Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-17T14:52:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Geovane bezerra.pdf: 1597415 bytes, checksum: 1a51bd2c6aed9c1c6ee46b8369083350 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-03-20 / This work proposes a collection of architectural patterns for the development of multi-agent systems. Main architectural concerns like communication, cooperation and coordination mechanisms between the agents of the society are particularly analyzed in each described pattern. The generation of new patterns through the extension or composition of the proposed ones is also approached. The methodology for pattern extraction is based on the study of frequently used architectures of multi-agent systems, like blackboard and federative architectures, and on mechanisms of cooperation and coordination usually identified in such architectures, like master-slave, meeting and negotiator mechanisms, as well. Pattern description is based on AUML and KQML. Main AUML diagrams, like agent packages, agent diagrams and agent interaction diagrams are used to represent the structure and behavior of the society. In those diagrams, agent interactions are represented as KQML performatives. Proposed patterns are validated through the construction of three case studies related to the development of multi-agent systems for information retrieval and filtering. In these case studies, the architectures RETSINA, AMALTHAEA and ABARFI are analyzed and the reuse or potential application of proposed patterns is identified. / Este trabalho propõe uma coleção de padrões arquiteturais para o desenvolvimento de sistemas multiagente. Os principais problemas arquiteturais tais como comunicação, cooperação e mecanismo de coordenação entre os agentes são analisados e descritos em cada padrão. A geração de novos padrões pela extensão ou composição dos padrões propostos também é abordada. A metodologia utilizada para extração de padrões está baseada no estudo de arquiteturas de sistemas multiagente freqüentemente utilizadas, como as arquiteturas quadro-negro e federativas e nos mecanismos de cooperação e coordenação geralmente identificados em tais arquiteturas, como os mecanismos mestre-escravo, reunião e negociador. A descrição dos padrões está baseada em AUML e KQML. Os principais diagramas da AUML, como o diagrama de pacotes, o diagrama de agente e o diagrama de interação são usados para representar a estrutura e o comportamento da sociedade. Nesses diagramas, a representação das interações entre os agentes é feita com a utilização das performatives de KQML. Os padrões propostos são validados através da construção de três estudos de caso relacionados ao desenvolvimento de sistemas multiagente para recuperação e filtragem de informações. Nesses estudos de caso, são analisadas as arquiteturas RETSINA, AMALTHAEA e ABARFI e é identificado a potencial reutilização ou aplicação dos padrões propostos.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-06-06T15:58:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 henriquepintogomide.pdf: 4886533 bytes, checksum: ebecd2fd03722fac5b23835abb7cf2d9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-02T13:29:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 henriquepintogomide.pdf: 4886533 bytes, checksum: ebecd2fd03722fac5b23835abb7cf2d9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-02T13:29:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 henriquepintogomide.pdf: 4886533 bytes, checksum: ebecd2fd03722fac5b23835abb7cf2d9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-10 / Intervenções para tabagismo mediadas por internet disponíveis em língua portuguesa não cobrem todos os conteúdos das diretrizes de tratamento do tabagismo. Não existem intervenções de código-aberto na internet, isto é, que divulgam todo o código-fonte para sua adaptação e replicação para outros contextos e populações. O objetivo do estudo foi descrever uma metologia de desenvolvimento e avaliar a intervenção para tabagismo mediada por internet de código-aberto - “Viva sem Tabaco”. O desenvolvimento aconteceu nas seguintes etapas:(1) desenvolvimento do protótipo, (2) realização de um grupo focal fumantes e correção do protótipo e (3) avaliação da cobertura, precisão e interatividade do conteúdo com base nos 12 componentes das diretrizes de tratamento para tabagismo, e (4) revisão do conteúdo. Com os resultados do grupo focal e na revisão teórica das diretrizes, o protótipo foi desenvolvido e corrigido. Após as correções, o protótipo foi avaliado pelos especialistas e corrigido. O conteúdo da intervenção foi avaliado por dois pesquisadores de forma independente, 9 dos 12 tópicos apresentaram cobertura considerada adequada e 3 com cobertura mínima. Quanto à precisão, 8 tópicos foram avaliados como corretos e 4 como maior parte correto. Dois dos 12 tópicos apresentaram interatividade. Após a avaliação, a intervenção foi corrigida. A versão final da intervenção desenvolvida apresentou convergência com as diretrizes de tratamento. Estudos devem ser conduzidos para avaliar a eficácia da intervenção. / Web-assisted tobacco interventions (WATI) in Portuguese do not cover the standard guidelines for smoking treament and lack content quality. Current web-assisted tobacco interventions are not open-source, which reduce the development speed in developing countries. The objective of this study was to describe a development methodology of a open-source WATI and evaluate its quality. The development comprised the following stages: (1) prototype development, (2) assessment of the prototype using focus groups, and (3) content coverage, accuracy and interactivity evaluation using as reference the guideline “Treating tobacco use and depedence - 2008 update”, and (4) final review. Based on the data from focus groups and content review, the initial prototype was redesigned. The content evaluation, performed independently by two specialists, showed that 9 of 12 components were well covered and 3 minimally covered. Eight of 12 components were classified as correct and 4 as mostly correct. Just two topics were considered interactive. Based on the evaluation, a final review was conducted in the intervention content. The developed intervention was compliant with tobacco treatment guidelines, providing an evidence based guide for smokers who seek help over the internet. Future studies should address the clinical efficacy of the developed intervention.

