A conformance test framework for the DeviceNet fieldbus

The DeviceNet fieldbus technology is introduced and discussed. DeviceNet is an open standard fieldbus which uses the proven Controller Area Network technology. As an open standard fieldbus, the device conformance is extremely important to ensure smooth operation. The error management in DeviceNet protocol is highlighted and an error injection technique is devised to test the implementation under test for the correct error-recovery conformance. The designed Error Frame Generator prototype allows the error management and recovery of DeviceNet implementations to be conformance tested. The Error Frame Generator can also be used in other Controller Area Network based protocols. In addition, an automated Conformance Test Engine framework has been defined for realising the conformance testing of DeviceNet implementations. Automated conformance test is used to achieve consistent and reliable test results, apart from the benefits in time and personnel savings. This involves the investigations and feasibility studies in adapting the ISO 9646 conformance test standards for use in DeviceNet fieldbus. The Unique Input/Output sequences method is used for the generation of DeviceNet conformance tests. The Unique Input/Output method does not require a fully specified protocol specification and gives shorter test sequences, since only specific state information is needed. As conformance testing addresses only the protocol verification, it is foreseen that formal method validation of the DeviceNet protocol must be performed at some stage to validate the DeviceNet specification

Validation Methods for Fault-Tolerant avionics and control systems, working group meeting 1

The proceedings of the first working group meeting on validation methods for fault tolerant computer design are presented. The state of the art in fault tolerant computer validation was examined in order to provide a framework for future discussions concerning research issues for the validation of fault tolerant avionics and flight control systems. The development of positions concerning critical aspects of the validation process are given

Electric and magnetic phenomena in water and living systems

We are called organisms because our cells are organized into a cooperativeassemblage of interacting elements. Human beings are morethan simply bags of interacting chemicals walking around enclosedwithin 1.8 square metres of skin. It has long been known thatbiological organisms, including ourselves, use chemical communicationsystems. Internally from tissue-to-tissue, for example, there arehormones; and externally, between individual organisms, particularlyinsects, there are pheromones. For the most part, the regulation ofbiological processes has been assumed to take place by means ofchemical communication systems from a transmitter molecule viadiffusion or bulk transport as the transmission link to a receiver orreceptor molecule. Multicellular organisms, and human beings, compriseat least (1011 ) cells, a more rapid and efficient system ofcommunication, other than a solely chemical means, is necessary toprovide for the vast number of interactions essential for propermanagement of the whole system-In real time such a system might need tohave a band width only obtainable with an optical carrier. Organismsare also dielectric resonators by virtue of their difference indielectric constant from their environment, and, thus, are surroundedby an evanescent electromagnetic envelope which can act as acommunication link to a similar field system [1). Bioelectromagneticfields are part and parcel of life, the study of which involves thestudy of the electric, magnetic and electromagnetic field patternssurrounding a living system

Interfacing to Biological Systems Using Microfluidics

Biological systems operate on scales ranging from nanoscale chemical reactions to the global flow of nutrients and energy. Building knowledge of each level requires techniques and technologies that can address the biological system at the chosen level of interest. On the cellular and community levels, microfluidics are able to replicate the spatial scales of the natural system from the cellular, to community through the local microenvironment while providing engineering solutions to control flow through the system and interfaces with the system through microscopy and chemical sampling. Herein, biological interfaces were created using microfluidics to control cellular interactions and chemical reactions. At the subcellular scale, molecular exchange bioreactors enhanced the protein production of a cell-free protein synthesis system by using a microscale serpentine channel to reduce lateral diffusion distances. Size dependent transport of reactants into, and byproducts out of, the reaction channel through the nanoporous barrier extended the reaction time and enhanced protein yield. Nanoporous membranes were also developed for studying cellular interactions. Membranes confined cells within culture chambers while allowing transport of nutrients and signal molecules between the chambers and support channels. Quorum sensing within the microfluidic chambers was modeled using a quasi-steady-state PDE based approach to estimate relative concentrations. The platform facilitated the use of brightfield imaging and analysis to characterize morphological changes of a growing biofilm as the oral microbe Streptococcus gordonii formed aggregates only when co-cultured adjacent to Fusobacterium nucleatum. The investment of capital and time to start incorporating microfluidic into research can be prohibitive. To combat this, tools were created to provide researchers the ability to create microfluidics using 3D printing to simplify the process and remove the need for cumbersome and expensive cleanroom facilities. The technique was used in two common microfluidic applications of chemical gradient and droplet formation in addition to building 3D fluidics that cannot be replicated directly with microfabrication techniques. These microfluidics controlled the spatiotemporal environment on the scales of biological systems to enhance the effectiveness of protein synthesis, give insight to morphological effects of cell signaling, and introduced technology to enable others to do the same

Technical Design Report for the CBM : Muon Chambers (MuCh)

This document describes the technical layout and the performance of the Muon Chamber (MuCh) System of the Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR. The MuCh system is designed to identify muon pairs which are produced in high-energy heavy-ion collisions in the beam energy range from 4 to 40 AGeV. The measurement of lepton pairs is a central part of the CBM research program, as they are very sensitive diagnostic probes of the conditions inside the fireball. At low invariant masses, dileptons provide information on the in-medium modification of vector mesons which is a promising observable for the restoration of chiral symmetry. At intermediate invariant masses, the dilepton spectrum is dominated by thermal radiation from the fireball reflecting its temperature. At invariant masses around 3 GeV/c2, dileptons are the appropriate tool to study the anomalous charmonium suppression in the deconfined phase. In the CBM experiment both electrons and muons will be measured in order to obtain a consistent and comprehensive picture of the dilepton physics

Combining SOA and BPM Technologies for Cross-System Process Automation

This paper summarizes the results of an industry case study that introduced a cross-system business process automation solution based on a combination of SOA and BPM standard technologies (i.e., BPMN, BPEL, WSDL). Besides discussing major weaknesses of the existing, custom-built, solution and comparing them against experiences with the developed prototype, the paper presents a course of action for transforming the current solution into the proposed solution. This includes a general approach, consisting of four distinct steps, as well as specific action items that are to be performed for every step. The discussion also covers language and tool support and challenges arising from the transformation

Design automation in synthetic biology : a dual evolutionary strategy

PhD ThesisSynthetic biology o ers a new horizon in designing complex systems. However, unprecedented complexity hinders the development of biological systems to its full potential. Mitigating complexity via adopting design principles from engineering and computer science elds has resulted in some success. For example, modularisation to foster reuse of design elements, and using computer assisted design tools have helped contain complexity to an extent. Nevertheless, these design practices are still limited, due to their heavy dependence on rational decision making by human designers. The issue with rational design approaches here arises from the challenging nature of dealing with highly complex biological systems of which we currently do not have complete understanding. Systematic processes that can algorithmically nd design solutions would be better able to cope with uncertainties posed by high levels of design complexity. A new framework for enabling design automation in synthetic biology was investigated. The framework works by projecting design problems into search problems, and by searching for design solutions based on the dual-evolutionary approach to combine the respective power of design domains in vivo and in silico. Proof-of-concept ideas, software, and hardware were developed to exemplify key technologies necessary in realising the dual evolutionary approach. Some of the areas investigated as part of this research included single-cell-level micro uidics, programmatic data collection, processing and analysis, molecular devices supporting solution search in vivo, and mathematical modelling. These somewhat eclectic collection of research themes were shown to work together to provide necessary means with which to design and characterise biological systems in a systematic fashion