Automated Reasoning in Quantified Modal and Temporal Logics

Centre for Intelligent Systems and their ApplicationsThis thesis is about automated reasoning in quantified modal and temporal logics, with an application to formal methods. Quantified modal and temporal logics are extensions of classical first-order logic in which the notion of truth is extended to take into account its necessity or equivalently, in the temporal setting, its persistence through time. Due to their high complexity, these logics are less widely known and studied than their propositional counterparts. Moreover, little so far is known about their mechanisability and usefulness for formal methods. The relevant contributions of this thesis are threefold: firstly, we devise a sound and complete set of sequent calculi for quantified modal logics; secondly, we extend the approach to the quantified temporal logic of linear, discrete time and develop a framework for doing automated reasoning via Proof Planning in it; thirdly, we show a set of experimental results obtained by applying the framework to the problem of Feature Interactions in telecommunication systems. These results indicate that (a) the problem can be concisely and effectively modeled in the aforementioned logic, (b) proof planning actually captures common structures in the related proofs, and (c) the approach is viable also from the point of view of efficiency

Searching for Invariants using Temporal Resolution

Abstract. In this paper, we show how the clausal temporal resolution technique developed for temporal logic provides an effective method for searching for invariants, and so is suitable for mechanising a wide class of temporal problems. We demonstrate that this scheme of searching for invariants can be also applied to a class of multi-predicate induction problems represented by mutually recursive definitions. Completeness of the approach, examples of the application of the scheme, and overview of the implementation are described.

GATS Impacts on Entry Modes and Defensive Marketing Strategies in the Egyptian Banking Sector

This research examines the effects of GATS agreements, both on entry modes and defensive marketing strategies in the Egyptian banking sector. The research population is the Egyptian banking sector, employing a total of 83179, from which a representative sample (equal to 800 responses) was selected. As the research aims are diversified, this sample was divided into two main groups i.e. local banks and foreign branches, investigated using different questionnaires. The latter population includes all the foreign branches working in the Egyptian market; the former includes all banks working in Egypt regardless of their ownership status. Four objectives have been pursued in this research: - (1) Exploring GATS impacts on the Egyptian banking sector as well as identifying variables that affect their perception; (2) Identifying the appropriate defensive marketing strategies for each entry mode and evaluating the marketing practices of the Egyptian banking sector; (3) Identifying pattems of relationships between defensive marketing strategies and four sets of variables (demographics, objectives, rivals, and rivals' competitive advantages); and (4) Determining the factors that affect the selection of each entry mode. Regarding the first research objective, the findings reveal that GATS agreements have positive impacts on the Egyptian banking sector, with significant relationships observed between the perception of GATS impacts and the respondents backgrounds. Secondly, an "Entry Modes- Defensive Marketing Strategies Model" was designed, recommending specific defensive marketing strategies for each bundle of entry modes. Thirdly, strong and significant relationships appear, between selected defensive marketing strategies and four sets of variables i.e. demographics, bank's objectives, perceived competitors, and competitors' competitive advantages. Finally, the selection of entry modes is affected by both bank and target market characteristics. The latter include political stability as well as instability, language differences, religious similarities, values differences, severe competition, and moderate levels of competition; the former include greater as well as less financial resources, and less international experience. The applicability and suitability of these findings for other similar Afiican and Middle East countries are identified

The PO-VE Framework : Understanding the Relationships Between Player Objects and Virtual Environments in Digital Games

Based on a qualitative analysis of 99 different digital games, this study develops a framework for understanding the functionality and relationships between player objects and virtual environments, explored in what has been named the PO-VE framework. The PO-VE framework encompasses a general theory, a dedicated terminology, and an analysis model. A virtual environment is a navigable geometry and a computational, relational model that represents the relative positions and functions of objects within it. Based on a relational and functional approach, objects are conceived of as integrated in the virtual environment by being spatially and functionally related to other objects within it, thus emphasising the virtual environment’s relational system-structure. Within the virtual environment, player objects constitute the player’s point of control. As integrated and movable objects, they consist of attributes (properties such as health, speed, and size) and affordances (possible actions such as running, shooting, and jumping). In most cases, player objects are dynamic (i.e., their attributes and affordances are altered over time); they can not only move along a single axis, but also be used for navigating the virtual environment along multiple axes; and they have some sort of visual presentation, which varies according to the specific visual framing of the player object and the virtual environment. The PO-VE framework results from an analysis and iterative coding process of 99 digital games. The games were chosen using a purposive sampling method guided by a pre-conceptualisation of what constitutes an avatar-based game (the initial focus of the study), popular game examples from game studies literature, and certain diversity labels: year of publication, platform, and country of origin. The PO-VE framework thus results from observational data iteratively translated into codes from games published between 1978 and 2018, across 32 different platforms, developed in 17 different countries. The iterative data collection and coding process, which resembled to some extent that of grounded theory, was finally conceptualised into the PO-VE framework, consisting of a general theory of virtual environments as relational systems, a terminology of player objects in virtual environments, and an analysis model that consists of seven categories related to different aspects of PO-VE relations. To illustrate the applicability of the PO-VE model, two levels of application were employed. The first was a broad analysis of the 78 of the 99 games in the sample that meet the player object definition, which reveals general trends and patterns according to types, genres, and production year of games. The second were close readings of ten chosen games from the sample: Space Attack, Altered Beast, Passage, Hotline Miami, Subway Surfers, ZombiU, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, Papers, Please, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Reigns: Her Majesty, that each illustrate the depth of the PO-VE framework, while also clarifying some of the limitations of the framework, including how and why some games, such as Papers, Please and Reigns: Her Majesty, cannot be analysed using the PO-VE framework. The relational foundation of the PO-VE model offers a unique and descriptive approach to analytical game studies that utilises a functional understanding of the digital object. This enables a focus on the environment as a relational system and on integration within it, rather than, for example, on rules, goals, or player experiences. Utilising an OOA/D inspired terminology in the analytical framework is a step towards bridging the gap between humanities-based, theoretical game studies, more technical game studies, and game development. This study is thus a contribution to the most fundamental level of any research endeavour: attempting to map out (parts of) the research object and develop a language that facilitates closer inspection and ultimately a better understanding of digital games and virtual environments.Doktorgradsavhandlin

