On incremental global update support in cooperative database systems

OzGateway is a cooperative database system designed for integrating heterogeneous existing information systems into an interoperable environment. It also aims to provide a gatewway for legacy information system migration. This paper summarises the problems and results of multidatabase transaction management research. In supporting global updates in OzGateway in an evolutionary way, we introduce a classification of multidatabase transactions and discuss the problems in each category. The architecture of OzGateway and the design of the global transaction manager and servers are presented

Adaptive development and maintenance of user-centric software systems

A software system cannot be developed without considering the various facets of its environment. Stakeholders – including the users that play a central role – have their needs, expectations, and perceptions of a system. Organisational and technical aspects of the environment are constantly changing. The ability to adapt a software system and its requirements to its environment throughout its full lifecycle is of paramount importance in a constantly changing environment. The continuous involvement of users is as important as the constant evaluation of the system and the observation of evolving environments. We present a methodology for adaptive software systems development and maintenance. We draw upon a diverse range of accepted methods including participatory design, software architecture, and evolutionary design. Our focus is on user-centred software systems

Automatic Generation of Cognitive Theories using Genetic Programming

Cognitive neuroscience is the branch of neuroscience that studies the neural mechanisms underpinning cognition and develops theories explaining them. Within cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience focuses on modeling behavior, using theories expressed as computer programs. Up to now, computational theories have been formulated by neuroscientists. In this paper, we present a new approach to theory development in neuroscience: the automatic generation and testing of cognitive theories using genetic programming. Our approach evolves from experimental data cognitive theories that explain “the mental program” that subjects use to solve a specific task. As an example, we have focused on a typical neuroscience experiment, the delayed-match-to-sample (DMTS) task. The main goal of our approach is to develop a tool that neuroscientists can use to develop better cognitive theories

Spitzer Science Center within an Enterprise Architecture

The Spitzer Science Center’s (SSC) evolutionary development approach, coupled with a flexible, scaleable hardware and software architecture has been key in Spitzer’s ability to handle an explosion of data products, evolving data definitions, and changing data quality requirements. Spitzer is generating (depending on the campaign and instrument) about 10 TB of pre-archive data every 14 to 20 days. This generally reduces to between 3 TB and 6 TB of standard products, again depending on the campaign and instrument. This paper will discuss (1) the Spitzer Science Center’s responses to evolving data, quality, and processing requirements and (2) how robust or not was the original architecture to allow Spitzer to accommodate on-going change

The future of technology enhanced active learning – a roadmap

The notion of active learning refers to the active involvement of learner in the learning process, capturing ideas of learning-by-doing and the fact that active participation and knowledge construction leads to deeper and more sustained learning. Interactivity, in particular learnercontent interaction, is a central aspect of technology-enhanced active learning. In this roadmap, the pedagogical background is discussed, the essential dimensions of technology-enhanced active learning systems are outlined and the factors that are expected to influence these systems currently and in the future are identified. A central aim is to address this promising field from a best practices perspective, clarifying central issues and formulating an agenda for future developments in the form of a roadmap

Design of a service-oriented architecture for federated systems

A Federated System is a collection of independent, cooperative, possibly heterogeneous and autonomous computer systems (usually database systems) which allows sharing all or some of its data. A Service-Oriented Architecture is an application architecture whose functionalities are defined as independent services which offer transparent communication between physically distributed components, possibly heterogeneous and autonomous. In this context, it is interesting to analyze how a Federated System can be designed within the ideas proposed by Service-Oriented Architectures. This paper presents the design of a Service-Oriented Architecture for Federated Systems. The architecture supports many users sharing data; access control to the data based on access rights which generates many views from a data source, as well as allowing a high automation level for the integration and querying processes. In addition, the bases of a federation's management framework are defined. This framework, as well as the architecture, is validated through an evolutionary prototype towards a completely functional implementation.Facultad de Informátic