A new test framework for communications-critical large scale systems

None of today’s large scale systems could function without the reliable availability of a varied range of network communications capabilities. Whilst software, hardware and communications technologies have been advancing throughout the past two decades, the methods commonly used by industry for testing large scale systems which incorporate critical communications interfaces have not kept pace. This paper argues for the need for a specifically tailored framework to achieve effective and precise testing of communications-critical large scale systems (CCLSSs). The paper briefly discusses how generic test approaches are leading to inefficient and costly test activities in industry. The paper then outlines the features of an alternative CCLSS domain-specific test framework, and then provides an example based on a real case study. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the benefits observed during the case study and an outline of the available evidence that such benefits can be realized with other comparable systems

Towards more effective testing of communications-critical large scale systems

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.A publication based on the research from this thesis has been published and can be cited as Nabulsi, MA and Hierons, RM (2014), A new test framework for communications-critical large scale systems, IEEE Software, In press. The published version can be accessed via the link below.None of today’s large scale systems could function without the reliable availability of a varied range of network communications capabilities. Whilst software, hardware and communications technologies have been advancing throughout the past two decades, the methods commonly used by industry for testing large scale systems which incorporate critical communications interfaces have not kept pace. This thesis argues for the need for a specifically tailored framework to achieve effective testing of communications-critical large scale systems (CCLSS). The thesis initially discusses how generic test approaches are leading to inefficient and costly test activities in industry. The thesis then presents the form and features of an alternative CCLSS domain-specific test framework, develops its ideas further into a detailed and structured test approach for one of its layers, and then provides a detailed example of how this framework can be applied using a real-life case study. The thesis concludes with a qualitative as well a simulation-based evaluation of the framework’s benefits observed during the case study and an evaluation by expert external participants considering whether similar benefits can be realised if the framework is adopted for the testing of other comparable systems. Requirements data from a second CCLSS is included in the evaluation by external participants as a second smaller case study

Bulimia: A systems/communications critical methodological analysis.

The intent of the research is to present a critical methodological analysis of the clinical phenomenon referred to as bulimia. Specifically, the project is a theoretical analysis of bulimia from the Systems/Communications (S/C) perspective. It is termed a critical analysis because it constitutes an ongoing critical (self-reflective) commentary on a topic. In practical terms, the present methodological approach has two aspects. The first is the utilization of the S/C model or framework to provide a reasonable and coherent explanation of many of the clinical phenomena associated with bulimia. In practice this means selecting excerpts from a series of nine recorded hours of therapy with a bulimic client and understanding these transactions through the S/C perspective. The second aspect is to draw inferences concerning potential treatment practices from the S/C perspective.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1990 .H653. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 30-03, page: 0890. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1990

When backscatter communication meets vehicular networks: boosting crosswalk awareness

The research of safety applications in vehicular networks has been a popular research topic in an effort to reduce the number of road victims. Advances on vehicular communications are facilitating information sharing through real time communications, critical for the development of driving assistance systems. However, the communication by itself is not enough to reach the most desired target as we need to know which safety-related information should be disseminated. In this work, we bring passive sensors and backscatter communication to the vehicular network world. The idea is to increase the driver (or vehicle) awareness regarding the presence of pedestrians in a crosswalk. Passive sensors and backscatter communication technologies are used for the pedestrians’ detection phase, while the vehicular network is used during the dissemination of the detection information to surrounding vehicles. The proposed solution was validated through end-to-end experimentation, with real hardware and in a real crosswalk with real pedestrians and vehicles, demonstrating its applicability.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Critical behavior in spallation failure of metals

Using molecular dynamics with an accurate many-body potential, we studied the rapid expansion of Ta metal following the high compression (50 to 100 GPa) induced by high velocity (2 to 4 km/s) impact. We find that catastrophic failure in this system coincides with a critical behavior characterized by a void distribution of the form N(v)∝V-τ, with τ∼2.2. This corresponds to a threshold in which percolation of the voids results in tensile failure. We define an order parameter (φ, the ratio of the volume of the largest void to the total void volume) which changes rapidly from ∼0 to ∼1 when the metal fails and scales with as φ∝(ρ-ρc)β with exponent β∼0.4, where ρ is the total void fraction. We found similar behavior for FCC Ni suggesting that this critical behavior is a universal characteristic for failure of solids in rapid expansion

Systemwide Clinical Ultrasound Program Development: An Expert Consensus Model.

Clinical ultrasound (CUS) is integral to the practice of an increasing number of medical specialties. Guidelines are needed to ensure effective CUS utilization across health systems. Such guidelines should address all aspects of CUS within a hospital or health system. These include leadership, training, competency, credentialing, quality assurance and improvement, documentation, archiving, workflow, equipment, and infrastructure issues relating to communication and information technology. To meet this need, a group of CUS subject matter experts, who have been involved in institution- and/or systemwide clinical ultrasound (SWCUS) program development convened. The purpose of this paper was to create a model for SWCUS development and implementation