A model-driven engineering framework for embedded systems design

This work presents a Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) framework to improve embedded system design. The framework adopts concepts from MDE for the automatic generation of a control and data flow internal representation, starting from the functional specification of an embedded application described using UML class and sequence diagrams. By means of transformations rules applied on the UML model of the embedded system, an MOF-based (Meta Object Facility is a standard representation for meta-models and models proposed by OMG) internal representation is automatically obtained, which is iteratively mapped into a hardware/software implementation by means of model transformations. This mapping is optimized by a design space exploration (DSE) method based on a categorical graph product. The model transformations have also as input a platform model, which specifies the available hardware, software and interface resources, and produce an implementation model, on which software synthesis, communication synthesis and high-level synthesis algorithms are applied to generate the final implementation. A case study is described to illustrate the application of the framework.     

A model-driven approach for usability engineering of interactive systems

Usability is considered to be one of the most important quality factors that determine the success/failure in the actual use of an interactive system. This can explain the ever-increasing number of publications addressing the problem of usability evaluation. However, most of these proposals only consider usability evaluations after the application is fully implemented and deployed. Some others are based on reviewing usability principles in intermediate artifacts with regard to their conformance with a set of guidelines. Since the traceability between these artifacts and the final application is not well established, performing usability evaluations by considering these artifacts as input may not ensure the usability of the final application. This problem may be alleviated by using a model-driven engineering (MDE) approach due to its intrinsic traceability mechanisms that are established by the transformation processes. The present paper aims to delineate a method for evaluating usability throughout an MDE development life cycle by considering conceptual models as input. To do this, two main contributions are proposed. The first one, called usability-driven model transformation, aims to ensure that an intermediate artifact with the required level of usability is generated. It controls the model transformation process according to a set of usability attributes. The second contribution, called early usability evaluation, performs the usability evaluation from the conceptual models by defining metrics based on conceptual primitives that constitute the conceptual models. This evaluation would be a significant advantage with regard to saving time and resources. The early usability evaluation is empirically validated by comparing the usability measure obtained by our proposal and the level of usability perceived by the end-users.     

Editorial to theme issue on model-driven engineering of component-based software systems

Software and Systems Modeling - This theme issue aims at providing a forum for disseminating latest trends in the use and combination of model-driven engineering (MDE) and component-based software...     

Introduction to the theme section on Agile model-driven engineering

Software and Systems Modeling -     

Using the variogram to explore imagery of two different spatial resolutions

The resolution of remotely sensed data is becoming increasingly fine, and there are now many sources of data with a pixel size of 1?m×1?m. This produces huge amounts of data that have to be stored, processed and transmitted. For environmental applications this resolution possibly provides far more data than are needed: data overload. This poses the question: how much is too much? We have explored two resolutions of data—20?m pixel SPOT data and 1?m?pixel Computerized Airborne Multispectral Imaging System (CAMIS) data from Fort A. P. Hill (Virginia, USA), using the variogram of geostatistics. For both we used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Three scales of spatial variation were identified in both the SPOT and 1?m data: there was some overlap at the intermediate spatial scales of about 150?m and of 500?m–600?m. We sub‐sampled the 1?m data and scales of variation of about 30?m and of 300?m were identified consistently until the separation between pixel centroids was 15?m (or 1 in 225?pixels). At this stage, spatial scales of about 100?m and 600?m were described, which suggested that only now was there a real difference in the amount of spatial information available from an environmental perspective. These latter were similar spatial scales to those identified from the SPOT image. We have also analysed 1?m CAMIS data from Fort Story (Virginia, USA) for comparison and the outcome is similar. From these analyses it seems that a pixel size of 20?m is adequate for many environmental applications, and that if more detail is required the higher resolution data could be sub‐sampled to a 10?m separation between pixel centroids without any serious loss of information. This reduces significantly the amount of data that needs to be stored, transmitted and analysed and has important implications for data compression.     

From types to type requirements: genericity for model-driven engineering

Model-driven engineering (MDE) is a software engineering paradigm that proposes an active use of models during the development process. This paradigm is inherently type-centric, in the sense that models and their manipulation are defined over the types of specific meta-models. This fact hinders the reuse of existing MDE artefacts with other meta-models in new contexts, even if all these meta-models share common characteristics. To increase the reuse opportunities of MDE artefacts, we propose a paradigm shift from type-centric to requirement-centric specifications by bringing genericity into models, meta-models and model management operations. For this purpose, we introduce so-called concepts gathering structural and behavioural requirements for models and meta-models. In this way, model management operations are defined over concepts, enabling the application of the operations to any meta-model satisfying the requirements imposed by the concept. Model templates rely on concepts to define suitable interfaces, hence enabling the definition of reusable model components. Finally, similar to mixin layers, templates can be defined at the meta-model level as well, to define languages in a modular way, as well as layers of functionality to be plugged-in into other meta-models. These ideas have been implemented in MetaDepth, a multi-level meta-modelling tool that integrates action languages from the Epsilon family for model management and code generation.     

