The objective of this thesis is to develop and demonstrate techniques for self-deployment of origami-based mechanical systems achieved through internal strain-energy storage and release, with special application to medical implant devices. The potential of compliant mechanisms and related origami-based mechanical systems to store strain-energy make them ideal candidates forapplications requiring an actuation or deployment process, such as space system arrays and minimally invasive surgical devices. The objective of this thesis is achieved by first categorizing differentdeployment methods in origami-based, deployable mechanisms and then further exploring the use of strain energy to facilitate actuation in deployable mechanisms. With this understanding inplace, there are opportunities using strain energy to develop new approaches to deploy particular mechanical systems. These origami-based mechanisms have the ability to improve devices in themedical field. This work contributes to the knowledge base of self actuating deployable structures in origami-based mechanical systems by developing design concepts and models for strain energystorage and release. By developing the foundational characteristics for self-actuation, the work will be demonstrated thorough applications in medical implant devices.

Continuous delivery is a software development methodology that aims to reduce development cycle time by putting a strong emphasis on automation, quality and rapid feedback. This thesis develops an automated method for detecting performance regressions as part of a continuous delivery deployment pipeline. The chosen method is based on control charts, a tool commonly used within statistical process control. This method is implemented as part of a continuous delivery deployment pipeline and its ability to detect performance regressions is then evaluated by injecting various performance bottlenecks in a sample application. The results from this thesis show that using a control chart based approach is a viable option when trying to automate verification of load test results in the context of continuous delivery. / Kontinuerlig leverans är en utvecklingsmetodik för mjukvara med målet att reducera ledtid genom att fokusera på automatisering, kvalitet och snabb återkoppling. I det här examensarbetet utvecklas en automatiserad metod för att upptäcka försämringar i prestanda i en deployment pipeline för kontinuerlig leverans. Den valda metoden baseras på kontrolldiagram, ett verktyg som ofta används inom statistisk processkontroll. Metoden implementeras som en del av en deployment pipeline för kontinuerlig leverans och dess förmåga att upptäcka prestandaförsämringar utvärderas genom att olika prestandarelaterade flaskhalsar implementeras i en testapplikation. Resultaten från arbetet visar att en metod baserad på kontrolldiagram är ett tänkbart alternativ för att automatisera verifiering lasttestresultat inom kontinuerlig leverans.

This thesis presents the use of microscopic traffic simulation models to evaluate the effects of operational-level transportation projects such as ITS. A detailed framework outlining the construction and calibration of microscopic simulation models is provided, as well as the considerations that must be made when analyzing the outputs from these models. Two case studies are used to reinforce the concepts presented. In addition, these case studies give valuable insight for using the outlined approach under real-world conditions. The study indicates a promising future for the use of microsimulation models for the purpose of evaluating operational-level projects, as the theoretical framework of the models is sound, and the computational strategies used are feasible. There are, however, instances where simulation models do not presently model certain phenomena, or where simulation models are too computationally intensive. Comprehensive models that integrate microscopic simulation with land use planning and realistic predictions of human behavior, for instance, cannot practically be modeled in contemporary simulation packages. Other than these instances, the largest obstacles to using simulation packages were found to be the manpower required and the complexity of constructing a model. Continuing research efforts and increasing computer speeds are expected to resolve the former issues. Both of the latter concerns are alleviated by the approach presented herein. Within the approach framework detailed in this thesis, particular emphasis is given to the calibration aspects of constructing a microscopic simulation model. Like the simulation process as a whole, calibration is both an art and a science, and relies on sound engineering judgement rather than indiscriminate, formulaic processes. / Master of Science

AbstractThe increasing amount of data available from software systems has given a unique opportunity for software development organizations to make use of it in decision-making. There are several types of data such as bug reports, website interaction information, product usage extent or test results coming into software-intensive companies and there is a perceived lack of structure associated with the data. The data is mostly scattered and not in an organized form to be utilized further. The data, if analyzed in an effective way, can be useful for many purposes, especially in decision-making. The decisions can be on the level of business or on the level of product execution. In this paper, through a literature review, an interview study and a qualitative analysis we categorize different types data that organizations nowadays collect. Based on the categorization we order the different types of decisions that are generally taken in a software development process cycle. Combining the two we create a model to explain a recommended process of handling the surge of data and making effective use of it. The model is a tool to help both practitioners and academicians who want to have a clearer understanding of which type of data can best be used for which type of decisions. An outline of how further research can be conducted in the area is also highlighted.

