Software Reliability in Semantic Web Service Composition Applications

Web Service Composition allows the development of easily reconfigurable applications that can be quickly adapted to business changes. Due to the shift in paradigm from traditional systems, new approaches are needed in order to evaluate the reliability of web service composition applications. In this paper we present an approach based on intelligent agents for semiautomatic composition as well as methods for assessing reliability. Abstract web services, corresponding to a group of services that accomplishes a specific functionality are used as a mean of assuring better system reliability. The model can be extended with other Quality of Services – QoS attributes.Software Reliability, Web Service Composition, Intelligent Agents

A framework for integrating syntax, semantics and pragmatics for computer-aided professional practice: With application of costing in construction industry

Producing a bill of quantity is a knowledge-based, dynamic and collaborative process, and evolves with variances and current evidence. However, within the context of information system practice in BIM, knowledge of cost estimation has not been represented, nor has it been integrated into the processes based on BIM. This paper intends to establish an innovative means of taking data from the BIM linked to a project, and using it to create the necessary items for a bill of quantity that will enable cost estimation to be undertaken for the project. Our framework is founded upon the belief that three components are necessary to gain a full awareness of the domain which is being computerised; the information type which is to be assessed for compatibility (syntax), the definition for the pricing domain (semantics), and the precise implementation environment for the standards being taken into account (pragmatics). In order to achieve this, a prototype is created that allows a cost item for the bill of quantity to be spontaneously generated, by means of the semantic web ontology and a forward chain algorithm. Within this paper, ‘cost items’ signify the elements included in a bill of quantity, including details of their description, quantity and price. As a means of authenticating the process being developed, the authors of this work effectively implemented it in the production of cost items. In addition, the items created were contrasted with those produced by specialists. For this reason, this innovative framework introduces the possibility of a new means of applying semantic web ontology and forward chain algorithm to construction professional practice resulting in automatic cost estimation. These key outcomes demonstrate that, decoupling the professional practice into three key components of syntax, semantics and pragmatics can provide tangible benefits to domain use

Tools and Processes for enhanced Product Customization

O fornecimento de um sistema personalizável permite que clientes e parceiros expandam as funcionalidades do produto para abranger as suas necessidades e os seus objetivos específicos. Mas as alterações ou adições de funcionalidades ao sistema-base requerem um profundo conhecimento da sua estrutura e do seu funcionamento, assim como competências técnicas que garantam alterações totalmente funcionais. Com o intuito de minimizar as dificuldades inerentes ao processo de desenvolvimento e teste destas customizações, os fornecedores de software disponibilizam ferramentas e documentação de suporte.O principal foco do presente trabalho consiste na análise de projetos de customização, suas ferramentas e documentação de suporte ao desenvolvimento, para a resolução ou minimização das dificuldades e problemas do processo de customização. Através da definição de uma estratégia de suporte à customização que propõe a extracção de conhecimento como forma de documentação orientada pelos conceitos dos Collective Knowledge Systems. E uma ferramenta que aumenta a simplicidade e a fiabilidade do processo apresentando de uma forma intuitiva ao utilizador a análise do código produzida pelo compilador.O presente trabalho contempla ainda a implementação dessa estratégia de suporte ao processo de customização do Manufacturing Execution System (MES) da Critical Manufacturing (CMF), com vista a validar a sua eficácia.O Critical Manufacturing MES é um sistema de informação personalizável que realiza a gestão das operações em ambientes avançados de fabricação garantindo um elevado desempenho e competitividade. A CMF garante a personalização do sistema para corresponder aos requisitos dos clientes e parceiros, mas a complexidade inerente à oferta de um sistema completo e competitivo implica uma estratégia de apoio à customização que garanta um processo simples, rápido e fiável.Os resultados esperados para o presente trabalho, e consequentes da definição de uma estratégia de apoio à customização de software são: (1) uma ferramenta e documentação de apoio que orientem os clientes e parceiros no seu processo de customização e (2), um aumento da confiança e eficiência dos clientes e parceiros no desenvolvimento das suas personalizações através de um processo mais rápido e fiável. A estratégia de apoio à customização definida procura ser a mais abrangente e genérica possível de forma a facilitar a sua adoção por outras entidades.Providing a customizable system allows customers and partners to expand product functionality to meet their specific needs and goals. But the changes or additions of functionalities to the base system require a deep knowledge of its structure and functionality, as well as technical skills that ensure fully functional modifications. In order to minimize the inherent difficulties of the development and testing process of these customizations, software suppliers provide support tools and documentation.The main focus of the present work is the analysis of customization projects, their support tools and documentation, to solve or minimize the customization process difficulties and problems. Through the definition of a customization support strategy that proposes knowledge extraction as a kind of documentation guided by the Collective Knowledge Systems concepts. And a tool that improves the process simplicity and reliability due to displaying intuitively the compilers code analysis to the user. The present work also covers the implementation of this support strategy to the process of customization of the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) of Critical Manufacturing (CMF), in order to validate its effectiveness.Critical Manufacturing MES is a customizable information system that performs operations management in advanced manufacturing environments while ensuring high performance and competitiveness. CMF provides system customizations to meet customer and partner requirements, but the inherent complexity in offering a complete and competitive system implies a customization support strategy that ensures a simple, fast and reliable process.The expected results for the present work, and following the definition of a software customization support strategy are: (1) a tool and documentation that support and guide customers and partners in their customization process, and (2) an increase in the confidence and efficiency of customers and partners on the development of their customizations through a more rapid and efficient process. The customization support strategy seeks to be as comprehensive and generic as possible to facilitate its adoption by other entities

Developing a distributed electronic health-record store for India

The DIGHT project is addressing the problem of building a scalable and highly available information store for the Electronic Health Records (EHRs) of the over one billion citizens of India

Agent and cyber-physical system based self-organizing and self-adaptive intelligent shopfloor

The increasing demand of customized production results in huge challenges to the traditional manufacturing systems. In order to allocate resources timely according to the production requirements and to reduce disturbances, a framework for the future intelligent shopfloor is proposed in this paper. The framework consists of three primary models, namely the model of smart machine agent, the self-organizing model, and the self-adaptive model. A cyber-physical system for manufacturing shopfloor based on the multiagent technology is developed to realize the above-mentioned function models. Gray relational analysis and the hierarchy conflict resolution methods were applied to achieve the self-organizing and self-adaptive capabilities, thereby improving the reconfigurability and responsiveness of the shopfloor. A prototype system is developed, which has the adequate flexibility and robustness to configure resources and to deal with disturbances effectively. This research provides a feasible method for designing an autonomous factory with exception-handling capabilities