Analytical derivation of traffic patterns in cache-coherent shared-memory systems

This paper presents an analytical method to derive the worst-case traffic pattern caused by a task graph mapped to a cache-coherent shared-memory system. Our analysis allows designers to rapidly evaluate the impact of different mappings of tasks to IP cores on the traffic pattern. The accuracy varies with the application’s data sharing pattern, and is around 65% in the average case and 1% in the best case when considering the traffic pattern as a whole. For individual connections, our method produces tight worst-case bandwidths.     

Robust interactive cutting based on an adaptive octree simulation mesh

We present an adaptive octree based approach for interactive cutting of deformable objects. Our technique relies on efficient refine- and node split-operations. These are sufficient to robustly represent cuts in the mechanical simulation mesh. A high-resolution surface embedded into the octree is employed to represent a cut visually. Model modification is performed in the rest state of the object, which is accomplished by back-transformation of the blade geometry. This results in an improved robustness of our approach. Further, an efficient update of the correspondences between simulation elements and surface vertices is proposed. The robustness and efficiency of our approach is underlined in test examples as well as by integrating it into a prototype surgical simulator.     

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.     

Contrast-optimal k out of n secret sharing schemes in visual cryptography

Visual cryptography and (k,n)-visual secret sharing schemes were introduced by Naor and Shamir (Advances in Cryptology — Eurocrypt 94, Springer, Berlin, 1995, pp. 1–12). A sender wishing to transmit a secret message distributes n transparencies amongst n recipients, where the transparencies contain seemingly random pictures. A (k,n)-scheme achieves the following situation: If any k recipients stack their transparencies together, then a secret message is revealed visually. On the other hand, if only k−1 recipients stack their transparencies, or analyze them by any other means, they are not able to obtain any information about the secret message. The important parameters of a scheme are its contrast, i.e., the clarity with which the message becomes visible, and the number of subpixels needed to encode one pixel of the original picture. Naor and Shamir constructed (k,k)-schemes with contrast 2^−(k−1). By an intricate result from Linial (Combinatorica 10 (1990) 349–365), they were also able to prove the optimality of these schemes. They also proved that for all fixed kn, there are (k,n)-schemes with contrast . For k=2,3,4 the contrast is approximately and . In this paper, we show that by solving a simple linear program, one is able to compute exactly the best contrast achievable in any (k,n)-scheme. The solution of the linear program also provides a representation of a corresponding scheme. For small k as well as for k=n, we are able to analytically solve the linear program. For k=2,3,4, we obtain that the optimal contrast is at least and . For k=n, we obtain a very simple proof of the optimality of Naor's and Shamir's (k,k)-schemes. In the case k=2, we are able to use a different approach via coding theory which allows us to prove an optimal tradeoff between the contrast and the number of subpixels.     

An experiment on the role of graphical elements in architecture visualization

The evolution and maintenance of large-scale software systems requires first an understanding of its architecture before delving into lower-level details. Tools facilitating the architecture comprehension tasks by visualization provide different sets of configurable, graphical elements to present information to their users. We conducted a controlled experiment that exemplifies the critical role of such graphical elements when aiming at understanding the architecture. In our setting, a different configuration of graphical elements had significant influence on program comprehension tasks. In particular, a 63% gain in effectiveness in architectural analysis tasks was achieved simply by changing the configuration of the graphical elements of the same tool. Based on the results, we claim that significant effort should be spent on the configuration of architecture visualization tools and that configurability should be a requirement for such tools.

Muscular capabilities and workload of flight attendants for pushing and pulling trolleys aboard aircraft

Increasingly in the recent years, passengers’ services are extended into the ascent and descent flight phases on short distance flights. Trolleys containing the required meal and beverage items are used for these service operations and pushed or pulled along the aisles of the aircraft. Flight attendants reported about increased musculo-skeletal disorders and had been complaining about high physical workload from handling trolleys. In order to ensure acceptable load levels for pushing or pulling operations of trolleys, the physical capabilities of the collective “flight attendants” had been investigated by means of force measurements at maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) level and associated relevant anthropometrical and biometrical data. CEN and ISO standards as well as international and national German methods were used to derive recommended force limits for pushing/pulling operations with respect to the physical capabilities of the target group “flight attendants”. Comparing these recommended limits with the force requirements per shift under various conditions of trolley handlings (inclination of the floor, type and weight of trolley, mode of handling, frequency of operation) showed that especially for higher floor inclinations and trolley weights, flight attendants work (substantially) above recommended limits. It became also apparent that the handling of half-size trolleys is unexpectedly high demanding due to high vertical force components, caused by the unfavorable location of their center of gravity.

Relevance to industry

On short-distance flights, passengers’ services are performed by means of trolleys from the ascent to the descent flight phases. Flight attendants had been complaining about high physical workload. This study offers recommendations on maximum force limits for the handling of trolleys with respect to the muscular capacities and work situations of flight attendants on short-distance flights.     

Physical workload of flight attendants when pushing and pulling trolleys aboard aircraft

The musculoskeletal loads from moving trolleys aboard aircraft were assessed by observation of trolley handling on planes and by physical workload analyses of pushing and pulling of trolleys in a laboratory set up. Trolley handling by a total of 15 female flight attendants was observed on 10 short- and medium-distance flights in different types of aircraft. About 25 selected flight attendants (22 females; 3 males) of five German airlines took part in the laboratory study, which comprised three-dimensional (3D) measurements of posture and hand forces during pushing and pulling of trolleys in a variety of configurations. From the on-flight observations performed, between 150 and 250 trolley movements can be projected for a work shift. The greatest physical workload is to be expected at the beginning of service: The trolleys are fully laden then, and the cabin floor can still be inclined up to 8°, as the aircraft is still climbing, particularly on short-distance flights. The laboratory investigation revealed that the musculoskeletal workload from pushing and pulling depends essentially on the trolley load and on the gradient of the cabin floor. In addition, the degree of stressing depends significantly on the trolley type, mode of handling and personal dexterity. The up/down force component perpendicular to the direction of motion often achieved considerable amplitudes-in some cases equal to or exceeding the force in the direction of movement. The posture analysis demonstrated that pulling forced the flight attendants to adopt ergonomically unfavourable postures such as pronounced flexion of the back, particularly among female subjects. The highest values for flexion of the back occurred while pulling the half-size trolley. The results demonstrate that female flight attendants are likely to overload themselves if they frequently have to move heavily laden trolleys unaided on an inclined cabin floor.

Relevance to industry

On short distance flights, flight attendants have been complaining increasingly of high physical workload from manoeuvring trolleys. On the basis of the presented data airline companies may improve the trolley handling skills of their flight attendances by practical trainings and may ergonomically optimize the general service procedures aboard aircrafts.     

QuadCover - Surface Parameterization using Branched Coverings

We introduce an algorithm for the automatic computation of global parameterizations on arbitrary simplicial 2-manifolds, whose parameter lines are guided by a given frame field, for example, by principal curvature frames. The parameter lines are globally continuous and allow a remeshing of the surface into quadrilaterals. The algorithm converts a given frame field into a single vector field on a branched covering of the 2-manifold and generates an integrable vector field by a Hodge decomposition on the covering space. Except for an optional smoothing and alignment of the initial frame field, the algorithm is fully automatic and generates high quality quadrilateral meshes.