Learning from AI : new trends in database technology

Recently some researchers in the areas of database data modelling and knowledge representations in artificial intelligence have recognized that they share many common goals. In this survey paper we show the relationship between database and artificial intelligence research. We show that there has been a tendency for data models to incorporate more modelling techniques developed for knowledge representations in artificial intelligence as the desire to incorporate more application oriented semantics, user friendliness, and flexibility has increased. Increasing the semantics of the representation is the key to capturing the "reality" of the database environment, increasing user friendliness, and facilitating the support of multiple, possibly conflicting, user views of the information contained in a database

Ein verallgemeinerter Prozess zur Verifikation und Validerung von Modellen und Simulationsergebnissen

With technologies increasing rapidly, symbolic, quantitative modeling and computer-based simulation (M&S) have become affordable and easy-to-apply tools in numerous application areas as, e.g., supply chain management, pilot training, car safety improvement, design of industrial buildings, or theater-level war gaming. M&S help to reduce the resources required for many types of projects, accelerate the development of technical systems, and enable the control and management of systems of high complexity. However, as the impact of M&S on the real world grows, the danger of adverse effects of erroneous or unsuitable models or simu-lation results also increases. These effects may range from the delayed delivery of an item ordered by mail to hundreds of avoidable casualties caused by the simulation-based acquisi-tion (SBA) of a malfunctioning communication system for rescue teams. In order to benefit from advancing M&S, countermeasures against M&S disadvantages and drawbacks must be taken. Verification and Validation (V&V) of models and simulation results are intended to ensure that only correct and suitable models and simulation results are used. However, during the development of any technical system including models for simulation, numerous errors may occur. The later they are detected, and the further they have propagated through the model development process, the more resources they require to correct thus, their propaga-tion should be avoided. If the errors remain undetected, and major decisions are based on in-correct or unsuitable models or simulation results, no benefit is gained from M&S, but a dis-advantage. This thesis proposes a structured and rigorous approach to support the verification and valida-tion of models and simulation results by a) the identification of the most significant of the current deficiencies of model develop-ment (design and implementation) and use, including the need for more meaningful model documentation and the lack of quality assurance (QA) as an integral part of the model development process; b) giving an overview of current quality assurance measures in M&S and in related areas. The transferability of concepts like the capability maturity model for software (SW-CMM) and the ISO9000 standard is discussed, and potentials and limits of documents such as the VV&A Recommended Practices Guide of the US Defense Modeling and Simulation Office are identified; c) analysis of quality assurance measures and so called V&V techniques for similarities and differences, to amplify their strengths and to reduce their weaknesses. d) identification and discussion of influences that drive the required rigor and intensity of V&V measures (risk involved in using models and simulation results) on the one hand, and that limit the maximum reliability of V&V activities (knowledge about both the real system and the model) on the other. This finally leads to the specification of a generalized V&V process - the V&V Triangle. It illustrates the dependencies between numerous V&V objectives, which are derived from spe-cific potential errors that occur during model development, and provides guidance for achiev-ing these objectives by the association of V&V techniques, required input, and evidence made available. The V&V Triangle is applied to an M&S sample project, and the lessons learned from evaluating the results lead to the formulation of future research objectives in M&S V&V

GTA: Groupware task analysis Modeling complexity

The task analysis methods discussed in this presentation stem from Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Ethnography (as applied for the design of Computer Supported Cooperative Work CSCW), different disciplines that often are considered conflicting approaches when applied to the same design problems. Both approaches have their strength and weakness, and an integration of them does add value to the early stages of design of cooperation technology. In order to develop an integrated method for groupware task analysis (GTA) a conceptual framework is presented that allows a systematic perspective on complex work phenomena. The framework features a triple focus, considering (a) people, (b) work, and (c) the situation. Integrating various task-modeling approaches requires vehicles for making design information explicit, for which an object oriented formalism will be suggested. GTA consists of a method and framework that have been developed during practical design exercises. Examples from some of these cases will illustrate our approach

A Process Calculus for Molecular Interaction Maps

We present the MIM calculus, a modeling formalism with a strong biological basis, which provides biologically-meaningful operators for representing the interaction capabilities of molecular species. The operators of the calculus are inspired by the reaction symbols used in Molecular Interaction Maps (MIMs), a diagrammatic notation used by biologists. Models of the calculus can be easily derived from MIM diagrams, for which an unambiguous and executable interpretation is thus obtained. We give a formal definition of the syntax and semantics of the MIM calculus, and we study properties of the formalism. A case study is also presented to show the use of the calculus for modeling biomolecular networks.Comment: 15 pages; 8 figures; To be published on EPTCS, proceedings of MeCBIC 200

Model-Based Engineering for the support of Models of Computation: The Cometa Approach

The development of Real-Time Embedded Systems (RTES) increasingly requires the integration of several parts with different purposes. Consequently, the heterogeneous appearance of such systems creates a need to manage their growing complexity mainly due to the difficulty to interconnect the different parts composing them. Model-Based Engineering (MBE) has significantly participated in recent decades to find solutions in terms of methodologies and technical support tailored to the design of RTES. Indeed, several models are used to represent different aspects of the system. However, the interconnection of different modeling paradigms is still a difficult challenge. The handling of such problems requires a clear definition of the execution and interconnection semantics of the different models composing the system. Indeed, the abstraction of the execution semantics of machines or Models of Computation (MoC) can highlight properties for the whole system’s execution. In this paper, we propose an approach that captures these semantics at the earliest modeling phases with the aim of exhibiting properties that ease the design space exploration and performance analysis of systems. Our approach extends the Modeling and Analysis of Real-Time Embedded Systems profile (MARTE) by providing means to express communication semantics of models. We also review existing approaches for defining such execution semantics