Progressive Analytics: A Computation Paradigm for Exploratory Data Analysis

Exploring data requires a fast feedback loop from the analyst to the system, with a latency below about 10 seconds because of human cognitive limitations. When data becomes large or analysis becomes complex, sequential computations can no longer be completed in a few seconds and data exploration is severely hampered. This article describes a novel computation paradigm called Progressive Computation for Data Analysis or more concisely Progressive Analytics, that brings at the programming language level a low-latency guarantee by performing computations in a progressive fashion. Moving this progressive computation at the language level relieves the programmer of exploratory data analysis systems from implementing the whole analytics pipeline in a progressive way from scratch, streamlining the implementation of scalable exploratory data analysis systems. This article describes the new paradigm through a prototype implementation called ProgressiVis, and explains the requirements it implies through examples.Comment: 10 page

Agent-based Computational Demography and Beyond using JAS-mine

In this chapter we provide a hands-on guide on how to build a microsimulation using JAS-mine, a Java-based platform that provides unique simulation tools for discrete-event simulations, including both agent-based and microsimulation models. After presenting the rationale for the recent developments of the JAS-mine project and the main architectural choices made, we illustrate a step-by-step implementation of a rich dynamic microsimulation, which includes demographic processes (birth, death, household formation and dissolution) and other life course events (educational choices, labour market participation and employment outcomes).</p

Interplayable surface: an exploration on augmented GUI that co-exists with physical environments

The main goal of this experiment-driven thesis is to envision and design an interactive GUI1(graphic user interface) that coexists with physical surfaces. Based on an understanding of user behavioral patterns for getting access to information in these types of situations, experimentations and prototypes are implemented and tested with participants. In particular, to observe the user behavioral pattern for augmented GUI within certain environments and circumstances, this thesis presents several types of participatory experimentations with physical GUIs. The experiment participants were encouraged to participate in re-creates and reorganizes physical GUI, relating to their own situational specificity or informational tendencies they have. Based on extracted insights from research and experiments, in the last phase, I propose two thesis models about how interactive GUI applies to a physical environment: simulation mock-ups for user scenarios of augmented GUI and interactive GUI surface combined with projection mapping. Related to people’s behavioral patterns on augmented GUI, the thesis models will show several types of information structures and interactions. Also, in framing the overall data structure and wireframe for the thesis product model, informative affordance corresponding with users’ situational specificity2 is considered as a crucial direction point, actualized on an artifact in a perceptible way. Through experimentally prototyping a thesis model, consequently, I would like to expand the speculative usability interactive GUI will feature in the near future

A new implementation of Spat in Max

International audienceIrcam spat~ is a real-time audio engine dedicated to sound spatialization, artificial reverberation, and sound diffusion. This paper introduces a new major revision of the software package (spat~ 5), and its integration in the Max environment. First, we present the newly adopted OSC interface that is used throughout the library for controlling the processors; we discuss the motivations for this choice, the syntax in use, and the potential benefits in terms of us-ability, performances, customization, etc. Then we give an overview of new features introduced in this release, covering Higher Order Ambisonics processing, object-based audio production, enhanced inter-operability with VR or graphics frameworks, etc

Control strategy for a flexible analytical chemistry robotics system

This thesis is the result of work carried out during more than two years on a Teaching Company Scheme. Liaison took place between Rhone-Poulenc Agriculture Limited (the industrial partner), hereafter referred to as RPAL or the company, and Middlesex University (the academic partner). The aim of the Scheme was to realise the design, development, commissioning, testing and validation of an intelligent robotic system for sample analysis of trace pesticides and metabolites in order to enable quicker product development. Due to the complexity of the project and the range of technical expertise and skills needed for its implementation, three associates participated in the Programme. I joined as the second associate. With my degree in Industrial Engineering, I have been in overall charge of developing the computational aspects of the system, from control overview to implementation and validation. Two distinct types of studies will be carried out with the robot based system: • Routine extraction of pesticide from soil or plant material, which is compound as well as analyst dependant. • Method development studies, to optimise those routine extraction processes. Traditional strategies of control were not applicable for such system because we were dealing with the automation of a non repetitive process involving non-deterministic operations (evaporation, filtration, etc.). The resulting control system should provide a high degree of flexibility to allow workcell reconfiguration without involving any reprogramming. Modularity is also a must if expansion and upgrading to new technologies and equipment is to involve relatively little cost and effort. In addition, all generated data has to be stored and reported following Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards. As the system is both large and flexible in operation, it has proven a real challenge to develop. Software had to be written that can - among its many tasks - allow unrestricted analyst choice, optimise system performance, detect, prioritise and act upon error signals, dynamically schedule robot and instrument operation in real time, trace samples as they pass through the system and generate results as reports stored in databases. The system is now virtually complete, and is presently undergoing the last stages of the validation. Due to the success of this scheme, further cooperative ventures are being planned between Rhone-Poulenc and Middlesex University in both the UK and France

JAMAP: a Web-Based Management Platform for IP Networks

In this paper, we describe JAMAP, a prototype of Web-based management platform for IP networks. It is entirely written in Java. It implements the push model to perform regular management (i.e. permanent network monitoring and data collection) and ad hoc management (i.e. temporary network monitoring and troubleshooting). The communication between agents and managers relies on HTTP transfers between Java applets and servlets over persistent TCP connections. The SNMP MIB data is encapsulated in serialized Java objects that are transmitted as MIME parts via HTTP. The manager consists of two parts: the management server, a static machine that runs the servlets, and the management station, which can be any desktop running a Web browser. The MIB data is transparently compressed with gzip, which saves network bandwidth without increasing latency too significantly

Leveraging Interactivity and MPI for Environmental Applications

This paper describes two different approaches to exploiting interactivity and MPI support available in the Interactive European Grid project.The first application is an air pollution simulation using Lagrangian trajectory model to simulate the spread of pollutant particles released into the atmosphere. The performance of the sequential implementation of the application was not satisfactory, therefore a parallelization was planned. The MPI programming model was used because of some previous experience with it and its support in the grid infrastructure to be used. Then the interactivity enabling the user to receive visualizations of simulation steps and to exercise control over the application running in the grid was added. The user interface for interacting with the application was implemented as a plug-in into the Migrating Desktop user interface client platform. The other application is an interactive workflow management system, which is a modification of a previously developed system for management of applications composed of web and grid services. It allows users to manage more complex jobs, composed of several program executions, in an interactive and comfortable manner. The system uses the interactive channel of the project to forward commands from a GUI to the on-site workflow manager, and to control the job during execution. This tool is able to visualize the inner workflow of the application. User has complete in-execution control over the job, can see its partial results, and can even alter it while it is running. This allows not only to accommodate the job workflow to the data it produces, extend or shorten it, but also to interactively debug and tune the job