Tailoring Groupware: The Cooperative Hypermedia Approach

Tailoring groupware has to deal with adapting properties of a shared information space as well as with adapting properties of the cooperation support to the group's needs. In this paper, an approach for tailoring both aspects of groupware in an integrated fashion is proposed. This approach uses cooperative hypermedia as a unifying representation of shared information structures, functionality, and the coordination medium of a shared application. It enables cooperative definition of shared information structures, shared process models and their access models not only before collaboration starts, but also on the fly, when emergent processes evolve. The proposed approach addresses tailoring at all stages of the development and use of a groupware application. A prototype system called CHIPS is presented and different possibilities of tailoring in CHIPS are discussed. Examples of CHIPS demonstrate that the cooperative hypermedia approach to tailoring groupware can support the adaptation to different evolving tasks and processes performed by changing teams.     

基于DSP的控制力矩陀螺框架数字伺服系统

提出了一种基于TMS320F2812的单框架控制力矩陀螺外框架全数字伺服系统,通过分析控制性能的要求,确定带有电流环、速度环和位置环的三环控制方案,通过对三环的作用进行研究,应用工程化的频域设计方法设计电流环和速度环,给出位置环数字PID控制的改进方案;系统实现了低速高精度稳速控制,与模拟系统相比,控制算法更加方便,大大降低了功耗;在不同速度范围内对三环控制进行仿真和样机调试,结果表明该系统能够很好地实现框架高精度控制。     

Using shared representations to improve coordination and intent inference

In groupware, users must communicate about their intentions and aintain common knowledge via communication channels that are explicitly designed into the system. Depending upon the task, generic communication tools like chat or a shared whiteboard may not be sufficient to support effective coordination. We have previously reported on a methodology that helps the designer develop task specific communication tools, called coordinating representations, for groupware systems. Coordinating representations lend structure and persistence to coordinating information. We have shown that coordinating representations are readily adopted by a user population, reduce coordination errors, and improve performance in a domain task. As we show in this article, coordinating representations present a unique opportunity to acquire user information in collaborative, user-adapted systems. Because coordinating representations support the exchange of coordinating information, they offer a window onto task and coordination-specific knowledge that is shared by users. Because they add structure to communication, the information that passes through them can be easily exploited by adaptive technology. This approach provides a simple technique for acquiring user knowledge in collaborative, user-adapted systems. We document our application of this approach to an existing groupware system. Several empirical results are provided. First, we show how information that is made available by a coordinating representation can be used to infer user intentions. We also show how this information can be used to mine free text chat for intent information, and show that this information further enhances intent inference. Empirical data shows that an automatic plan generation component, which is driven by information from a coordinating representation, reduces coordination errors and cognitive effort for its users. Finally, our methodology is summarized, and we present a framework for comparing our approach to other strategies for user knowledge acquisition in adaptive systems.     

An object-oriented cooperative distributed problem solving shell with groupware management ability

In this paper, an Object-Oriented Cooperative Distributed Problem Solving Shell (OOCDPSS) with groupware management ability is designed. The groupware management facilities, which satisfy the needs of development and execution of the cooperative distributed problem solving activities, can reinforce concurrency and parallelism, accommodation and integration of heterogeneous, uncoordinated problem solvers cooperating on one common goal. This OOCDPSS system constructs the non-embedded groupware architecture by a hierarchy of leader agents. The leader agent that adopts a distributed blackboard control mechanism can assist the cooperating problem solvers with all the cooperative and coordinative activities at run time through a democratic, contract-net protocol. In this blackboard control mechanism, the system control unit and domain control unit are explicitly separated and put side-by-side in a simple control loop to simplify the control mechanism design. The event messages drive the above control units with the programmable heuristic knowledge, including the static knowledge, procedural knowledge, and strategic, situation-action behavior knowledge. In this OOCDPSS, a completely transparent environment and a programmable distributed blackboard control mechanism are provided. This environment automatically assists and supervises the progress of cooperative problem solving activities at run time, thereby raising the effective level of use among the preexisting problem solvers. In addition, by using the programmable heuristic knowledge, our approach can be efficiently implemented on the cooperative problem solving plans with a range of configurations. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Post-mechanistic groupware primitives: rhythms,boundaries and containers

