Higher-Order Process Modeling: Product-Lining, Variability Modeling and Beyond

We present a graphical and dynamic framework for binding and execution of business) process models. It is tailored to integrate 1) ad hoc processes modeled graphically, 2) third party services discovered in the (Inter)net, and 3) (dynamically) synthesized process chains that solve situation-specific tasks, with the synthesis taking place not only at design time, but also at runtime. Key to our approach is the introduction of type-safe stacked second-order execution contexts that allow for higher-order process modeling. Tamed by our underlying strict service-oriented notion of abstraction, this approach is tailored also to be used by application experts with little technical knowledge: users can select, modify, construct and then pass (component) processes during process execution as if they were data. We illustrate the impact and essence of our framework along a concrete, realistic (business) process modeling scenario: the development of Springer's browser-based Online Conference Service (OCS). The most advanced feature of our new framework allows one to combine online synthesis with the integration of the synthesized process into the running application. This ability leads to a particularly flexible way of implementing self-adaption, and to a particularly concise and powerful way of achieving variability not only at design time, but also at runtime.Comment: In Proceedings Festschrift for Dave Schmidt, arXiv:1309.455

Tele Assistance: : A Self-Adaptive Service-Based System Exemplar

Research on adaptive and self-managing systems is hindered by a lack of prototypical applications that researchers could use to evaluate and compare new methods, techniques and tools. To address this limitation, we introduce a reference implementation of a Tele Assistance System (TAS) for research on self-adaptation in the domain of service-based systems. Our TAS exemplar of service-based systems comes with pre-defined scenarios for comparing the effectiveness of different self-adaptation solutions. Other researchers can easily exploit the underlying service platform, reusable components and development method we devised for TAS to speed up the engineering of additional research exemplars for service-based systems

RUNTIME EXPLORATION FEATURES TO SMARTIFY PRODUCTS

With the introduction of industry 4.0, the process of Smartification has grown constantly in popularity and demand. A symbol of that reality is the widespread use of computers and smartphones to control different type of devices and objects independently of its domain and purpose. Consequently, smartification solutions are reaching all industries, and furniture is just one of its examples that is explored in this dissertation. A framework to guide the development and further control of smartified objects is proposed. Thus, it explores features such as data gathering & processing, functional security, monitoring and lastly maintenance of smart products, exploring its impact in products enhancement.Com a introdução da Internet 4.0, o processo de Smartificação cresceu não só em popularidade mas também em procura. Um marco desta realidade é o uso regular de computadores e telemóveis para controlar diferentes dispositivos e objectos, em diferentes meios e com diferentes objetivos. Por conseguinte, soluções de smartificação estão a chegar às indústrias, e o mobiliário que é apenas uma delas vai ser focada nesta dissertação. É proposta então uma framework, com o intuito de ajudar o desenvolvimento de trabalho futuro. A Dissertação aborda os temas mais recorrentemente associados à exploração do Runtime, nomeadamente a manutenção, o processamento e aquisição de informação, de forma segura e funcional para explorar o impacte que este tem na aprimoração de um equipamento

Can Urban Air Mobility become reality? Opportunities, challenges and selected research results

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is a new air transportation system for passengers and cargo in urban environments, enabled by new technologies and integrated into multimodal transportation systems. The vision of UAM comprises the mass use in urban and suburban environments, complementing existing transportation systems and contributing to the decarbonization of the transport sector. Initial attempts to create a market for urban air transportation in the last century failed due to lack of profitability and community acceptance. Technological advances in numerous fields over the past few decades have led to a renewed interest in urban air transportation. UAM is expected to benefit users and to also have a positive impact on the economy by creating new markets and employment opportunities for manufacturing and operation of UAM vehicles and the construction of related ground infrastructure. However, there are also concerns about noise, safety and security, privacy and environmental impacts. Therefore, the UAM system needs to be designed carefully to become safe, affordable, accessible, environmentally friendly, economically viable and thus sustainable. This paper provides an overview of selected key research topics related to UAM and how the German Aerospace Center (DLR) contributed to this research in the project "HorizonUAM - Urban Air Mobility Research at the German Aerospace Center (DLR)". Selected research results that support the realization of the UAM vision are briefly presented.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, project HorizonUA

Blockchain based Identity Management and Ticketing for MaaS

Trabalho de projeto de mestrado, Engenharia Informatica (Engenharia de Software) Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2020As time moves further into the 21st century, the world is progressively becoming more sophisticated, and our capacity to forecast the future is decreasing at the same rate. The emerging global problems require new kinds of tools paving the way to move forward. Across Europe, privatised public transport systems are frequently conceived in separation by an operator resulting in legacy systems with proprietary ticketing solutions causing fragmentation and lack of uniformity of information. The Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) concept promises to solve existing problems in the transport industry since it allows the integration of different mobility services, such as car and bicycle sharing, among others, with traditional public transport. To plan a trip, passengers have several mobility options, interconnected to each other, with a range of alternatives according to their preferences. However, it is a huge challenge to expand the MaaS network that includes several operators. Recent innovations in Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies, especially the current developments of smart contracts, it is expected that a novel distributed approach to MaaS is finally feasible. MaaS systems benefit from the power of Blockchain disruptive technology, improving transparency and trust among service providers thereby eliminat ing the middle tier. In order to implement the new MaaS concept and take advantage of the high volumes of data relating to passengers and their tickets, it is essential that trans port operators have a unified system, thus allowing each participant to create, view and modify the information. This project enables the development of a new ticketing solution based on Blockchain, with an Identity Management module capable of managing the identities of passengers across the entire system, as well as the creation of a MaaS application mock-up for the passenger. Finally, the proposed system is evaluated in terms of operation and perfor mance, according predefined use cases and requirements. Results are achieved in terms of the collaboration between multiple service providers operating on a single platform