Managing a project is multitasking. For making this easier, a project mangaer has a lot of tools. Two of the tools that are often used are a project management model and a virtual project room. These two can be of different types in different compaies and in different culutres. In this thesis, we investigate it there is any neeed for these two tools to be combined. If there is a need, how should the combination be done?

This thesis addresses software design within the field of Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICTD). Specifically, it makes a case for the design and development of software which is custom-made for the context of marginalised rural areas (MRAs). One of the main aims of any ICTD project is sustainability and such sustainability is particularly difficult in MRAs because of the high costs of projects located there. Most literature on ICTD projects focuses on other factors, such as management, regulations, social and community issues when discussing this issue. Technical matters are often down-played or ignored entirely. This thesis argues that MRAs exhibit unique technical characteristics and that by understanding these characteristics, one can possibly design more cost-effective software. One specific characteristic is described and addressed in this thesis – a characteristic we describe here for the first time and call a network island. Further analysis of the literature generates a picture of a distributed network of access nodes (DANs) within such network islands, which are connected by high speed networks and are able to share resources and stimulate usage of technology by offering a wide range of services. This thesis attempts to design a fitting middleware platform for such a context, which would achieve the following aims: i) allow software developers to create solutions for the context more efficiently (correctly, rapidly); ii) stimulate product managers and business owners to create innovative software products more easily (cost-effectively). A given in the context of this thesis is that the software should use free/libre open source software (FLOSS) – good arguments do also exist for the use of FLOSS. A review of useful FLOSS frameworks is undertaken and several of these are examined in an applied part of the thesis, to see how useful they may be. They form the basis for a walking skeleton implementation of the proposed middleware. The Spring framework is the basis for experiments, along with Spring-Webservices, JMX and PHP 5’s web service capabilities. This thesis builds on three years of work at the Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL), an experimental testbed in a MRA in the Mbashe district of the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Several existing products are deployed at the SLL in the fields of eCommerce, eGovernment and eLearning. Requirements specifications are engineered from a variety of sources, including interviews, mailing lists, the author’s experience as a supervisor at the SLL, and a review of the existing SLL products. Future products are also investigated, as the thesis considers current trends in ICTD. Use cases are also derived and listed. Most of the use cases are concerned with management functions of DANs that can be automated, so that operators of DANs can focus on their core business and not on technology. Using the UML Components methodology, the thesis then proceeds to design a middleware component architecture that is derived from the requirements specification. The process proceeds step-by-step, so that the reader can follow how business rules, operations and interfaces are derived from the use cases. Ultimately, the business rules, interfaces and operations are related to business logic, system interfaces and operations that are situated in specific components. The components in turn are derived from the business information model, that is derived from the business concepts that were initially used to describe the context for the requirements engineering. In this way, a logical method for software design is applied to the problem domain to methodically derive a software design for a middleware solution. The thesis tests the design by considering possible weaknesses in the design. The network aspect is tested by interpolating from formal assumptions about the nature of the context. The data access layer is also identified as a possible bottleneck. We suggest the use of fast indexing methods instead of relational databases to maintain flexibility and efficiency of the data layer. Lessons learned from the exercise are discussed, within the context of the author’s experience in software development teams, as well as in ICTD projects. This synthesis of information leads to warnings about the psychology of middleware development. We note that the ICTD domain is a particularly difficult one with regards to software development as business requirements are not usually clearly formulated and developers do not have the requisite domain knowledge. In conclusion, the core arguments of the thesis are recounted in a bullet form, to lay bare the reasoning behind this work. Novel aspects of the work are also highlighted. They include the description of a network island, and aspects of the DAN middleware requirements engineering and design. Future steps for work based on this thesis are mapped out and open problems relating to this research are touched upon.