An Integrated Framework for Staffing and Shift Scheduling in Hospitals

Over the years, one of the main concerns confronting hospital management is optimising the staffing and scheduling decisions. Consequences of inappropriate staffing can adversely impact on hospital performance, patient experience and staff satisfaction alike. A comprehensive review of literature (more than 1300 journal articles) is presented in a new taxonomy of three dimensions; problem contextualisation, solution approach, evaluation perspective and uncertainty. Utilising Operations Research methods, solutions can provide a positive contribution in underpinning staffing and scheduling decisions. However, there are still opportunities to integrate decision levels; incorporate practitioners view in solution architectures; consider staff behaviour impact, and offer comprehensive applied frameworks. Practitioners’ perspectives have been collated using an extensive exploratory study in Irish hospitals. A preliminary questionnaire has indicated the need of effective staffing and scheduling decisions before semi-structured interviews have taken place with twenty-five managers (fourteen Directors and eleven head nurses) across eleven major acute Irish hospitals (about 50% of healthcare service deliverers). Thematic analysis has produced five key themes; demand for care, staffing and scheduling issues, organisational aspects, management concern, and technology-enabled. In addition to other factors that can contribute to the problem such as coordination, environment complexity, understaffing, variability and lack of decision support. A multi-method approach including data analytics, modelling and simulation, machine learning, and optimisation has been employed in order to deliver adequate staffing and shift scheduling framework. A comprehensive portfolio of critical factors regarding patients, staff and hospitals are included in the decision. The framework was piloted in the Emergency Department of one of the leading and busiest university hospitals in Dublin (Tallaght Hospital). Solutions resulted from the framework (i.e. new shifts, staff workload balance, increased demands) have showed significant improvement in all key performance measures (e.g. patient waiting time, staff utilisation). Management team of the hospital endorsed the solution framework and are currently discussing enablers to implement the recommendation

Certainty or Faith? : Arendt's and Merleau-Ponty's Critique of Cartesian Foundationalism

Epistemological foundationalism has for centuries attempted to unify all scientific inquiry into the context of one grand science, the first philosophy. One of the most important tasks of this tradition has been to ground all knowledge on absolutely certain foundations. In this master s thesis I ask the following question: To what extent and under what conditions is it possible to achieve absolute certainty in the sense of the attempts of Cartesian foundationalism? By examining how the 20th century philosophers, Edmund Husserl (1859-1938), Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) and Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961) interpret the epistemological methodology of René Descartes, I claim that the Cartesian achievement of absolute certainty rests on the implicit presupposition of an epistemologically prior form of faith in the world and trust (pistis) in other conscious beings. I show that knowledge is possible only within the context of a common world that is inhabited by several conscious beings that share a common linguistic system. This threefold element is shown to be the bedrock condition for any kind of philosophical inquiry. The main literature sources for this thesis are The Life of the Mind by Hannah Arendt, Le Visible et l invisible by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Meditationes de Prima Philosophiae by René Descartes and Erfahrung und Urteil by Edmund Husserl.Perustahakuiset tietoteoriat ovat vuosisatojen ajan pyrkineet yhdistämään tieteellisen tutkimuksen yhdeksi suureksi oppijärjestelmäksi, ensimmäiseksi filosofiaksi. Yksi hankkeen tärkeimmistä tehtävistä on ollut löytää ehdottoman varma perusta kaikelle tiedolle. Tämä filosofinen hanke kärjistyi huippuunsa René Descartesin (1596-1650) filosofiassa sekä myöhemmin, Edmund Husserlin (1859-1938) tuotannossa. Tässä pro-gradu tutkielmassa kysyn: Missä määrin ja millä ehdoilla on mahdollista tavoittaa ehdoton varmuus, sanan kartesiolaisessa mielessä? Tutkimalla Edmund Husserlin (1859-1938), Hannah Arendtin (1906-1975) ja Maurice Merleau-Pontyn (1908-1961) tulkintoja René Descartesin menetelmästä väitän, että esi-tiedollinen usko (pistis) maailman olemassaoloon ja luottamus toisiin tietoisiin olentoihin toimivat kartesiolaisen, ehdotonta varmuutta tavoittelevan filosofian ennakkoehtoina. Osoitan, että toisten tietoisten olentojen olemassaolo sekä yhteinen maailma ja kieli muodostavat kontekstin, joka toimii tiedon mahdollisuusehtona. Tämä pro-gradu tutkielma tukeutuu seuraaviin päälähteisiin: Hannah Arendt: The Life of the Mind; Maurice Merleau-Ponty: Le Visible et l invisible; René Descartes: Meditationes de Prima Philosophiae sekä Edmund Husserl: Erfahrung und Urteil