Annual Report 2017-2018

LETTER FROM THE DEAN I am pleased to share with you the College of Computing and Digital Media’s (CDM) 2017-18 annual report, highlighting the many achievements across our community. It was a big year. We began offering five new programs (two bachelor’s, two master’s, and one PhD) across our three schools, in addition to several new certificate programs through our Institute for Professional Development. We built new, cutting-edge spaces to support these and other programs— most notably a 4,500 square-foot makerspace, a robotics and medical engineering lab, an augmented and virtual reality lab, and plans for a cyber-physical systems project lab. Our faculty continued to pursue their research and creative agendas, offering collaborative opportunities with students and partners. CDM students and alumni were celebrated for their many achievements— everything from leading the winning teams at the U.S. Cyber Challenge and Campus 1871 to showcasing their games at juried festivals and winning national screenwriting competitions. We encouraged greater research and teaching collaboration, both between our own schools and with units outside CDM. Design and Computing faculty are working together on an NSA grant for smart home devices that considers both software and interface/design, as well as a new grant-funded game lab. One Project Bluelight film team collaborated with The Theatre School and the School of Music while CDM and College of Science and Health faculty joined forces to research the links between traumatic brain injury, domestic violence, and deep games. It has been exciting and inspiring to witness the accomplishments of our innovative and dedicated community. We are proud to provide the space and resources for them to do their exceptional work. David MillerDean, College of Computing and Digital Mediahttps://via.library.depaul.edu/cdmannual/1001/thumbnail.jp

Introducing the Game Design Matrix: A Step-by-Step Process for Creating Serious Games

The Game Design Matrix makes effective game design accessible to novice game designers. Serious Games are a powerful tool for educators seeking to boost the level of student engagement and application in academic environments, but the can be difficult to incorporate into existing courses due to availability and the cost of quality game design. The Game Design Matrix was used by two educators, novice game designers, to create a serious game. The games were assessed in an academic setting and observed to be effective in engagement, interaction, and achieving higher levels of learning

Ground Processing Affordability for Space Vehicles

Launch vehicles and most of their payloads spend the majority of their time on the ground. The cost of ground operations is very high. So, why so often is so little attention given to ground processing during development? The current global space industry and economic environment are driving more need for efficiencies to save time and money. Affordability and sustainability are more important now than ever. We can not continue to treat space vehicles as mere science projects. More RLV's (Reusable Launch Vehicles) are being developed for the gains of reusability which are not available for ELV's (Expendable Launch Vehicles). More human-rated vehicles are being developed, with the retirement of the Space Shuttles, and for a new global space race, yet these cost more than the many unmanned vehicles of today. We can learn many lessons on affordability from RLV's. DFO (Design for Operations) considers ground operations during design, development, and manufacturing-before the first flight. This is often minimized for space vehicles, but is very important. Vehicles are designed for launch and mission operations. You will not be able to do it again if it is too slow or costly to get there. Many times, technology changes faster than space products such that what is launched includes outdated features, thus reducing competitiveness. Ground operations must be considered for the full product Lifecycle, from concept to retirement. Once manufactured, launch vehicles along with their payloads and launch systems require a long path of processing before launch. Initial assembly and testing always discover problems to address. A solid integration program is essential to minimize these impacts, as was seen in the Constellation Ares I-X test rocket. For RLV's, landing/recovery and post-flight turnaround activities are performed. Multi-use vehicles require reconfiguration. MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) must be well-planned--- even for the unplanned problems. Defect limits and standard repairs need to be in-place as well as easily added. Many routine inspections and maintenance can be like an aircraft overhaul. Modifications and technology upgrades should be expected. Another factor affecting ground operations efficiency is trending. It is essential for RLV's, and also useful for ELV's which fly the same or similar models again. Good data analysis of technical and processing performance will determine fixes and improvements needed for safety, design, and future processing. Collecting such data on new or low-frequency vehicles is a challenge. Lessons can be learned from the Space Shuttle, or even the Concorde aircraft. For all of the above topics, efficient business systems must be established for comprehensive program management and good throughput. Drawings, specifications, and manuals for an entire launch vehicle are often in different formats from multiple vendors, plus they have proprietary constraints. Nonetheless, the integration team must ensure that all data needed is compatible and visible to each appropriate team member. Ground processing systems for scheduling, tracking, problem resolution, etc. must be well laid-out. The balance between COTS (commercial off the shelf) and custom software is difficult. Multiple customers, vendors, launch sites, and landing sites add to the complexity of efficient IT (Information Technology) tools

Towards an aspect weaving BPEL engine

This position paper proposes the use of dynamic aspects and the visitor design pattern to obtain a highly configurable and extensible BPEL engine. Using these two techniques, the core of this infrastructural software can be customised to meet new requirements and add features such as debugging, execution monitoring, or changing to another Web Service selection policy. Additionally, it can easily be extended to cope with customer-specific BPEL extensions. We propose the use of dynamic aspects not only on the engine itself but also on the workflow in order to tackle the problems of Web Service hot deployment and hot fixes to long running processes. In this way, composing aWeb Service "on-the-fly" means weaving its choreography interface into the workflow