This thesis discusses a practical approach to the concurrent analysis and synthesis of reconfigurable robot manipulators based on the alternative design methodology of Linguistic Mechatronics (LM) as well as the utilization of a modular Robotic Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation (RHILS) platform. Linguistic Mechatronics is a systematic design methodology for mechatronic systems, which formalizes subjective notions and simplifies the optimization process, in the hope that numerous naturally different design variables can be considered concurrently. The methodology redefines the ultimate goal of design based on the qualitative notions of wish and must satisfactions. The underlying concepts of LM are investigated through a simulation case study. In addition, the RHILS platform involving physical joint modules and a control unit, which takes into account various physical phenomena and reduces the simulation complexities, is employed to the design architecture. Ultimately, the new approach is applied to redesigning kinematic, dynamic and control parameters of an industrial manipulator.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 2001. / Title from PDF t.p.

Zugl.: München, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2009

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-94).

Introdução: o envelhecimento está associado a perdas cardiorrespiratórias e neuromusculares, que estão relacionadas com quedas, hospitalizações e perda da independência funcional. O treinamento concorrente (TC) já está estabelecido como a melhor ferramenta para combater estes declínios e, portanto, deve-se entender a melhor forma de prescrever este treinamento. Com relação a parte neuromuscular do TC, o uso de repetições máximas (RM) vem sendo questionado sobre sua eficácia e, em idosos, ainda não existem estudos abordando este tema. Objetivo: investigar possíveis diferenças nas adaptações neuromusculares à execução ou não execução de repetições máximas nos exercícios de força, explorando também o uso do volume equalizado (número de repetições igualadas com as repetições máximas), durante o TC em homens idosos. Materiais e métodos: o estudo contou com 12 semanas de TC feito duas vezes na semana; 32 homens idosos foram randomizados para um dos três diferentes grupos: grupo com repetições máximas (GRM); grupo com repetições submáximas (GRNM), que trabalhava com 50% do volume do GRM; e um grupo que trabalhava com volume equalizado (GRNMVE), ou seja, mesmo volume do GRM, porém com ausência de séries chegando até a falha concêntrica. As variáveis analisadas foram o 1RM (kg) no exercício LG e EJ, CIVM dos extensores de joelho direito no dinamômetro isocinético, na qual foram avaliados: PTIso, TPT nos intervalos 0-50, 0100 e 0-250 m.s e EMG (μV) do músculo RF e VL, desempenho de saltos CMJ e SJ, avaliados no tapete de saltos e EM do quadríceps por US. A análise estatística dos dados está apresentada em média e DP. Todas as análises foram feitas no software SPSS 21.0, com nível de significância de  < 0,05 para todas as variáveis. O TE, que foi calculado pela diferença na média pré e pós treinamento da variável dividido pelo DP pré treinamento. Resultados: todos os grupos incrementaram seus valores de base para o período pós treinamento. Para a força máxima, 1RM LG e EJ incrementaram em todos grupos (p < 0,05 e p < 0,001, respectivamente), sem diferenças entre eles (ganhos ~50% e ~30% para LG e EJ, respectivamente). O PTIso teve incrementos, mas não significativos, (p = 0,072; incrementos de 5 – 15%). Para a TPT 0-50m.s (p=0,066) não teve ganhos significativos, porém os intervalos da TPT 0-100 (p=0,027; ganhos ~15%) e TPT 0-250m.s (p<0,05; ganhos~12%) foram significativos para todos os grupos. Para o desempenho de saltos, o CMJ teve uma tendência significativa (p=0,056; ganhos de 3-12%) e o SJ teve incrementos significativos (p<0,05; ganhos ~15%), para todos os grupos, sem diferenças entre os grupos. Para os valores de EMG RF e EMG VL (p>0,05 para ambos), não houve incremento em todos os grupos. Para os valores de EM, todos os grupos aumentaram seus valores, sem diferenças entre os grupos, de modo significativo (p<0,05), com exceção ao VI, que não teve ganhos significativos (VI: p= 0,85), sem diferenças entre os grupos. Para o somatório do quadríceps, todos os grupos incrementaram seus valores significativamente (p<0,05; ganhos de 2-10%), sem diferenças entre os grupos. Para a tensão específica, todos os grupos incrementaram seus valores significativamente (p< 0,001; ganhos de 11-29%), sem diferenças entre eles. Conclusões: o uso de repetições máximas no treino de força (TF), dentro do contexto do TC, em idosos, não é necessário, já que não foi observada vantagem no GRM. Mesmo um menor volume de treinamento foi capaz de induzir a mesma magnitude de adaptações. / Introduction: aging is associated with cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular losses, which are related to falls, hospitalizations, and loss of functional independency. Concurrent training (CT) is already established to be the best form to fight these declines and, therefore, it is necessary to understand the best way to prescribe these type of training. Regarding the neuromuscular part from the CT, the use of repetitions maximum (RM) is being questioned about it’s efficacy and, in elderly, this them has not yet been approached. Objective: investigate the possible differences in the neuromuscular adaptations due to the execution of maximum repetitions in strength training, also exploring the use of equalized volume, during the CT in elderly men. Materials and methods: the study accounted with 12 weeks of CT, done twice a week; 32 male elderly were randomized into one of the three groups: one protocol using RM, referred by the GRM initials; another protocol using 50% of the volume from the GRM, referred by the GRNM initials; and the last protocol using the same volume from the GRM, but with more series to equalize the total volume, without reaching concentric failure, referred by the initials GRNMVE. The analyzed variables were 1RM (kg) for the LG and EJ exercises, MIVC of the knee extensors, in which were computed: PTIso, RFD at the 0-50, 0-100 and 0-250 m.s intervals and the EMG (μV) from RF and VL muscles. Jump’s performance from the CMJ and SJ, at the jump’s carpet, MT done by US. All the data are presented in media and ST. all the analyzes were made in the SPSS software, version 21.0, with the significance level set at  < 0,05 for all variables. The EF was calculated by the difference between the means from pre to post training, divided by the pre training SD. Results: all groups increased their values from baseline to post training. For maximum strength, 1RM LG and EJ increased in all groups (p<0,05 e p<0,001, respectively), without differences between them (gains ~50% and ~30% for LG e EJ, respectively). PTIso increased their values, but without significance (p = 0,072; gains from 5 to 15%). For RFD 0-50 m.s, there were no significative gains (p=0,066), but there significant gains for the intervals RFD 0-100m.s (p=0,027; ganhos ~15%) RFD 0-250 m.s (p<0,05; ganhos~12%) for all groups. For the jump’s performance, the CMJ had a trend towards signifcance (p=0,056; increases from 3 to 12%) and SJ had significant gains (p<0,05; ganhos ~15%), for all grops, with no difference between them.For thw EMG RF e EMG VL values, there was no difference found (p>0,05 for both) in any group. For the MT values, all groups increased their baseline values for all muscles (p<0,05), except for VI, that showed no significative gains (VI: p= 0,85), with no difference between the groups. For the total quadriceps MT, all groups increased their values (p<0,05; gains from 2 to 10%), without any group differences. Fot the MQ quality values, all groups increased their baseline values (p< 0,001; gains from 11 to 29%), with no difference between them. Conclusions: the use of RM on the ST, inside the context of CT, in elderly, is not necessary, because it was not noted an advantage for the GRM. Even a smaller volume of training was able to induce the same magnitude adaptations.

