This paper describes how to introduced strategic learning in a gossip scheme so as to determine the best set of nodes that can be used to send gossip messages and to optimize their utility. Such a solution has been experimentally assessed through a set of simulations demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposal.     

Improving process flexibility through products assignment with bill of material constraints

This paper investigates the effect of operational decisions on improving process flexibility of a flexible manufacturing system, which consists of multiple machine lines. The manufacturing system produces different types of products, whose structures are described by their bills of material (BOMs). When BOM constraints of products are considered, we observe that process flexibility of the flexible manufacturing system depends not only on the structure of each machine line, but also on the assignment decisions of products to machine lines. On the basis of the analysis of a measure for process flexibility with BOM constraints, we develop products assignment models to improve process flexibility of a flexible manufacturing system, which minimize the total demand shortfall of products in the system through assigning products to machine lines. Computational experiments verify the effectiveness of the proposed models on improving process flexibility of a manufacturing system, and sensitivity analyses show performance robustness of our methods.     

A steady state process simulator with a dbms (simbad)

The information handling capability of Data Base Management Programs, together with heat and mass balances programs, has given rise to a new generation of chemical processes simulators. This new generation combines versatility and reliability in the handling of information, with software versions which are both powerful and precise. SIMBAD/INGAR is such a kind of program, highly versatile and able to handle an unlimited variety of chemical components.     

Maximum-likelihood estimation of a process with random transitions (failures)

A process with random transitions is represented by the difference equationx_{n} = x_{n-1}+ u_{n}where unis a nonlinear function of a Gaussian sequence w_{n}. The nonlinear function has a threshold such thatu_{n} =0for|w_{n}| leq W. This results in a finite probability of no failure at every step. Maximum likelihood estimation of the sequenceX_{n}={x_{0},...,x_{n}}given a sequence of observationsY_{n} = { y_{1},...,y_{n} }gives rise to a two-point boundary value (TPBV) problem, the solution of which is suggested by the analogy with a nonlinear electrical ladder network. Examples comparing the nonlinear filter that gives an approximate solution of the TPBV problem with a linear recursive filter are given, and show the advantages of the former. Directions for further investigation of the method are indicated.     

基于IFC 标准的结构分析模型构件偏心问题研究

数据标准是解决信息共享与交换问题的基础。IFC 作为buildingSMART 联盟发布 的建筑信息模型数据交换的国际标准,用来实现建筑全生命周期中不同专业、不同阶段各软件 之间的协同工作。目前在工程建设行业多专业的配合过程中,建筑与结构专业的信息交互最为 迫切。在结构专业领域,构件偏心问题对结构模型的分析有着重要影响。基于建筑信息模型数 据共享与交换的IFC 标准,针对结构分析软件之间的模型数据转换问题,通过以SGF 结构通用 文件格式为基础的数据转换平台,提取偏心构件的数据表达并设计数据转换算法,运用C++编 程语言,实现结构构件偏心数据的IFC 表达。     

Parallel construction of SLR (1) and LALR (1) parsers

The generation of an LR parser consists of constructing a parse table, with one row per state (in a push-down automaton), and one column per terminal symbol. Traditionally, this is carried out row by row, with the computation of one row depending (potentially) on all the others. We present a technique for carrying out the lookahead computation of SLR (1) and LALR (1) parsers in a completely parallel fashion. Our technique performs the computation by column, rather than by row. We show that the computation is totally independent for each column, making it ideal for parallelization. The speedup factor of the technique is min (N, T), whereN is the number of processors andT is the number of terminal symbols in the user's grammar.     

基金会现场总线发展状况

随着计算机技术、网络技术和控制技术的发展以及用户对现场仪表智能化、全数字化控制系统的需求,产生了现场总线技术。目前,现场总线已是世界自动化技术的热点,出现了多个现场总线组织和多种现场总线。唯有基金会现场总线（ＦＦ） 得到世界上众多厂商及用户的认可。文中介绍了ＦＦ 的主要技术特点和发展状况