M.Tech. / My research investigates how modularity, repetition and material choices are employed as strategies in the work of selected South African sculptors, Willem Boshoff, Paul Edmunds and Alan Alborough. My argument is that these three strategies are purposefully used by the artists in the construction of their sculpture and that they create the intrinsic meaning of the works. Self-reflexivity is a major focus of this study that is central to the construction of intrinsic meaning embodied in each of the aforementioned strategies. I postulate that an obsessive focus characterises the repetition of modular materials in the production of the works. Obsessive focus is highlighted as a positive characteristic that enhances the reading of the work and is a direct result of the methodology employed by the artists. I analyse how each of the strategies manifests itself in specific works by these artists and how precursors can be found for the strategies in works by other local and international artists, particularly Tom Friedman, Tara Donovan, Tony Cragg and David Mach. This context allows for the close visual analysis of selected works within a postmodern paradigm. I acknowledge extrinsic readings of works as relevant to analysis of the works but focus my investigation on the intrinsic meanings generated by the three strategies. Once these strategies have been investigated, I am able to determine 2ow I deploy these strategies in my own work. This necessitates an explication of my practice through a close visual analysis.

The FANTOM consortium has generated a large gene expression dataset of different cell lines and tissue cultures using the single-molecule sequencing technology of HeliscopeCAGE. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate novel associations between gene expression over time and different cell types. Here, we create a MatLab wrapper for a powerful and computationally intensive set of statistics known as Maximal Information Coefficient, and then calculate this statistic for a large, comprehensive dataset containing gene expression of a variety of differentiating tissues. We then distinguish between linear and nonlinear associations, and then create gene association networks. Following this analysis, we are then able to identify clusters of linear gene associations that then associate nonlinearly with other clusters of linearity, providing insight to much more complex connections between gene expression patterns than previously anticipated.

The space systems industry is moving towards smaller multi-vendor satellites, known as Small Space. This shift is driven by economic and technological factors that necessitate hardware and software components that are modular, reusable, and secure. This research addresses two problems associated with the development of modular, reusable, and secure space systems: developing software for space systems (the Development Problem) and securing space systems (the Security Problem). These two problems are interrelated and this research addresses them together. The Development Problem encompasses challenges that space systems developers face as they try to address the constraints induced by reduced budgets, design and development lifecycles, maintenance allowances, multi-vendor component integration and testing timelines. In order to satisfy these constraints a single small satellite might incorporate hardware and software components from dozens of organizations with independent workforces and schedules. The Security Problem deals with growing need to ensure that each one of these software or hardware components behaves according to policy or system design as well as the typical cybersecurity concerns that face any information system. This research addresses the Development Problem by exploring the needs and barriers of Small Space to find the best path forward for the space systems industry to catch up with the methodology advancements already being widely used in other software fields. To do this exploration a series of five surveys, referred to as SISDPA, was conducted to assess current attitudes and state of practice among space system developers. This crystallized a need in space system development — modular reusable open networks can help Small Space realize its potential, but there is still need to address certain security threats. This research addresses the Security Problem by augmenting a modular reusable open-network software development framework, called SSM, by adding policy enforcement in the form of authentication, access control, and encryption provisions, to create a new development framework, SSSM. This design and implementation adds security provisions while minimizing the impact on developers using the framework. SSSM is evaluated in terms of developer and system resource burden and shows that SSSM does not significantly increase developer burden and preserves the ease-of-use of SSM.