Knowledge-based systems in civil engineering: Three case studies

Although substantial advances have been achieved in last twenty years, in practice we are still far from taking full advantage of the potential of knowledge-based systems (KBS). Very few KBS have survived their evaluation period and only one third of those that were initially reported as successful are still in use. The primary purpose of the paper is to report on three KBS applications that have been developed for research purposes in the field of civil engineering. The main challenge underlying all three projects has been to develop computer support systems that would induce changes and improvements to the way that engineers solve their everyday problems. A great deal of effort has been put into eliciting knowledge and reasoning strategies from engineering experts with the aim of building up a computer model of their expertise in order to assist engineers in their decision-making processes. The paper closes by highlighting the principal achievements and the main issues concerning the future development of KBS for solving real life problems.     

Guest editorial to the theme section on AI-enhanced model-driven engineering

Software and Systems Modeling - This theme section brings together the latest research at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and model-driven engineering (MDE). Over the past years,...     

Applying model-driven engineering to the development of Rich Internet Applications for Business Intelligence

Business Intelligence (BI) applications have been gradually ported to the Web in search of a global platform for the consumption and publication of data and services. On the Internet, apart from techniques for data/knowledge management, BI Web applications need interfaces with a high level of interoperability (similar to the traditional desktop interfaces) for the visualisation of data/knowledge. In some cases, this has been provided by Rich Internet Applications (RIA). The development of these BI RIAs is a process traditionally performed manually and, given the complexity of the final application, it is a process which might be prone to errors. The application of model-driven engineering techniques can reduce the cost of development and maintenance (in terms of time and resources) of these applications, as they demonstrated by other types of Web applications. In the light of these issues, the paper introduces the S^m4RIA-B methodology, i.e., a model-driven methodology for the development of RIA as BI Web applications. In order to overcome the limitations of RIA regarding knowledge management from the Web, this paper also presents a new RIA platform for BI, called RI@BI, which extends the functionalities of traditional RIAs by means of Semantic Web technologies and B2B techniques. Finally, we evaluate the whole approach on a case study—the development of a social network site for an enterprise project manager.     

The applicability of software engineering in information systems development

The development of computer-based information systems involves more than the building of a complicated software system because each information system is embedded in a social and organizational environment. Software Engineering, which relies mainly on engineering approaches and places emphasis on formal methods, is inadequate to steer information systems development projects. Particular advances in Software Engineering will be best utilized within a broad framework which is capable of dealing with both technical and social/organizational issues.     

A model-driven engineering approach for supporting questionnaire-based gap analysis processes through application lifecycle management systems

Software Quality Journal - Gap analysis is a common approach in industry to evaluate the gaps between the implemented software processes and the requirements of process quality frameworks or...     

A model-driven process for the modernization of component-based systems

Software modernization is critical for organizations that need cost-effective solutions to deal with the rapid obsolescence of software and the increasing demand for new functionality. This paper presents the XIRUP modernization methodology, which proposes a highly iterative process, structured into four phases: preliminary evaluation, understanding, building and migration. This modernization process is feature-driven, component-based, focused on the early elicitation of key information, and relies on a model-driven approach with extensive use of experience from the previous projects. XIRUP has been defined in the European IST project MOMOCS, which has also built a suite of support tools. This paper introduces the process using a case study that illustrates its activities, related tools and results. The discussion highlights the specific characteristics of modernization projects and how a customized methodology can take advantage of them.     

Transfer of software engineering tools from information systems to production systems

This paper considers the prospects of transferring software-engineering methods and tools from the field of information systems (IS) to the field of production systems (PS). In particular, object-oriented programming is transferable to control programming by providing: (1) a standard, high-level, general purpose, real-time modules for controlling motion, logic and sequences; (2) detailed task specification; and (3) CAD/CAM database management and interaction with control. Additional transferable tools are man–machine interfaces for programmable logic controllers (PLC), robots, and numerically controlled (NC) machines. Current development of industrial standards should help provide full multi-platform support and connectivity and increase transfer of software development methods and tools from IS to PS.     

Multidisciplinary interface model for design of mechatronic systems

The design of mechatronic systems is based on the integration of several disciplines, such as mechanical, electrical and software engineering. How to achieve an integrated multidisciplinary design during the development process of mechatronic systems has attracted the attention of both academia and industry. However, solutions which can fully solve this problem have not been proposed by now. The concept of multidisciplinary interface represents the logical or physical relationship integrating the components of the mechatronic system or the components with their environment. As the design of mechatronic systems is a multidisciplinary work, the multidisciplinary interface model can be considered as one of the most effective supports to aid designers for achieving the integrated multidisciplinary design during the development process. The paper presents a multidisciplinary interface model for design of mechatronic systems in order to enable the multidisciplinary integration among design team members from different disciplines. On the one hand, the proposed model ensures the consistency of interface defined by the designers. On the other hand, it helps the designers to guarantee the different components integrate correctly. The interface model including three concepts: classification, data model and compatibility rules. The multidisciplinary interface model is implemented by a case study based on a 3D measurement system.