With the advent of the Global War on Terror in 2001, more than 2 million troops have deployed in support of contingency operations throughout the world. During this time, the divorce rates have increased throughout the military, hitting an all-time high in 2011, and dropping slightly thereafter. Enlisted members on active duty in the United States Air Force exhibited a higher rate of divorce than did their counterparts in any other branch of military service. At present, the reasons for the heightened Air Force divorce rates are still unknown. Perhaps more importantly, research has not identified which specific subgroups within the Air Force stand at the highest risk of divorce. Current research has identified several factors that contribute to divorce in military personnel. These factors include career group, gender, race, and deployments. The purpose of this archival quantitative study, based on the stress hypothesis, was to describe, compare, analyze, and explore divorce status of the active duty enlisted corps of the U.S. Air Force in 2011 (N = 247,644), the year in which military divorce rates peaked. Research questions were answered using tables, bar graphs, and chi-square tests to explore associations among the variables. The study examined four independent variables, Air Force specialty, career group, gender, and race and found a statistically significant correlation between each of the independent variables and divorce rates. A weak association was found between deployments and divorce, with the greatest association found between gender and divorce. Among Air Force servicemembers, females were more than twice as likely to be divorced than males. This study may contribute to positive social change by reducing the rates of marital dissolution in the Air Force.

Researchers have indicated that school-aged children with a caregiver who had been deployed were more likely to exhibit emotional and behavioral problems. These problems were impacted by the ability of the parent at home to manage emotions so as to utilize appropriate parenting skills with the child. However, there remained an important gap in the literature regarding the experiences of the military personnel reintegrating with their preschool aged child. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to address the experiences of military caregivers with their preschool-aged children through semistructured interviews to better understand the variables that impacted the ability to reattach with the child. The main research question for this study examined reattachment experiences of 11 military parents with their preschool-aged child during reintegration through the theoretical lens of attachment theory because previous attachment literature showed the importance of attachment development during the preschool-aged years. Data from the 11 interviews were analyzed to identify relevant themes that told the story of the experiences of those military personnel, which were then broken into the significant structural and textural descriptions to form the essence of each participant's experience. Data were member checked and triangulated using peer reviewers. Findings from this research helped clarify the positive or negative behaviors of the military parent and contextual factors that impacted the child's ability to reattach with that caregiver. The results also enhanced social change initiatives through increasing awareness and understanding, among all entities that work with the military, of the importance of attachment so as to promote programs that address ways to help those families stay connected during all phases of deployment.

