From object-process analysis to object-process design

The object-process methodology incorporates the system static-structural and dynamic-procedural aspects into a single, unified model. This unification bridges the gap that separates the static, object model from the dynamic, behavior, state, or function-oriented models found in many current object oriented methodologies. In this work we concentrate on the transition from object-process analysis to design within the development of information systems. We use a detailed case study as a running example throughout the paper to demonstrate how the structure-behavior unification, which characterizes object-process analysis, is carried on to object-process design. The case study first applies object-process analysis to perform the analysis stage. The sequence of steps that constitutes the design is then discussed and demonstrated through the case study. The design is divided into two phases: the analysis refinement phase and the implementation-dependent phase. Analysis refinement is concerned with adding details to the analysis results which are beyond the interest of the analysis itself, yet they are not related with a particular implementation. The implementation-dependent phase is concerned with code-level design, which takes place after specific implementation details, such as programming language, data organization, and user interface, have been made during the strategic design.     

Expert-driven genetic algorithms for simulating evaluation functions

In this paper we demonstrate how genetic algorithms can be used to reverse engineer an evaluation function’s parameters for computer chess. Our results show that using an appropriate expert (or mentor), we can evolve a program that is on par with top tournament-playing chess programs, outperforming a two-time World Computer Chess Champion. This performance gain is achieved by evolving a program that mimics the behavior of a superior expert. The resulting evaluation function of the evolved program consists of a much smaller number of parameters than the expert’s. The extended experimental results provided in this paper include a report on our successful participation in the 2008 World Computer Chess Championship. In principle, our expert-driven approach could be used in a wide range of problems for which appropriate experts are available.     

2009 CAV award announcement

The 2009 CAV (Computer-Aided Verification) award was presented to seven individuals who made major advances in creating high-performance Boolean satisfiability solvers. This annual award recognizes a specific fundamental contribution or series of outstanding contributions to the CAV field.     

Wald's mighty maximin: a tutorial

Ever since its appearance on the scene in the 1940s, in the then nascent field of statistical decision theory, Wald's maximin paradigm has played a vital role in many disciplines in the treatment of nonprobabilistic uncertainty, both as a tool of thought and as a practical instrument. In fact, in some fields, such as modern robust optimization, Wald's paradigm dominates the scene. It is important to note that this paradigm's preeminence in many fields continues unabated, despite its obvious limitations and the criticism that had been and continues to be leveled at it. So, in this tutorial we examine the methodological aspects of this stalwart of decision theory from the viewpoint of robust decision‐making, paying special attention to its obvious and not so obvious limitations and to its relation to other maximin paradigms.     

Network State Estimation and Prediction for Real-Time Traffic Management

Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) and Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) have the potential to contribute to the solution of the traffic congestion problem. DynaMIT is a real-time system that can be used to generate guidance for travelers. The main principle on which DynaMIT is based is that information should be consistent, and user optimal. Consistency implies that the traffic conditions experienced by the travelers are consistent with the condition assumed in generating the guidance. To generate consistent user optimal information, DynaMIT performs two main functions: state estimation and prediction. A demand simulator and a supply simulator interact to perform these tasks. A case study demonstrates the value of the system.     

Building outsourcing relationships across the global community: the UPS–Motorola experience

The United Parcel Service (UPS)–Motorola case study revolves around two major areas of information technology (IT) management: IT as a competitive tool and global outsourcing of IT projects. It provides an opportunity to become familiar with the decisions and actions taken by UPS to assure their competitive advantage in the turbulent courier services industry. In the IT outsourcing area, the case addresses managerial and technical issues associated with outsourcing IT projects across the global community. The case presents the specific factors that made this outsourcing project successful and discusses the development of the outsourcing relationships between UPS and Motorola (Israel), from initial negotiations to the creation of a strategic alliance between the two companies. A major point in this case is the gradual development of trust between the two sides, trust that led the two firms from being committed to a contract to becoming strategic partners.     

2010 CAV award announcement

The 2010 CAV (Computer-Aided Verification) award was awarded to Kenneth L. McMillan of Cadence Research Laboratories for a series of fundamental contributions resulting in significant advances in scalability of model checking tools. The annual award recognizes a specific fundamental contribution or a series of outstanding contributions to the CAV field.     

Optimized temporal monitors for SystemC

SystemC is a modeling language built as an extension of C++. Its growing popularity and the increasing complexity of designs have motivated research efforts aimed at the verification of SystemC models using assertion-based verification (ABV), where the designer asserts properties that capture the design intent in a formal language such as PSL or SVA. The model then can be verified against the properties using runtime or formal verification techniques. In this paper we focus on automated generation of runtime monitors from temporal properties. Our focus is on minimizing runtime overhead, rather than monitor size or monitor-generation time. We identify four issues in monitor generation: state minimization, alphabet representation, alphabet minimization, and monitor encoding. We conduct extensive experimentation and identify a combination of settings that offers the best performance in terms of runtime overhead.     

Divided Attention in Younger and Older Adults: Effects of Strategy and Relatedness on Memory Performance and Secondary Task Costs.

Divided attention at encoding leads to a significant decline in memory performance, whereas divided attention during retrieval has relatively little effect; nevertheless, retrieval carries significant secondary task costs, especially for older adults. The authors further investigated the effects of divided attention in younger and older adults by using a cued-recall task and by measuring retrieval accuracy, retrieval latency, and the temporal distribution of attentional costs at encoding and retrieval. An age-related memory deficit was reduced by pair relatedness, whereas strategy instructions benefited both age groups equally. Attentional costs were greater for retrieval than for encoding, especially for older adults. These findings are interpreted in light of notions of an age-related associative deficit (M. Naveh-Benjamin, 2000) and age-related differences in the use of self-initiated activities and environmental support (F. I. M. Craik, 1983, 1986). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exact high order beam element

This work gives the exact stiffness coefficients for an high order isotropic beam element. The terms are found directly from the solutions of the differential equations that describe the deformations of the cross-section according to the high order theory, which include cubic variation of the axial displacements over the cross-section of the beam. The model has six degrees of freedom at the two ends, one transverse displacement and two rotations, and the end forces are a shear force and two end moments. Also given are the equivalent end forces and moments for several cases of loading along the member. The components of the end moments are investigated, and are found for exact results. Comparison is made with the Bernoulli-Euler and Timoshenko beam models.