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2017-08-04T15:30:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel de Lima Pires.pdf: 2531713 bytes, checksum: a3a021ded760a9272ed689161eec2e85 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-04T15:30:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel de Lima Pires.pdf: 2531713 bytes, checksum: a3a021ded760a9272ed689161eec2e85 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-15 / Software projects are increasingly prominent in today's organizational environment. Its use refers to increased efficiency, improvements in products and services, and also the technological strategy of organizations. They are technically complex, do not have physical limitations and are intangible, nevertheless they are very ambitious and surrounded by uncertainties. Software projects teams must deal with a large amount of information, in addition to making intensive use of knowledge of several areas simultaneously, and also must be skilled in communicating and coordinating their actions. In this dissertation, a quantitative approach research using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) was carried out to evaluate the relationship between Teamwork quality and software projects success. The Teamwork quality is a construct that allows measuring the internal collaboration of the team within six dimensions: mutual support, contribution balancing, cohesion, communication, coordination and effort. Software projects success is a widely studied construct in the scientific literature, and in this dissertation was considered as composed of efficiency, impact on the consumer and impact on the team. The result obtained showed that the Teamwork quality exerts considerable influence on the software projects success, corroborating the results of previous academic research, and generating the knowledge that the collaboration should be fostered by the organizations in software development teams. In addition, as a contribution to practice, a model was proposed to evaluate the software project teams teamwork quality, aiming to increase the internal collaboration of the project team and, consequently, the success of the software project. / Projetos de software são cada vez mais expoentes no atual ambiente organizacional. Seu uso remete ao aumento da eficiência, melhorias em produtos e serviços, e também a estratégia tecnológica das organizações. São tecnicamente complexos, sem limitações físicas e intangíveis, não obstante são muito ambiciosos e cercados de incertezas. Assim, as equipes de projetos de software devem lidar com uma grande quantidade de informações, além de fazerem uso intensivo do conhecimento de várias áreas simultaneamente, e por isso devem ser hábeis na comunicação e coordenação de suas ações. Nesta dissertação foi realizada uma pesquisa com abordagem quantitativa utilizando Modelagem de Equações Estruturais com Mínimos Quadrados Parciais (PLS-SEM) para testar a relação da Qualidade do trabalho em equipe com o Sucesso dos projetos de software. A Qualidade do trabalho em equipe é um construto que permite mensurar a colaboração interna da equipe a partir de seis dimensões: apoio mútuo, balanceamento de contribuições, coesão, comunicação, coordenação e esforço. O Sucesso em projetos de software é um construto amplamente estudado na literatura científica, e nesta dissertação foram consideradas as dimensões: eficiência, impacto no consumidor e impacto na equipe do projeto. O resultado obtido mostrou que a Qualidade do trabalho em equipe exerce influência considerável no Sucesso dos projetos de software, corroborando os resultados de pesquisas acadêmicas anteriores, e gerando o conhecimento de que a colaboração deve ser fomentada pelas organizações nas equipes de desenvolvimento de software. Adicionalmente foi proposto, como contribuição para prática, um modelo para avaliação da Qualidade do trabalho em equipe para equipes de Projetos de software, visando o aumento da colaboração interna da equipe do projeto e, consequentemente do Sucesso dos projetos de software.

This thesis describes application of image processing for precise distance measurement in self acting production of a tip for AFM microscopes. The main goal is to measure distances between assembly parts during fabrication process. The purpose is to acquire a data for self acting assembly line which have to substitute inaccurate and nonrecurring manual assembly process. The assembly process consists of three technological steps. In first two steps the tungsten wire is glued to the cantilever. Distance measurement is necessary in all axes for proper alignment of parts. In third step the sharp tip is etched by KOH solution. The right distance between liquid level and the cantilever must be kept. A camera with high resolution and macro objective is used to acquire an image. Camera image is then calibrated to suppress distortions and scene position with respect to camera position. Length conversion coefficient is also computed. Object recognition and distance measurement is based on standard computer vision methods, mainly: adaptive thresholding, moments, image statistics, canny edge detector, Hough transform… Proposed algorithms have been implemented in C++ using Intel OpenCV library. The final achieved distance resolution is about 10µm per pixel. Algorithm output was successfully used to assembly few test tips.