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The complexity of automotive software has increased dramatically in recent years. New technological advances as well as increasing market competitiveness create a high cost-pressure environment. This thesis seeks to apply established modular principles to a Simulink Model to increase information hiding to improve the maintainability of controls software. A Hybrid Supervisory Controller (HSC) model, developed as part of the McMaster EcoCAR Competition, is used throughout this thesis. The software design process followed during the HSC model development is detailed, as well as providing an example of the application of the Simulink Module Tool, a Simulink add-on developed by Jaskolka et. al. The HSC System decomposition was restructured based on an analysis of the likely changes to the vehicle software, as well the system secrets contained within the model. This thesis also presents an analysis of the original and modular system decompositions, comparing several common software indicators of information hiding, coupling, cohesion, complexity, and testability. The modular decomposition led to a significant improvement in information hiding, both in system changeability and internal implementation. Likely changes to the system propagate to fewer modules and components within the new decomposition, with hardware data separated from behavioral algorithms, and all modules grouped based on shared secrets. The redistribution of algorithms based on separation of concern also led to improvements in coupling, cohesion, and interface complexity. The resulting software design process and modular system decomposition provides a framework for future EcoCAR students to focus on correct design and implementation of hybrid vehicle software. The benefits provided by the application of the Simulink Module Tool also contributes additional data and supporting evidence to the improvements that can be realized within Simulink Models by introducing the concepts of information hiding and modularity. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / The complexity of automotive software has increased dramatically in recent years. New technological advances as well as increasing market competitiveness create a high cost-pressure environment. As a result, improving the development of automotive software and its maintainability has become an increasingly critical issue to solve. This thesis uses a Hybrid Vehicle Controller Model developed within MATLAB Simulink to investigate the possible improvements that can be made to software modularity. The system decomposition is modified using the Simulink Module Tool, and is analyzed regarding improvements to information hiding, interface complexity, and specifically minimizing change propagation. The modular improvements made to the Simulink Model resulted in significant improvements in system changeability and information hiding, providing a useful framework for future EcoCAR students.

Houses are unique personal spaces and individuals want flexibility and personalization in building their dream house. There is a current challenge in the prefabricated housing industry in Sweden where customers have increasing design demands and options that in essence, defeat the purpose of fixed design and prefabrication. This causes strain to both the customer and the company’s design process and sustainability efforts. The purpose of the study is to map the customer demands in customization of prefabricated houses through the innovation process of ideation, realization, and implementation. The overarching strain in customization is due to (1) the complexity of choice in designing a house, and (2) the mismatch between customer demand and manufacturing capability. A design criteria with BIM was brought forward to aid in the customization process in being more objective for decision-making. Through a case project and a design criteria, a prefabricated house model was redesigned with maximized flexibility. The findings in this study is a contribution to the house manufacturers in Sweden as an aid in architectural design and client communication strategies.

In this report a product development process is constructed and used to redesign an omnidirectional treadmill, the Omnideck. The current design of the Omnideck platform is designed without regard for assembly. Using modularity and design for assembly theories, incorporated with the product development process, the Omnideck platforms design is improved in respect to assembly time. The original design required 175 labour hours to install. The result is an improved design which requires ten and a half hours to install at a customer. This is achieved by redesigning the Omnideck into individual modules which allow for a faster installation.

The purpose of this study is to better understand the functioning of knowledge sharing in the supply chain of Taiwan IT industry and face the current practice of modular component outsourcing with a theoretical threat of architecture change and modularity trap. Today, modularity and component outsourcing became almost an prerequisite for an successful IT company. Product architectures are widespread and well defined. It is however the question nobody dares to ask – what if this changes? How can the Taiwan suppliers make sure, that they will still be in the game even if the rules change? How can they assure that their position as the cutting edge component providers won`t be taken by someone else? The basic premise of the research is, that the relationship management of supplier and buyers often seen in countries with Confucian tradition can overcome this threat thanks to deeply rooted trust and good and opened communication patterns. This paper first introduces the Supplier-buyer relationship theory and background on its functioning within the New Product Development (NPD) area. The study also touches on the issue of Early Supplier Involvement (ESI) into the New Product Development. Next the theory on Modularity and Modularity Trap are introduced. Based on the literature review, I construct an research framework, consisting of two bodies: The architecture as a variable and Buyer-supplier relationship and NPD. The major conclusions of this study are (1) The architecture of the product to be developed is an important driver on the supplier-buyer relationship creation. (2) To build the relationship with buyers is important step for the suppliers, but it can only be build around technology that is important for the buyer. (3) Supplier`s understanding of architecture knowledge of its buyers is crucial. (4) The main reason to invite supplier into New product development is buyers technological distance between what they can have and what they want to have. (5) Product Complexity (number of parts and their interconnections within the product) have a positive influence on the supplier role creation. (6) All buyers have a rather good component knowledge. (7) The management alignment will be greatly influenced byt architectural attributes of the product to be developed.