Dans un contexte de mondialisation accrue et d’apparition de nouvelles forces issues des marchés dits émergents, les firmes multinationales (FMNs) ont développé des stratégies d’innovation novatrices. C’est en particulier au niveau des processus d’innovation que s’est opérée une des transformations les plus importantes. Elles doivent aujourd’hui faire face à une multiplication des sources d’innovation en matière de recherche et de développement (phase amont du processus d’innovation). Dans le même temps, les FMNs doivent aussi saisir toutes les opportunités de commercialisation et d’appropriation des innovations à l’échelle mondiale (phase aval) à travers leur réseau de filiales. La phase amont de ce processus est par nature complexe et itérative du fait de l’intégration de connaissances multiples et dispersées géographiquement. Cette particularité du processus d’innovation des FMNs se traduit par un encastrement de l’innovation à un niveau dit local. Cet encastrement rend alors la phase aval elle aussi très complexe, ne se limitant pas à une démarche uniquement marketing. Jusqu’ici, la phase aval a été conceptualisée de manière centralisée et désincarnée d’un point de vue organisationnel à travers les concepts de diffusion et de transfert. Ces approches ne permettent pas de rendre compte des modifications du processus d’innovation des FMNs et de comprendre des phénomènes empiriques tels que par exemple l’innovation inversée ou l’innovation dite frugale. C’est à travers l’étude d’un cas unique, une grande FMN française, que nous avons exploré et analysé cette phase aval. Grâce à ce travail, nous avons défini un cadre intégrateur: le déploiement des innovations. C’est un processus qui comprend l’enchaînement des commercialisations d’une innovation par des filiales situées dans des contextes locaux différenciés et nécessitant à chaque fois son adaptation. Ce déploiement est ainsi spatial, car l’innovation est exploitée dans différentes géographies, et temporel, car les adaptations peuvent s’étendre sur une durée. Nos principaux résultats s’articulent autour de trois niveaux d’analyses. Nous étudions d'abord les projets et communautés de déploiement pour mieux comprendre l’articulation du déploiement entre l’organisation et les individus. Ensuite, nous analysons le déploiement au niveau des individus et des compétences en défendant l’idée que la FMN doit aujourd’hui penser une fonction "chef de projet déploiement" en son sein. Enfin, nous nous positionnons au niveau de la stratégie d’innovation des FMNs en mettant en perspective le rôle du siège et celui des filiales. / In a context of increased globalization and the rise of new forces from so-called emerging markets, multinational corporations (MNCs) have developed new innovation strategies. In particular, one of the most considerable transformations has taken place in their innovation processes. MNCs must now face a multiplication of sources of innovation in terms of research and development (upstream phase of the innovation process). They also have to seize all the opportunities for commercialization and appropriation of innovations on a global scale (downstream phase) through their subsidiaries’ network. The upstream phase of this process is complex and iterative in nature because of the integration of multiple and geographically dispersed knowledge. The result of this peculiarity of the MNC’s innovation process is the embededness of innovation at a local level. This embedding makes the downstream phase also complex, not just a marketing process. Up to now the downstream phase has been centrally conceptualized and disembodied from an organizational point of view through the concepts of diffusion and transfer. These approaches do not capture changes in the MNC’s innovation process and do not succed to frame empirical phenomena such as reverse innovation or the specialisation of subsidiaries in certain phases of the innovation process. It is through the study of a unique case, a large French MNC that we explored and analyzed this downstream phase. Thanks to this work, we have defined an integrative framework: the deployment of innovations. It is a process that includes sequencing of the commercialization of an innovation by subsidiaries located in differentiated local contexts and requiring each time to be adapted. This deployment is thus both spatial, because the innovation is utilized in different geographies, and temporal, because adaptations may take place over time. Deployment is therefore a concept that has a descriptive scope (understanding the downstream phase) but can also be utilized by companies (the means to be implemented to optimize this downstream phase). Our main results are based on three levels of analysis. First, at the level of deployment projects and communities to better understand the articulation of deployment between the organization and individuals. Then we put the stress on the skills needed for deployment with the idea that the MNCs must now think of a project deployment function. Finally, on the innovation strategy of MNCs, where we put the role of headquarter and subsidiaries in perspective.

abstract: Emerging from years of research and development, the Internet-of-Things (IoT) has finally paved its way into our daily lives. From smart home to Industry 4.0, IoT has been fundamentally transforming numerous domains with its unique superpower of interconnecting world-wide devices. However, the capability of IoT is largely constrained by the limited resources it can employ in various application scenarios, including computing power, network resource, dedicated hardware, etc. The situation is further exacerbated by the stringent quality-of-service (QoS) requirements of many IoT applications, such as delay, bandwidth, security, reliability, and more. This mismatch in resources and demands has greatly hindered the deployment and utilization of IoT services in many resource-intense and QoS-sensitive scenarios like autonomous driving and virtual reality. I believe that the resource issue in IoT will persist in the near future due to technological, economic and environmental factors. In this dissertation, I seek to address this issue by means of smart resource allocation. I propose mathematical models to formally describe various resource constraints and application scenarios in IoT. Based on these, I design smart resource allocation algorithms and protocols to maximize the system performance in face of resource restrictions. Different aspects are tackled, including networking, security, and economics of the entire IoT ecosystem. For different problems, different algorithmic solutions are devised, including optimal algorithms, provable approximation algorithms, and distributed protocols. The solutions are validated with rigorous theoretical analysis and/or extensive simulation experiments. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Computer Science 2019

