NEW GENERATION ENTERPRISE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS

This paper addresses common problems like poor reusability, closed vendor proprietary framework, limited customizability which are associated with use of traditional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and proposes architecture of new generation GIS. The architecture described in this paper is based on Service Oriented Architecture and open standards. It consists of Geographic Information Service Provider, Geographic Information Service Consumer and Geographic Information Mediation Infrastructure. The new generation GIS allows achieving high level of reusability both on GIS logic and orchestration layer. Its broad customizability capabilities make it suitable for wide user audience

Emerging Technologies for Telemedicine

This paper focuses on new technologies that are practically useful for telemedicine. Three representative systems are introduced: a Digital Video Transport System (DVTS), an H.323 compatible videoconferencing system, and Vidyo. Based on some of our experiences, we highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each technology, and point out technologies that are especially targeted at doctors and technicians, so that those interested in using similar technologies can make appropriate choices and achieve their own goals depending on their specific conditions

Semantic-Based Storage QoS Management Methodology -- Case Study for Distributed Environments

The distributed computing environments, e.g. clouds, often deal with huge amounts of data, which constantly increase. The global growth of data is caused by ubiquitous personal devices, enterprise and scientific applications, etc. As the size of data grows new challenges are emerging in the context of storage management. Modern data and storage resource management systems need to face wide range of problems -- minimizing energy consumption (green data centers), optimizing resource usage, throughput and capacity, data availability, security and legal issues, scalability. In addition users or their applications can have QoS (Quality of Service) requirements concerning the storage access, which further complicates the management. To cope with this problem a common mass storage system model taking into account the performance aspects of a storage system becomes a necessity. The model described with semantic technologies brings a semantic interoperability between the system components. In this paper we describe our approach at data management with QoS based on the developed models as a case study for distributed environments

Ingeniería basada en modelos aplicada a sistemas distribuidos sensibles al contexto.

239 p.En esta Tesis Doctoral se plantea una metodología, soportada por mecanismos y herramientas, que da soporte al ciclo de desarrollo de aplicaciones distribuidas sensibles al contexto, aquéllas que supervisan su entorno físico con objeto de detectar cambios en él y reaccionar rápida y adecuadamente. Son aplicaciones presentes en diferentes campos de aplicación que demandan requisitos tales como ejecución en entornos distribuidos y heterogéneos, personalización de la supervisión, adaptación a cambios relevantes en su contexto, gestión de la calidad específica de cada aplicación, disponibilidad y recuperación ante situaciones de fallo. En concreto, se propone una aproximación de modelado genérica que permite la especificación y diseño de estas aplicaciones, independientemente de la plataforma de gestión responsable de su ejecución y atendiendo a los diferentes expertos que participan: expertos de dominio y desarrolladores de software. Se hace uso de la ingeniería dirigida por modelos para lograr la separación de dominios necesaria. Así, el experto de dominio realiza el diseño arquitectónico en el que se especifican todos sus requisitos, mientras que el desarrollador de software se centra en el diseño e implementación de la solución software correspondiente. Por tanto, la aproximación de modelado recoge los requisitos de las aplicaciones que una plataforma de gestión debe cumplir en tiempo de ejecución, al mismo tiempo que captura la información necesaria para la generación de su código. También se plantea un entorno de desarrollo integrado, basado en dicha aproximación, que da soporte al ciclo de desarrollo, cuyo prototipo se ha validado en un demostrador en el campo de la asistencia domiciliaria

Towards a software framework for reconfigurable and adaptive fixturing systems

There is an ongoing trend towards advanced fixturing systems that can be automatically reconfigured for different workpieces and dynamically adapt the clamping forces during the manufacturing process. However, the increased utilisation of computer technology and sensor feedback currently requires a significant amount of programming effort during the development phase and deployment of such fixtures which impairs their successful industrial realisation. This research addresses the issue by developing the core concepts of a novel software framework that facilitates the deployment and operation of reconfigurable and adaptive fixturing systems. This includes a new data model for the representation of the fixturing system, using object-oriented modelling techniques. Secondly, a generic methodology for the automatic reconfiguration of fixturing systems has been developed that can be applied to a plethora of different fixture layouts. Thirdly, a flexible communication infrastructure is proposed which supports the platform-independent communication between the various parts of the fixturing system through the adoption of a publish/subscribe approach. The integration of these core knowledge contributions into a software framework significantly reduces the programming effort by providing a ready-to-use infrastructure that can be configured according a given fixture layout. In order to manage the complexity of the research, a structured research methodology has been followed. Based on an extensive literature review, a number of knowledge gaps have been identified which were the basis for the definition of clear research objectives. A use case analysis has been conducted to identify the requirements of the software framework and several potential middleware technologies have been assessed for the communication infrastructure. This was followed by the development of the three core knowledge contributions. Finally, the research results have been demonstrated and initially verified with a prototype of a reconfigurable fixturing system, indicating that the utilisation of the software framework can eliminate the need for programming, thereby drastically reducing deployment effort and lead time

