Autonomic configuration and recovery in a mobile agent‐based distributed event monitoring system

In this paper we present a framework for building policy‐based autonomic distributed agent systems. The autonomic mechanisms of configuration and recovery are supported through a distributed event processing model and a set of policy enforcement mechanisms embedded in an agent framework. Policies are event‐driven rules derived from the system's functional and non‐functional requirements. Agents in the network monitor the system state for policy violation conditions, generate appropriate events, and communicate them to other agents for cooperative filtering, aggregation, and handling. A set of agents perform policy enforcement actions whenever events signifying any policy violation conditions occur. Policies are defined using a specification framework based on XML. The policy enforcement agents interpret the policies given in XML. We illustrate the utility of this framework in the context of an agent‐based distributed network monitoring application. We also present an experimental evaluation of our approach. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fault‐driven stress testing of distributed real‐time software based on UML models

In a previous article, a stress testing methodology was reported to detect network traffic‐related Real‐Time (RT) faults in distributed RT systems based on the design UML model of a System Under Test (SUT). The stress methodology, referred to as Test LOcation‐driven Stress Testing (TLOST), aimed at increasing the chances of RT failures (violations in RT constraints) associated with a given stress test location (an network or a node under test). As demonstrated and experimented in this article, although TLOST is useful in stress testing different test locations (nodes and network, it does not guarantee to target (test) all RT constraints in an SUT. This is because the durations of message sequences bounded by some RT constraints might never be exercised (covered) by TLOST. A complementary stress test methodology is proposed in this article, which guarantees to target (cover) all RT constraints in an SUT and detect their potential RT faults (if any). Using a case study, this article shows that the new complementary methodology is capable of targeting the RT faults not detected by the previous test methodology. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Model‐based design of IoT systems with the BIP component framework

The design of software for networked systems with nodes running an Internet of things operating system faces important challenges due to the heterogeneity of interacting things and the constraints stemming from the often limited amount of available resources. In this context, it is hard to build confidence that a design solution fulfills the application's requirements. This paper introduces a design flow for web service applications of the representational state transfer style that is based on a formal modeling language, the behaviour, interaction, priority (BIP) component framework. The proposed flow applies the principles of separation of concerns in a component‐based design process that supports the modular design and reuse of model artifacts. The BIP tools for state‐space exploration allow verifying qualitative properties for service responsiveness, ie, the timely handling of events. Moreover, essential quantitative properties are validated through statistical model checking of a stochastic BIP model. All properties are preserved in actual implementation by ensuring that the deployed code is consistent with the validated model. We illustrate the design of a representational state transfer sense‐compute‐control application for a Wireless Personal Area Network architecture with nodes running the Contiki operating system. The results validate qualitative and quantitative properties for the system and include the study of error behaviours.     

Matrix inequality‐based observer design for a class of distributed transport‐reaction systems

The problem of designing a globally exponentially convergent observer for a class of (linear in transport and nonlinear in generation) semi‐linear parabolic distributed systems is addressed within a matrix inequality framework, yielding (i) sufficient convergence conditions with physical meaning and (ii) the weight of a Lyapunov functional as design degree of freedom. The proposed approach is illustrated and tested with a representative case example in chemical reaction engineering. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Squared‐down passivity–based state synchronization of homogeneous continuous‐time multiagent systems via static protocol in the presence of time‐varying topology

This paper studies state synchronization of homogeneous multiagent systems (MAS) via a static protocol with partial‐state coupling in the presence of a time‐varying communication topology, which includes general time‐varying graphs as well as switching graphs. If the agents are squared‐down passive or squared‐down passifiable (via static output feedback or static input feedforward), then a static protocol can be designed for balanced, time‐varying graphs. Moreover, this static protocol works for arbitrary switching directed graphs if the agents are squared‐down minimum phase with relative degree one. The static protocol is designed for each agent such that state synchronization is achieved without requiring exact knowledge about the time‐varying network.     

Nonlinear control for reactive navigation of a nonholonomic robot for environmental nongradient‐based extremum seeking in maze‐like scenes

A single Dubins car‐like mobile robot travels with a constant speed in a planar workspace cluttered with arbitrarily complex obstacles, possibly maze‐like ones. An unknown scalar field is defined on the plane. The sensors supply the robot with the field value at its current location and its distance to the nearest obstacle. We present a new control law that drives the robot to the location where the field attains its maximum, while avoiding collisions with the obstacles. This is justified by a mathematically rigorous global convergence result and is confirmed via computer simulations. The proposed algorithm does not use gradient estimation and is nondemanding with respect to computation and motion. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing the effects of consumer involvement and service quality in a self‐service setting

The aim of this study is to assess how consumer involvement and service quality within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) influence consumers' adoption of self‐service technologies (SSTs). A model is proposed to test the antecedent factors of SSTs in a retail environment. A total of 441 valid questionnaires were received, and the data were examined by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show that consumer involvement has a significant positive effect on attitude toward SSTs. In addition, service quality plays an important role by significantly moderating the influence of intention to use SSTs on consumer behavior. The key objective of this study is to analyze the role that consumer involvement and service quality play in influencing the adoption of SSTs. Future research could classify the different levels of involvement and types of SSTs to confirm and extend our framework. Despite the increasing popularity of SSTs, few studies have to date examined the topic of technology acceptance in combination with user involvement. This study extends the original TAM and explains the conditions required for successful user involvement and service quality in consumers' adoption of SSTs. This study makes an original contribution by proposing a strategic model for a successful implementation of SSTs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Improvement strategies for the tools and techniques of quality improvement: Utilization of a performance evaluation matrix in the taiwanese high‐tech industry

This study integrates importance–performance analysis (IPA) and Slack's IPA matrix to provide a more comprehensive performance‐evaluation matrix for prioritizing improvement actions with regard to the tools and techniques of quality improvement. The study undertakes a review of the literature to identify the tools and techniques most widely used by high‐tech businesses in Taiwan. Following a survey of 394 managers and technicians, these tools and techniques are then placed on the integrated performance‐evaluation matrix to determine appropriate priorities for improvement actions. The study finds that “new seven” total quality management tools are used less often than “old seven” total quality management tools, and that education, training, and the efficient use of corporate resources are required to improve the frequency of utilization and the performance of the tools and techniques of quality improvement. © 2011Wiley Periodicals, Inc.