The development of an ideal-type model of the coaching process and an exploratory investigation into the appropriateness of the model for coaches in three sports

The initial aim of the project was to devise and present an innovative model of the sports coaching process and to conduct an exploratory investigation into its aptness an an analytical tool for developing a more explicit understanding of the behaviour of coaches. Supported by the author's considerable experience as a coach and in working with senior, experienced coaches, and an analysis and evaluation of relevant literature, a logico-deductive methodology is employed to construct an ideal-type model of the coaching process. The model is conceptualised as a continuous cyclical coil, consisting of preparation and competition units, radiating around central goals and monitored via a potential performance constant. The coil represents a direct intervention core surrounded by indirect responsibilities and the external environment. The assumptions and key concepts around which the process is devised as described and the stages of the model explored in two-dimensional flow diagrams. The factors which constrain the application of the model are identified. A panel of thirty experienced, senior coaches was invited to respond to the model. Following an analysis of the data generated from the panel of coaches, it is clear that the ideal-type model fails to offer an adequate basis for an understanding of the full-range of the coaches' behaviour. To this extent the model had a limited utility as a 'model of' the coaching process. The aims of the project were revised in order to attempt to account for the unanticipated findings. The work of Schon (1983) is employed to provide a theoretical framework which offers a more useful interpretation of the research findings. The study concludes that the ideal-type model does not provide an adequate understanding of the behaviour of the panel of coaches employed in the study, but that proposals for further research which build constructively on the systematic framework offered by the model and incorporate Schon's incrementalist approach to professional practice, offer considerable promise for the future

Constructing 3D faces from natural language interface

This thesis presents a system by which 3D images of human faces can be constructed using a natural language interface. The driving force behind the project was the need to create a system whereby a machine could produce artistic images from verbal or composed descriptions. This research is the first to look at constructing and modifying facial image artwork using a natural language interface. Specialised modules have been developed to control geometry of 3D polygonal head models in a commercial modeller from natural language descriptions. These modules were produced from research on human physiognomy, 3D modelling techniques and tools, facial modelling and natural language processing. [Continues.

Formal Specification and Verification for Automated Production Systems

Complex industrial control software often drives safety- and mission-critical systems, like automated production plants or control units embedded into devices in automotive systems. Such controllers have in common that they are reactive systems, i.e., that they periodically read sensor stimuli and cyclically execute the same program to produce actuator signals. The correctness of software for automated production is rarely verified using formal techniques. Although, due to the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0), the impact and importance of software have become an important role in industrial automation. What is used instead in industrial practice today is testing and simulation, where individual test cases are used to validate an automated production system. Three reasons why formal methods are not popular are: (a) It is difficult to adequately formulate the desired temporal properties. (b) There is a lack of specification languages for reactive systems that are both sufficiently expressive and comprehensible for practitioners. (c) Due to the lack of an environment model the obtained results are imprecise. Nonetheless, formal methods for automated production systems are well studied academically---mainly on the verification of safety properties via model checking. In this doctoral thesis we present the concept of (1) generalized test tables (GTTs), a new specification language for functional properties, and their extension (2) relational test tables (RTTs) for relational properties. The concept includes the syntactical notion, designed for the intuition of engineers, and the semantics, which are based on game theory. We use RTTs for a novel confidential property on reactive systems, the provably forgetting of information. Moreover, for regression verification, an important relational property, we are able to achieve performance improvements by (3) creating a decomposing rule which splits large proofs into small sub-task. We implemented the verification procedures and evaluated them against realistic case studies, e.g., the Pick-and-Place-Unit from the Technical University of Munich. The presented contribution follows the idea of lowering the obstacle of verifying the dependability of reactive systems in general, and automated production systems in particular for the engineer either by introducing a new specification language (GTTs), by exploiting existing programs for the specification (RTTs, regression verification), or by improving the verification performance