We are exploring a middle path bridging two prevailing but polar opposite approaches to groupware: (1) mechanism—making groups work through the use of explicit forms and procedures; and (2) context or open space—allowing groups to self-organize. A group is a living system, and its work is a creative, dynamic process. Appropriate forms come and go. Computer-supported groups need groupware that provides more than procedural mechanisms and open space. They need groupware that can be tailored for their changing needs and evolving purposes. Life is organized in rhythms, boundaries and containers. Using tailorable groupware of our own design, we have implemented post-mechanistic groupware primitives that bridge the prevailing approaches to groupware in six steps: open space (context), timing, rhythms, boundaries, containers and procedures (mechanism). In the laboratory of our on-line learning community, we tailor the groupware to support the purpose and flow of a variety of educational activities. In the years ahead, nearly all organizations will be affected by rapid and fundamental change. Those that thrive will be in a state of continuous, accelerated learning regardless of their purpose. We believe that the educational principles of purpose-centered groupware explored here potentially apply to any computer-supported group work. As the virtual reflection of developing society, purpose-centered groupware is an essential part of the necessary transition to a vital, sustainable culture.     

Cooperative Advocacy: An Approach for Integrating Diverse Perspectives in Anomaly Response

This paper contrasts cooperative work in two cases of distributed anomaly response, both from space shuttle mission control, to learn about the factors that make anomaly response robust. In one case (STS-76), flight controllers in mission control recognized an anomaly that began during the ascent phase of a space shuttle mission, analyzed the implications of the failure for mission plans, and made adjustments to plans (the flight ended safely). In this case, a Cooperative Advocacy approach facilitated a process in which diverse perspectives were orchestrated to provide broadening and cross-checks that reduced the risk of premature narrowing. In the second case (the Columbia space shuttle accident—STS-107), mission management treated a debris strike during launch as a side issue rather than a safety of flight concern and was unable to recognize the dangers of this event for the flight which ended in tragedy. In this case, broadening and cross-checks were missing due to fragmentation over the groups involved in the anomaly response process. The comparison of these cases points to critical requirements for designing collaboration over multiple groups in anomaly response situations.     

Comparative study on the effects of groupware and conventional technologies on the efficiency of collaborative writing

In this paper the concept of efficiency in collaborative writing is considered in detail and a definition of efficiency is proposed. The definition of efficiency leads to the development of a research framework that delineates five operational measures of efficiency: (a) writing activities efficiency, (b) coordination efficiency, (c) quality of output, (d) absence of breakdowns, and (e) satisfaction with group performance. A comparative study is subsequently presented on the effects that groupware and conventional technologies have on the effciency of collaborative writing. The hypothesis is advanced that groupware can improve the efficiency of collaborative writing over conventional technologies. The results seem to support the hypothesis and indicate that (a) the groupware system examined in this study (MUCH system) offers efficiency benefits in terms of coordination, (b) MUCH users tend to face communication breakdowns while users of conventional technologies tend to face task-related breakdowns, (c) the documents produced with MUCH are of higher content quality, more coherent, and of higher rhetorical effectiveness than the documents produced with conventional technologies, and (d) the comparison of MUCH with conventional technologies shows no significant difference in terms of their effects on group performance satisfaction.     