Towards a software framework for reconfigurable and adaptive fixturing systems

There is an ongoing trend towards advanced fixturing systems that can be automatically reconfigured for different workpieces and dynamically adapt the clamping forces during the manufacturing process. However, the increased utilisation of computer technology and sensor feedback currently requires a significant amount of programming effort during the development phase and deployment of such fixtures which impairs their successful industrial realisation. This research addresses the issue by developing the core concepts of a novel software framework that facilitates the deployment and operation of reconfigurable and adaptive fixturing systems. This includes a new data model for the representation of the fixturing system, using object-oriented modelling techniques. Secondly, a generic methodology for the automatic reconfiguration of fixturing systems has been developed that can be applied to a plethora of different fixture layouts. Thirdly, a flexible communication infrastructure is proposed which supports the platform-independent communication between the various parts of the fixturing system through the adoption of a publish/subscribe approach. The integration of these core knowledge contributions into a software framework significantly reduces the programming effort by providing a ready-to-use infrastructure that can be configured according a given fixture layout. In order to manage the complexity of the research, a structured research methodology has been followed. Based on an extensive literature review, a number of knowledge gaps have been identified which were the basis for the definition of clear research objectives. A use case analysis has been conducted to identify the requirements of the software framework and several potential middleware technologies have been assessed for the communication infrastructure. This was followed by the development of the three core knowledge contributions. Finally, the research results have been demonstrated and initially verified with a prototype of a reconfigurable fixturing system, indicating that the utilisation of the software framework can eliminate the need for programming, thereby drastically reducing deployment effort and lead time

Analysis of QoS in cooperative services for real time applications

Future complex architectures forWeb-Services based delivery of services and objects require applications able to deal with different levels of Quality of Service (QoS) and able to describe also the quality of the associated object. In order to allow applications adapting in front of degraded quality in a pre-determined way, all the nodes participating in a given business process shall coordinate their efforts in (i) deciding how to deal with service degradation/disruption, and in (ii) managing the overall quality (i.e., not only theWeb-Service QoS but also the quality of the objects being delivered through the cooperative process). According to this rationale, one of the main goals of the Quadrantis project has been to investigate how to provide combined quality measurement of services and delivered objects, such as videos, voice, texts, or images. QoS modeling and management according to users’ needs are presented. Users will access services according to QoS Contracts negotiated with service providers, while the streaming content is based on user profiles, to face a more dynamic management of QoS deviations in the Real Time provisioning level. In our approach, applications can request QoS, and react and repair to violations of the terms set forth in contracts or in expected delivery parameters, such as bandwidth or frame rate. To this extent, we present a framework for providing applications and services with QoS adaptation functionality, through the step-wise induction of a monitoring and recovery solutions at bothWeb-Services and streaming layers. The foundations of the merging between the two layers, which deal with very different aspects and protocols, are based on quality

Analysis of QoS in Cooperative Services for Real Time Applications

Future complex architectures forWeb-Services based delivery of services and objects require applications able to deal with different levels of Quality of Service (QoS) and able to describe also the quality of the associated object. In order to allow applications adapting in front of degraded quality in a pre-determined way, all the nodes participating in a given business process shall coordinate their efforts in (i) deciding how to deal with service degradation/disruption, and in (ii) managing the overall quality (i.e., not only theWeb-Service QoS but also the quality of the objects being delivered through the cooperative process). According to this rationale, one of the main goals of the Quadrantis project has been to investigate how to provide combined quality measurement of services and delivered objects, such as videos, voice, texts, or images. QoS modeling and management according to users’ needs are presented. Users will access services according to QoS Contracts negotiated with service providers, while the streaming content is based on user profiles, to face a more dynamic management of QoS deviations in the Real Time provisioning level. In our approach, applications can request QoS, and react and repair to violations of the terms set forth in contracts or in expected delivery parameters, such as bandwidth or frame rate. To this extent, we present a framework for providing applications and services with QoS adaptation functionality, through the step-wise induction of a monitoring and recovery solutions at bothWeb-Services and streaming layers. The foundations of the merging between the two layers, which deal with very different aspects and protocols, are based on quality