An n-armed bandit task was used to investigate the trade-off between exploratory (choosing lesser-known options) and exploitive (choosing options with the greatest probability of reinforcement) human choice in a trial-and-error learning problem. In Experiment 1 a different probability of reinforcement was assigned to each of 8 response options using random-ratios (RRs), and participants chose by clicking buttons in a circular display on a computer screen using a computer mouse. Relative frequency thresholds (ranging from .10 to 1.0) were randomly assigned to each participant and acted as task constraints limiting the proportion of total responses that could be attributed to any response option. Preference for the richer keys was shown, and those with greater constraints explored more and earned less reinforcement. Those with the highest constraints showed no preference, distributing their responses among the options with equal probability. In Experiment 2 the payoff probabilities changed partway through, for some the leanest options increased to richest, and for others the richest became leanest. When the RRs changed, the decrease participants with moderate and low constraints showed immediate increases in exploration and change in preference to the new richest keys, while increase participants showed no increase in exploration, and more gradual changes in preference. For Experiment 3 the constraint was held constant at .85, and the two richest options were decreased midway through the task by varying amounts (0 to .60). Decreases were detected early for participants in all but the smallest decrease conditions, and exploration increased.

In this work we have addressed the complex problem of recovery for concurrent failures in a distributed computing environment. We have proposed a new checkpointing and recovery approach that enables each process to restart from its recent checkpoint and therefore guarantees least amount of recomputation to be done after recovery. The proposed new approach deals effectively with orphan and lost messages. We have introduced two new ideas. The value of the common checkpointing interval is such that it requires to log only the messages sent in the recent checkpoints of the processes. The lost messages are always determined a priori by the initiator process in parallel to the normal distributed computation. Thereby, it does not delay the recovery approach in anyway.