基于语音识别的汽车空调控制系统

随着人们生活水平的不断提高,消费者对汽车性能的要求也越来越高,语音识别技术被应用在汽车上,来满足消费者对汽车舒适性、安全性和娱乐性等要求。本文采用基于ARM Cortex-M3内核32位微控制器STM32F103VET6作为系统控制核心,利用LD3320芯片的语音识别功能,构建基于语音识别的汽车空调控制系统。     

具有JTIDS接口的无人机仿真系统

建立了一个具有联合战术信息分发系统接口的无人机仿真系统.在该系统中建立了某型无人机的动力学仿真模型,其气动系数均通过风洞试验获得,并采用单纯形调优法求取无人机初始状态;设计了控制无人机姿态和控制飞行轨迹的内外环控制系统模型;根据联合战术信息分发系统特性,采用模块化方法建立了联合战术信息分发系统接口,使操作员能通过仿真数据链对无人机动力学模型进行任务控制和状态监视.最后进行了虚拟任务仿真试验,结果表明该系统可以满足一定的战术任务需求.     

Tailoring groupware for different scopes of validity

Tailorability is generally regarded as a key requirement for groupware applications. In this paper, we focus on a specific class of tailoring activities: the definition of different system behaviour for specific scopes of validity. Since the state of the art in Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) does not yet offer any satisfactory solutions to support users in performing this class of tailoring activities, we develop an approach based on tailoring statements, which are similar to production rules. We show how inconsistencies resulting from contradictory statements can be handled either automatically or by involving the affected users. We present a prototype which implements our approach to tailorability in a commercial groupware system, using access control as an example for the proposed class of tailoring activities. Finally, we present the results of a usability test carried out which employs the thinking aloud method.     

Implementing computer-mediated communication technologies: A technoacceptance approach to critical mass utilization

Voice messagin systems offer alternative communication tools to alleviate common communication problems such as telephone tag. Many organizations, however, report low utilization of voice messasing systems once they are implemented. This paper describes a utilization strategy used within Ciba- Geigy Corporation to launch and monitor a voice messaging system.     

协同编著系统中多媒体群件的研究

多媒体群件是使计算机支持的协同工作更接近于人类自然协同工作的重要手段，文章给出了协同编著系统中多媒体群件的概念，分析了协同编著文档的格式通用化及多媒体化的方法，设计了实时协同编著时语音讨论的系统结构，并对其工作原理及主要功能进行了讨论。     

When client/server isn't enough: coordinating multiple distributedtasks

Computing in a distributed environment for multitasked cooperative work is a promising area that presents many coordination issues. Our prototype system implements a three-layer architecture to provide greater control and flexibility in the distributed multitasking environment. The architecture includes a groupware server, application servers, and clients. The architecture can be further refined to provide more flexible control of activities. More applications, such as group calendaring and participative design can also be studied to find their idiosyncratic coordination needs and to elaborate the division of labor among different servers and clients     

FANTASIA: a framework for advanced natural tools and applications in social,interactive approaches

With the recent availability of industry-grade, high-performing engines for video games production, researchers in different fields have been exploiting the advanced technologies offered by these artefacts to improve the quality of the interactive experiences they design. While these engines provide excellent and easy-to-use tools to design interfaces and complex rule-based systems to control the experience, there are some aspects of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research they do not support in the same way because of their original mission and related design patterns pointing at a different primary target audience. In particular, the more research in HCI evolves towards natural, socially engaging approaches, the more there is the need to rapidly design and deploy software architectures to support these new paradigms. Topics such as knowledge representation, probabilistic reasoning and voice synthesis demand space as possible instruments within this new ideal design environment. In this work, we propose a framework, named FANTASIA, designed to integrate a set of chosen modules (a graph database, a dialogue manager, a game engine and a voice synthesis engine) and support rapid design and implementation of interactive applications for HCI studies. We will present a number of different case studies to exemplify how the proposed tools can be deployed to develop very different kinds of interactive applications and we will discuss ongoing and future work to further extend the framework we propose.