Abstract There is a broad consensus in the software engineering (SE) research community that understanding system desiderata and design creativity is critical for the success of software projects. This has motivated a plethora of research in SE to improve requirements engineering (RE) processes. However, little research has investigated the relationship between the way desiderata are presented (i.e., framed) and creative design performance. This dissertation, therefore, examines the effects of more formal presentations of desiderata on design creativity. The research was conducted in three phases. The first consisted of summarizing the available literature on cognitive biases in SE to build a comprehensive body of knowledge, understand the current state of research, and identify the relevant literature to position and delineate subsequent investigations involving the framing effect and fixation. This research phase also investigated how creativity is conceptualized (i.e., understood, assessed and improved) in SE by exploring the perceptual differences and similarities between SE researchers and practitioners. In the second phase, two controlled experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of framing desiderata first as requirements (in general) and then as prioritized requirements on design creativity (i.e., the originality and practicality of a design). The third phase involved a protocol study to explore the underlying cognitive mechanisms that may explain why framing desiderata as formal requirements affects creativity. The empirical evidence from the second and third phases was interpreted together to propose a theoretical framework that explains the effect of specification formality on design creativity. While the results of the experiments show that specification formality is negatively related to design creativity (i.e., desiderata framed as requirements or prioritized requirements result in designs that are less creative), the findings from the protocol study indicate that the negative relationship between specification formality and design creativity is mediated by fixation (i.e., more formal presentation of desiderata induces fixation and hinders critical thinking). Overall, the results of this dissertation suggest that more formal and structured presentations of desiderata cause requirements fixation—the tendency to attribute undue confidence and importance to desiderata presented as formal requirements statements—that affects design creativity, and thus undermines software engineering success. / Tiivistelmä Ohjelmistotuotannon tutkijoiden keskuudessa on laaja yksimielisyys järjestelmän tarpeiden ja suunnittelun luovuuden ymmärtämisen kriittisyydestä ohjelmistoprojektien menestyksessä. Tämä on motivoinut monia ohjelmistotuotannon vaatimusmäärittelyprosessien parantamiseen liittyviä tutkimuksia. Harvassa on tarkasteltu tarpeiden esitystavan (eli muotoilun) ja luovan suunnittelun lopputuloksen välistä yhteyttä. Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastellaan tarpeiden muodollisempien esitystapojen vaikutuksia suunnittelun luovuuteen. Tutkimus oli kolmivaiheinen. Ensin referoitiin ohjelmistotuotannossa kognitiivisiin harhoihin liittyvä kirjallisuus kartoittamaan nykytutkimuksen tila ja merkityksellinen kirjallisuus myöhempien, kehysvaikutuksen ja fiksaation sisältävien tutkimusten sijoittamiseen ja rajaamiseen. Lisäksi tarkasteltiin luovuuden käsitteellistämistä (eli ymmärrettävyyttä, arviointia ja parantamista) tutkimalla katsannollisia eroja ja yhtäläisyyksiä tutkijoiden ja ammattilaisten välillä. Toisessa vaiheessa tehtiin kaksi kontrolloitua koetta tarpeiden muotoilun vaikutuksien tutkimiseksi, ensin vaatimuksina (yleisesti) ja sitten tärkeysjärjestykseen laitettuina vaatimuksina suhteessa suunnittelun luovuuteen (eli omaperäisyyteen ja käytännöllisyyteen). Lopuksi, protokollatutkimuksella selvitettiin taustalla olevia kognitiivisia mekanismeja selittämään syitä muodollisina vaatimuksina esitettyjen tarpeiden vaikutuksista luovuuteen. Toisesta ja kolmannesta vaiheesta saatujen empiiristen aineistojen tulkittiin yhdessä muodostavan teoreettisen viitekehyksen, joka selittää määrittelyn muodollisuuden vaikutusta suunnittelun luovuuteen. Vaikka kokeiden tulokset osoittavat määrittelyjen muodollisuuden vaikuttavan negatiivisesti suunnittelun luovuuteen (eli tarpeiden muotoilu vaatimuksina tai priorisoituina vaatimuksina vähentää suunnitelmien luovuutta), protokollatutkimuksen tulokset viittaavat fiksaation vaikuttavan negatiiviseen yhteyteen määrittelyjen muodollisuuden ja suunnittelun luovuuden välillä (eli tarpeiden muodollisempi esitystapa aiheuttaa fiksaatiota ja vaikeuttaa kriittistä ajattelua). Kaiken kaikkiaan, väitöskirjan tulokset esittävät muodollisempien ja strukturoidumpien tarpeiden esitystapojen aiheuttavan vaatimusten fiksaatiota, taipumusta pitää luottamusta ja tärkeyttä tarpeiden muodollisten vaatimusten ilmaisun ansioina, joka vaikuttaa suunnittelun luovuuteen heikentäen ohjelmistotuotannon menestymisen mahdollisuutta.