Over 2.1 million United States military service members have deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Nearly 40% of OEF/OIF service members meet criteria for an alcohol use disorder post-deployment. Minimal research has addressed alcohol misuse among military healthcare professionals despite the prevalence of alcohol abuse among civilian providers. This study explored whether military healthcare professionals involved with OIF/OEF operations have increased risk for alcohol misuse (i.e., problem drinking, heavy weekly drinking, heavy episodic drinking). Three evidence-based hypotheses were evaluated: (a) among OEF/OIF military personnel, healthcare professionals would have an increased likelihood of alcohol misuse compared to service members in other occupations; (b) personnel who screen positive for PTSD would be more likely to screen positive for alcohol misuse outcomes versus personnel who screen negative for PTSD; and (c) personnel with enlisted status would be more likely to endorse alcohol misuse compared to personnel with officer status. Participants were drawn from 81,247 military personnel enrolled in the Millennium Cohort Study, a prospective, longitudinal cohort study investigating health consequences of military service. Chi-square tests of independence identified significantly different demographic characteristics between participants in the first and second enrollment panels and resulted in participants being divided into subgroups based upon their enrollment panel and baseline alcohol use. Participants who had complete data at baseline and all follow-up waves were included in the primary multinomial logistic regression analyses used to identify variables associated with each alcohol use outcome over time. Results suggested that being a healthcare professional did not influence alcohol misuse outcomes. A positive screening for PTSD was associated with greater endorsement of alcohol misuse outcomes across most participant subgroups, and holding enlisted status was associated with problem drinking and heavy episodic drinking in some participant subgroups. Additional variables associated with alcohol misuse outcomes included being younger, male, using tobacco, and belonging to the National Guard/Reserve. The results of this study suggest that, while alcohol-related interventions may not need to be tailored to specific occupations, alcohol use screening and treatment should continue to be focused on at-risk groups to enhance troop health and functioning.

Velikost sítě Internet dosáhla takového rozměru, že globálně jednoznačná adresace všech připojených zařízení již není možná při zachování současné architektury TCP/IPv4. Tímto problémem se začalo zabývat již v 90. letech a od té doby bylo představeno několik návrhů nových architektur a síťových protokolů, které mají či měly ambice omezení adresace vyřešit. V současné době, v roce 2016, je jediným globálně nasazovaným řešením problému adresace protokol IPv6. Tento protokol zvětšuje velikosti síťové adresy čímž umožňuje adresovat téměř libovolné množství zařízení, ovšem za cenu nekompatibility se současným protokolem IPv4. Rozdílně se také staví ke způsobu automatické konfigurace koncových zařízení, proměnlivé velikosti síťové hlavičky a omezení nekompatibility řeší různými přechodovými mechanismy. Tato práce diskutuje dopady, které tyto změny mají na oblast monitorování a účtování uživatelů. Zejména změny způsobu konfigurace adresy vyžadují jiný přístup než v současných monitorovacích systémech, které ukládají pouze metadata o síťové komunikace pomocí protokolu NetFlow/IPFIX. Práce je zaměřena primárně na vyřešení problému účtování uživatelů v sítích kde jsou souběžně nasazeny protokoly IPv4 i IPv6, použity tunelovací přechodové mechanismy nebo překlad adres. Část práce je za- měřena na měření globálního vývoje a nasazení protokolu IPv6 mezi koncovými poskytovateli internetového připojení, poskytovateli obsahu a páteřními operátory.