     

非计数类循环的C2VHDL编译方法

目前,大多数C2VHDL编译工具采用有穷状态机（FSM）的设计方法,该方法可以实现循环初值、终值以及步进值确定的计数类循环。由于非计数类循环每次执行循环时都要进行条件判断,程序执行前不能确定循环体执行次数,导致采用FSM方式对其进行C2VHDL编译很复杂,所以大多数C2VHDL编译工具不支持这类循环。以基于LLVM（Low Level Virtual Machine）的ASCRA（Application-Specific Compiler for Reconfigurable Architecture）编译架构为基础,采用一个周期高电平使能信号控制方式代替FSM,提出了一种支持嵌套格式的非计数类循环编译方法。实验结果证明该方法生成的控制结构简单,能够灵活地实现各种非计数类循环的C2VHDL转换,具有较强的可扩展性。     

GSM-R信令监测选择录音系统设计与实现

基于GSM-R的传统的录音系统具有通信事件和部分通话无法记录的局限,并且需要GSM-R网络的特别支持。文中提出了一种基于GSM-R信令监测的选择录音系统（OVRS）,通过信令监测技术,对呼叫信令流程进行分析,根据录音规则选择性地记录语音和与语音通话相关的事件,有效解决了以上问题,具有易规划、易管理、安全保密、易操作、易维护的特点。首先介绍了OVRS系统的硬件架构和软件系统设计;然后,阐述了系统包含的信令链路自动识别、选择录音、DXC设备控制等关键技术;最后,描述了系统的实现方案和实验结果,并对该系统的应用前景和社会效益、未来的工作进行了展望。     

Groupware development support with technology patterns

Groupware development support should educate developers on how to design groupware applications and foster the reuse of proven solutions. Additionally, it should foster communication between developers and end-users, since they need a common language and understanding of the problem space. Groupware frameworks provide solutions for the development of groupware applications by means of building blocks. They have become a prominent means to support developers, but from our experience frameworks have properties that complicate their usage and do not sufficiently support groupware developers. We argue for a pattern approach to support the technical aspects of groupware development. Patterns describe solutions to recurring issues in groupware development. They serve as educational and communicative vehicle for reaching the above goals. In this article, we provide a pattern language focusing on technical issues during groupware development. Experiences when using the language in an educational setting and a product development setting have shown that the patterns are a supportive means for the proposed goals.     

Shift Changes, Updates, and the On-Call Architecture in Space Shuttle Mission Control

In domains such as nuclear power, industrialprocess control, and space shuttle missioncontrol, there is increased interest inreducing personnel during nominal operations. An essential element in maintaining safeoperations in high risk environments with this`on-call' organizational architecture is tounderstand how to bring called-in practitionersup to speed quickly during escalatingsituations. Targeted field observations wereconducted to investigate what it means toupdate a supervisory controller on the statusof a continuous, anomaly-driven process in acomplex, distributed environment. Sixteenshift changes, or handovers, at the NASAJohnson Space Center were observed during theSTS-76 Space Shuttle mission. The findingsfrom this observational study highlight theimportance of prior knowledge in the updatesand demonstrate how missing updates can leaveflight controllers vulnerable to beingunprepared. Implications for mitigating riskin the transition to `on-call' architecturesare discussed.     

基于Xhtml+Voice英语语音训练系统的开发应用

Xhtml+Voice结合了Xhtml和VoiceXML各自的特点,把VoiceXML的语音交互移植到Web中,使开发带有语音交互的Web应用更灵活、更高效.提出了Xhtml+Voice在英语语音训练系统的应用实例,这种基于Xhtml+Voice的应用,增加了英语语音训练的灵活性和交互性.     

ESCCS的柔性协调关系研究

装备保障任务之间，装备保障任务与资源之间存在复杂的协调关系。装备保障指挥控制系统的关键问题之一是柔性协调问题。为了解决这一问题，在对装备保障工作流协调函数和任务约束进行分析的基础上，形式化描述了系统的主要协调关系。这些协调关系符合装备保障工作流的实际情况，可以满足装备保障指挥控制系统解决复杂的协调问题的要求。