Die jedes Frühjahr stattfindende »Dresdner Arbeitstagung Schaltungs- und Systementwurf« wird traditionell vom Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen, Institutsteil Entwurfsautomatisierung (EAS) und vom Sächsischen Arbeitskreis Informationstechnik des VDE Bezirksvereins Dresden ausgerichtet. Die Arbeitstagung hat bereits eine über 30-jährige Tradition und wird von Wissenschaftlern aus Forschungsinstituten und Ingenieuren aus der Industrie für einen regen fachlichen Austausch genutzt. Gegenstand der Tagung sind aktuelle Ergebnisse und neue Erkenntnisse aus Forschung und Entwicklung sowie Erfahrungsberichte und Problemdiskussionen auf dem Gebiet des Entwurfs analoger, digitaler und hybrider Systeme. Das Tagungsprogramm bietet den Teilnehmern wieder interessante Beiträge über neue Lösungen zum Entwurf komplexer Schaltungen und Systeme, die auch Themen wie Rekonfigurierbarkeit, Architekturen, Performance, Hardware-Software, Test und Optimierung behandeln. Begleitend zur Tagung wird von der Firma Mentor Graphics ein Workshop zum Thema »Advanced Verification Methodology« angeboten. Hier werden an einem Beispiel die Vorteile der zukünftigen Design Verifikation mit System Verilog und Assertions erläutert. Der vorliegende Tagungsband enthält die Langfassungen der Beiträge, für deren Form und Inhalt die Autoren verantwortlich sind. Als Veranstalter bedanken wir uns bei den Autoren für die Bereitstellung dieser Beiträge, die als Grundlage für die fachlichen Diskussionen dienen, und bei den Teilnehmern für ihr Interesse an unserer Arbeitstagung.

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The Energy Monitoring Framework, designed and developed by IAC, IUPUI, aims to provide a cloud-based solution that combines business analytics with sensors for real-time energy management at the plant level using wireless sensor network technology. The project provides a platform where users can analyze the functioning of a plant using sensor data. The data would also help users to explore the energy usage trends and identify any energy leaks due to malfunctions or other environmental factors in their plant. Additionally, the users could check the machinery status in their plant and have the capability to control the equipment remotely. The main objectives of the project include the following: • Set up a wireless network using sensors and smart implants with a base station/ controller. • Deploy and connect the smart implants and sensors with the equipment in the plant that needs to be analyzed or controlled to improve their energy efficiency. • Set up a generalized interface to collect and process the sensor data values and store the data in a database. • Design and develop a generic database compatible with various companies irrespective of the type and size. • Design and develop a web application with a generalized structure. Hence the database can be deployed at multiple companies with minimum customization. The web app should provide the users with a platform to interact with the data to analyze the sensor data and initiate commands to control the equipment. The General Structure of the project constitutes the following components: • A wireless sensor network with a base station. • An Edge PC, that interfaces with the sensor network to collect the sensor data and sends it out to the cloud server. The system also interfaces with the sensor network to send out command signals to control the switches/ actuators. • A cloud that hosts a database and an API to collect and store information. • A web application hosted in the cloud to provide an interactive platform for users to analyze the data. The project was demonstrated in: • Lecture Hall (https://iac-lecture-hall.engr.iupui.edu/LectureHallFlask/). • Test Bed (https://iac-testbed.engr.iupui.edu/testbedflask/). • A company in Indiana. The above examples used sensors such as current sensors, temperature sensors, carbon dioxide sensors, and pressure sensors to set up the sensor network. The equipment was controlled using compactable switch nodes with the chosen sensor network protocol. The energy consumption details of each piece of equipment were measured over a few days. The data was validated, and the system worked as expected and helped the user to monitor, analyze and control the connected equipment remotely.