Introdução: o envelhecimento está associado a perdas cardiorrespiratórias e neuromusculares, que estão relacionadas com quedas, hospitalizações e perda da independência funcional. O treinamento concorrente (TC) já está estabelecido como a melhor ferramenta para combater estes declínios e, portanto, deve-se entender a melhor forma de prescrever este treinamento. Com relação a parte neuromuscular do TC, o uso de repetições máximas (RM) vem sendo questionado sobre sua eficácia e, em idosos, ainda não existem estudos abordando este tema. Objetivo: investigar possíveis diferenças nas adaptações neuromusculares à execução ou não execução de repetições máximas nos exercícios de força, explorando também o uso do volume equalizado (número de repetições igualadas com as repetições máximas), durante o TC em homens idosos. Materiais e métodos: o estudo contou com 12 semanas de TC feito duas vezes na semana; 32 homens idosos foram randomizados para um dos três diferentes grupos: grupo com repetições máximas (GRM); grupo com repetições submáximas (GRNM), que trabalhava com 50% do volume do GRM; e um grupo que trabalhava com volume equalizado (GRNMVE), ou seja, mesmo volume do GRM, porém com ausência de séries chegando até a falha concêntrica. As variáveis analisadas foram o 1RM (kg) no exercício LG e EJ, CIVM dos extensores de joelho direito no dinamômetro isocinético, na qual foram avaliados: PTIso, TPT nos intervalos 0-50, 0100 e 0-250 m.s e EMG (μV) do músculo RF e VL, desempenho de saltos CMJ e SJ, avaliados no tapete de saltos e EM do quadríceps por US. A análise estatística dos dados está apresentada em média e DP. Todas as análises foram feitas no software SPSS 21.0, com nível de significância de  < 0,05 para todas as variáveis. O TE, que foi calculado pela diferença na média pré e pós treinamento da variável dividido pelo DP pré treinamento. Resultados: todos os grupos incrementaram seus valores de base para o período pós treinamento. Para a força máxima, 1RM LG e EJ incrementaram em todos grupos (p < 0,05 e p < 0,001, respectivamente), sem diferenças entre eles (ganhos ~50% e ~30% para LG e EJ, respectivamente). O PTIso teve incrementos, mas não significativos, (p = 0,072; incrementos de 5 – 15%). Para a TPT 0-50m.s (p=0,066) não teve ganhos significativos, porém os intervalos da TPT 0-100 (p=0,027; ganhos ~15%) e TPT 0-250m.s (p<0,05; ganhos~12%) foram significativos para todos os grupos. Para o desempenho de saltos, o CMJ teve uma tendência significativa (p=0,056; ganhos de 3-12%) e o SJ teve incrementos significativos (p<0,05; ganhos ~15%), para todos os grupos, sem diferenças entre os grupos. Para os valores de EMG RF e EMG VL (p>0,05 para ambos), não houve incremento em todos os grupos. Para os valores de EM, todos os grupos aumentaram seus valores, sem diferenças entre os grupos, de modo significativo (p<0,05), com exceção ao VI, que não teve ganhos significativos (VI: p= 0,85), sem diferenças entre os grupos. Para o somatório do quadríceps, todos os grupos incrementaram seus valores significativamente (p<0,05; ganhos de 2-10%), sem diferenças entre os grupos. Para a tensão específica, todos os grupos incrementaram seus valores significativamente (p< 0,001; ganhos de 11-29%), sem diferenças entre eles. Conclusões: o uso de repetições máximas no treino de força (TF), dentro do contexto do TC, em idosos, não é necessário, já que não foi observada vantagem no GRM. Mesmo um menor volume de treinamento foi capaz de induzir a mesma magnitude de adaptações. / Introduction: aging is associated with cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular losses, which are related to falls, hospitalizations, and loss of functional independency. Concurrent training (CT) is already established to be the best form to fight these declines and, therefore, it is necessary to understand the best way to prescribe these type of training. Regarding the neuromuscular part from the CT, the use of repetitions maximum (RM) is being questioned about it’s efficacy and, in elderly, this them has not yet been approached. Objective: investigate the possible differences in the neuromuscular adaptations due to the execution of maximum repetitions in strength training, also exploring the use of equalized volume, during the CT in elderly men. Materials and methods: the study accounted with 12 weeks of CT, done twice a week; 32 male elderly were randomized into one of the three groups: one protocol using RM, referred by the GRM initials; another protocol using 50% of the volume from the GRM, referred by the GRNM initials; and the last protocol using the same volume from the GRM, but with more series to equalize the total volume, without reaching concentric failure, referred by the initials GRNMVE. The analyzed variables were 1RM (kg) for the LG and EJ exercises, MIVC of the knee extensors, in which were computed: PTIso, RFD at the 0-50, 0-100 and 0-250 m.s intervals and the EMG (μV) from RF and VL muscles. Jump’s performance from the CMJ and SJ, at the jump’s carpet, MT done by US. All the data are presented in media and ST. all the analyzes were made in the SPSS software, version 21.0, with the significance level set at  < 0,05 for all variables. The EF was calculated by the difference between the means from pre to post training, divided by the pre training SD. Results: all groups increased their values from baseline to post training. For maximum strength, 1RM LG and EJ increased in all groups (p<0,05 e p<0,001, respectively), without differences between them (gains ~50% and ~30% for LG e EJ, respectively). PTIso increased their values, but without significance (p = 0,072; gains from 5 to 15%). For RFD 0-50 m.s, there were no significative gains (p=0,066), but there significant gains for the intervals RFD 0-100m.s (p=0,027; ganhos ~15%) RFD 0-250 m.s (p<0,05; ganhos~12%) for all groups. For the jump’s performance, the CMJ had a trend towards signifcance (p=0,056; increases from 3 to 12%) and SJ had significant gains (p<0,05; ganhos ~15%), for all grops, with no difference between them.For thw EMG RF e EMG VL values, there was no difference found (p>0,05 for both) in any group. For the MT values, all groups increased their baseline values for all muscles (p<0,05), except for VI, that showed no significative gains (VI: p= 0,85), with no difference between the groups. For the total quadriceps MT, all groups increased their values (p<0,05; gains from 2 to 10%), without any group differences. Fot the MQ quality values, all groups increased their baseline values (p< 0,001; gains from 11 to 29%), with no difference between them. Conclusions: the use of RM on the ST, inside the context of CT, in elderly, is not necessary, because it was not noted an advantage for the GRM. Even a smaller volume of training was able to induce the same magnitude adaptations.

