Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Evolutionary testing (ET) techniques (e.g., mutation, crossover, and natural selection) have been applied successfully to many areas of software engineering, such as error/fault identification, data mining, and software cost estimation. Previous research has also applied ET techniques to performance testing. Its application to performance testing, however, only goes as far as finding the best and worst case, execution times. Although such performance testing is beneficial, it provides little insight into performance characteristics of complex functions with multiple branches. This thesis therefore provides two contributions towards performance testing of software systems. First, this thesis demonstrates how ET and genetic algorithms (GAs), which are search heuristic mechanisms for solving optimization problems using mutation, crossover, and natural selection, can be combined with a constraint solver to target specific paths in the software. Secondly, this thesis demonstrates how such an approach can identify local minima and maxima execution times, which can provide a more detailed characterization of software performance. The results from applying our approach to example software applications show that it is able to characterize different execution paths in relatively short amounts of time. This thesis also examines a modified exhaustive approach which can be plugged in when the constraint solver cannot properly provide the information needed to target specific paths.

This master thesis focuses on the modernisation of the PowerBox, a performance testing machine intended for Olympic wrestlers to help them enhance their ability to prevent penalty points caused by being pushed out of the wrestling area. As the PowerBox has become outdated and underutilized, this study aims to revive the project by exploring how modern hardware and software technology can be integrated to provide real-time feedback and automate post-analysis processes. Recognising that the success of modernisation depends not only on the data delivered but also on the user experience, a user-centred development cycle was designed to accommodate the demanding schedules of elite athletes. Within this cycle, a prototype was developed and tested to assess the hardware's validity, software usability, and overall user experience. Additionally, an automated data analysis system was developed, and a proof-of-concept was demonstrated in this thesis. The prototype performed exceptionally well, exhibiting high validity of the hardware components, with force correlations exceeding 0.99 and velocity correlations exceeding 0.9. Usability was also rated positively, achieving a 100% success rate in user challenges and an 88.75 score on the system usability scale. Furthermore, users evaluated the overall user experience as excellent based on the user experience questionnaire. Notably, the PowerBox generated significant interest not only among wrestlers but also among other athletes, such as rugby players and handball players. This demonstrates the impact of modernising performance testing machines like the PowerBox. / Denna masteruppsats fokuserar på moderniseringen av PowerBox, en prestationstestmaskin för att hjälpa dem att förbättra sin förmåga att hålla sig innanför det markerade brottningsområdet och därmed undvika straffpoäng. Eftersom PowerBox har blivit föråldrad och underutnyttjad syftar denna studie till att återuppliva projektet genom att utforska hur modern hårdvaru- och programvaruteknik kan integreras för att ge realtidsfeedback och automatisera efteranalysprocesser. Med medvetenhet om att framgången med moderniseringen inte bara beror av den levererade datan utan också av användarupplevelsen har en användarcentrerad utvecklingscykel utformats för att anpassa sig till de krävande scheman för elitidrottare. Inom denna cykel utvecklades och testades en prototyp för att bedöma hårdvarans validitet, programvarans anvandarvänlighet och den övergripande användarupplevelsen. Dessutom utvecklades ett automatiserat dataanalysystem och en bevisföring presenterades i denna avhandling. Prototypen presterade exceptionellt bra och visade hög validitet för hårdvarukomponenterna, med kraftkorrelationer överstigande 0,99 och hastighetskorrelationer överstigande 0,9. Anvandarvänligheten bedömdes också positivt och uppnådde 100% framgångsgrad i användarutmaningar och en poäng på 88,75 på systemets anvandarvänlighetsskala. Dessutom bedömde användare den övergripande användarupplevelsen som utmärkt baserat på användarupplevelseenkäten. Det är viktigt att notera att PowerBox väckte betydande intresse inte bara bland brottare utan också bland andra idrottare, som rugby- och handbollsspelare. Detta visar på effekten av att modernisera prestationstestmaskiner som PowerBox. / Deze masterthesis richt zich op de modernisering van de PowerBox, een prestatietest bedoeld voor Olympische worstelaars om hun vermogen te verbeteren om strafpunten te voorkomen die veroorzaakt worden door buiten het worstelgebied geduwd te worden. De PowerBox is een verouderde machine die nog weinig gebruikt wordt, en het doel van deze thesis is om dit project nieuw leven in te blazen door te onderzoeken hoe moderne hardware- en software technologie geïntegreerd kunnen worden om realtime feedback te bieden en post-analyseprocessen te automatiseren. Het is belangrijk te beseffen dat het success van de modernisering niet alleen afhangt van de geleverde data, maar ook van de gebruikerservaring. Daarom is er een gebruiker gerichte ontwikkelingscyclus ontworpen die ook past binnen het drukke schema van topsporters. Binnen deze cyclus is een prototype ontwikkeld en getest om de validiteit van de hardware, de gebruiksvriendelijkheid van de software en de algehele gebruikservaring te beoordelen. Daarnaast is er een geautomatiseerd data-analyse systeem ontwikkeld waar deze thesis een proof-of-concept van presenteerd. Het prototype presteerde buitengewoon goed, met hoge validiteit van de hardware componenten, met krachtcorrelaties van meer dan 0.99 en snelheidscorrelaties van meer dan 0.9. De gebruiksvriendelijkheid werd ook positief beoordeeld, met een slagingspercentage van 100% bij de uitdagingen en een score van 88.75 op de schaal voor systeemgebruiksvriendelijkheid. Bovendien beoordeelden gebruikers de algehele gebruikservaring als uitstekend op basis van de gebruikerservaringsvragenlijst Opmerkelijk is dat de PowerBox niet alleen veel interesse heeft gewekt bij worstelaars, maar ook bij andere atleten, zoals rugby- en handbalspelers. Dit toont het effect aan van het moderniseren van prestatietestmachines zoals de PowerBox.

Many older adults desire to maintain their quality of life by living and aging independently in their own homes. However, it is difficult for older adults to notice and track the subtle changes in their own abilities because these abilities can change gradually over a long period of time. Technology in the form of ubiquitous sensors embedded in objects in the home can play a role in keeping track of the functional abilities of individuals unobtrusively, objectively, and continuously over a long period of time. This work introduces a sensing technique called “task-based embedded assessment” that monitors how well specific tasks important for independence are carried out using everyday objects found in the home with which individuals regularly interact. Following formative studies on the information needs of older adults and their caregivers, a sensing system called “dwellSense” that can monitor, assess, and provide feedback about how well individuals complete tasks, such as taking medications, using the phone, and making coffee, was designed, built, and evaluated. Multiple longterm (over 10 months) field deployments of dwellSense were used to investigate how the data collected from the system could support greater self-awareness of abilities and intentions to improve in task performance. Presenting and reflecting on data from ubiquitous sensing systems such as dwellSense is challenging because it is both highly dimensional as well as large in volume, particularly if it is collected over a long period of time. Thus, this work also investigates the time dimension of reflection and has identified that real-time feedback is particularly useful for supporting behavior change, and longer-term trended feedback is useful for greater awareness of abilities. Traditional forms of assessing the functional abilities of individuals tend to be either biased, lacking ecological validity, infrequent, or expensive to conduct. An automated sensor-based approach for assessment is compared to traditional performance testing by a trained clinician and found to match well with clinician-generated ratings that are objective, frequent, and ecologically valid. The contributions from this thesis not only advance the state of the art for maintaining quality of life and care for older adults, but also provide the foundations for designing personal sensing systems that aim to assess an individual’s abilities and support behaviors through the feedback of objective, timely sensed information.