Intelligent synthesis mechanism for deriving streaming priorities of multimedia content

We address the problem of integrating user preferences with network Quality of Service parameters for the streaming of media content, and suggest protocol stack configurations that satisfy user and technical requirements to the best available degree. Our approach is able to handle inconsistencies between user and networking considerations, formulating the problem of construction of tailor-made protocols as a prioritization problem, solvable using fuzzy programming

Intelligent synthesis mechanism for deriving streaming priorities of multimedia content

We address the problem of integrating user preferences with network quality of service parameters for the streaming of media content, and suggest protocol stack configurations that satisfy user and technical requirements to the best available degree. Our approach is able to handle inconsistencies between user and networking considerations, formulating the problem of construction of tailor-made protocols as a prioritization problem, solvable using fuzzy programming

Using the fuzzy multi-criteria decision making approach for software requirements prioritization

To avoid breach of agreement or contract in software development projects, stakeholders converge to prioritize specified requirements. This is due to the fact that, not all the specified requirements can be implemented in a single release. Therefore, prioritization is the act of rating requirements according to their relative importance by project stakeholders in order to plan for software release phases. The problem of existing prioritization techniques includes computational complexities, ranking inaccuracy and large disparities between final ranks among others. Consequently, this paper presents an improved approach for prioritizing requirements for software projects requirements with stakeholders based on the limitations of existing prioritization techniques using fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) approach

A fuzzy-QFD approach for the enhancement of work equipment safety: a case study in the agriculture sector

The paper proposes a design for safety methodology based on the use of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method, focusing on the need to identify and analyse risks related to a working task in an effective manner, i.e. considering the specific work activities related to such a task. To reduce the drawbacks of subjectivity while augmenting the consistency of judgements, the QFD was augmented by both the Delphi method and the fuzzy logic approach. To verify such an approach, it was implemented through a case study in the agricultural sector. While the proposed approach needs to be validated through further studies in different contexts, its positive results in performing hazard analysis and risk assessment in a comprehensive and thorough manner can contribute practically to the scientific knowledge on the application of QFD in design for safety activities

A proposed requirements prioritization model based on cost-value approach with collaboration perspective

Criteria analysis in requirement prioritization should always be transparent and holistic to increase the stakeholder’s satisfaction. Different stakeholders have their views on the same criteria, making it challenging to agree on a specific set of criterion weights. In software development, collaboration between client and developer is needed for requirements to be achieved. The cost-value approach to determining priority requirements requires a client perspective to determine the value and developer’s concept to ascertain costs, then form a cost-value diagram for analysis. Therefore, the research conducted has not been detailed using a cost-value approach involving a client perspective and a developer concept. Usually, the criteria and alternatives weighted by the decision-maker are vague, uncertain, and subjective. Furthermore, using fuzzy numbers help solve different types of uncertainty and conflicting requirements to produce reliable work. This study proposes increasing the weighting of criteria in the requirements prioritization technique, based on cost-value, by doing a collaboration perspective through Fuzzy AHP and TOPSIS using linguistic terms by presenting a proposed model

Scheduling with Fuzzy Methods

Nowadays, manufacturing industries -- driven by fierce competition and rising customer requirements -- are forced to produce a broader range of individual products of rising quality at the same (or preferably lower) cost. Meeting these demands implies an even more complex production process and thus also an appropriately increasing request to its scheduling. Aggravatingly, vagueness of scheduling parameters -- such as times and conditions -- are often inherent in the production process. In addition, the search for an optimal schedule normally leads to very difficult problems (NP-hard problems in the complexity theoretical sense), which cannot be solved effciently. With the intent to minimize these problems, the introduced heuristic method combines standard scheduling methods with fuzzy methods to get a nearly optimal schedule within an appropriate time considering vagueness adequately

The Impact of Human Error in the Use of Agricultural Tractors: A Case Study Research in Vineyard Cultivation in Italy

Recently, standards and regulations concerning occupational safety have become more and more rigorous. Nevertheless, the number of accidents and victims has not decreased significantly, as reported by official statistics. In Italy, the agricultural sector is certainly one of the most affected by this situation, especially taking into account the occurrence of serious injuries and fatalities related to the use of tractors. The main reasons for such a situation can be ascribed to the peculiarities of agricultural operations. Therefore, when analyzing the root causes of agricultural accidents, a user-centered approach is needed in order to make the development of health and safety interventions easier and more effective. Based on this, the present paper proposes a practical case study research focused on integrating the factor of human error into the risk assessment procedures of agricultural activities in vineyard cultivation. Such an approach allowed us to consider the impact of human errorwhile performing work activities (e.g., the use of a tractor)on hazards and related hazardous events in a thorough manner. The proposed approach represents a novelty in the sector of the safety assessment of agricultural activities, providing a first valuable basis for further analysis and implementation by researchers and practitioners