abstract: A new algebraic system, Test Algebra (TA), is proposed for identifying faults in combinatorial testing for SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) applications. In the context of cloud computing, SaaS is a new software delivery model, in which mission-critical applications are composed, deployed, and executed on cloud platforms. Testing SaaS applications is challenging because new applications need to be tested once they are composed, and prior to their deployment. A composition of components providing services yields a configuration providing a SaaS application. While individual components in the configuration may have been thoroughly tested, faults still arise due to interactions among the components composed, making the configuration faulty. When there are k components, combinatorial testing algorithms can be used to identify faulty interactions for t or fewer components, for some threshold 2 <= t <= k on the size of interactions considered. In general these methods do not identify specific faults, but rather indicate the presence or absence of some fault. To identify specific faults, an adaptive testing regime repeatedly constructs and tests configurations in order to determine, for each interaction of interest, whether it is faulty or not. In order to perform such testing in a loosely coupled distributed environment such as the cloud, it is imperative that testing results can be combined from many different servers. The TA defines rules to permit results to be combined, and to identify the faulty interactions. Using the TA, configurations can be tested concurrently on different servers and in any order. The results, using the TA, remain the same. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Computer Science 2014

To fully utilize multicore processors in Node.js applications, the applications must be programmed as multiple processes. Parallel execution can increase the throughput of data and hence lower data buffering for inter-process communica- tion. Node.js’s asynchronous programming model and interface to the operating system make for convenient tools that are well suited for multiprocess program- ming. However, the run-time behavior of asynchronous processes results in non-deterministic processor load and data flow. That means the performance gain from increasing concurrency depends on both the application’s run-time state and the hardware’s capacity for parallel execution. The objective of this thesis work is to explore the effects of increasing parallel- ism in Node.js applications by measuring the differences in the amount of data buffering when distributed processes run of a varying number of cores with a fixed rate of asynchronously arriving data. The goal is to simulate and examine the run-time behavior of three basic multiprocess Node.js application architec- tures in order to discuss and evaluate software parallelism techniques. The three architectures are: pipelined nodes for temporally dependent processing, a vector of nodes for data parallel processing, and a grid of nodes for one-to-many branched processing. To simulate and visualize the run-time behavior, a simulation environment us- ing multiple Node.js processes is created. The simulation is agent-based, where the agent is an abstraction for a specific data flow within the application. The simulation models and visualizes all of the data flows within a distributed appli- cation where processes communicate asynchronously via messages through sockets. The results show that performance can increase when distributing Node.js ap- plications across multiple processes running in parallel on multicore hardware. There are however diminishing returns as the number of active processes equal or exceed the number of cores. A good rule of thumb seem to be to distribute the decoupled logic across as many processes as there are cores. The interaction between asynchronous processes is on the whole made very simple with Node.js. Although running multiple instances of Node.js requires more memory, the distributed architecture has the potential to increase performance by nearly as many times as the number of cores in the processor.