Designers' unified cost model

The Structures Technology Program Office (STPO) at NASA LaRC has initiated development of a conceptual and preliminary designers' cost prediction model. The model will provide a technically sound method for evaluating the relative cost of different composite structural designs, fabrication processes, and assembly methods that can be compared to equivalent metallic parts or assemblies. The feasibility of developing cost prediction software in a modular form for interfacing with state-of-the-art preliminary design tools and computer aided design programs is being evaluated. The goal of this task is to establish theoretical cost functions that relate geometric design features to summed material cost and labor content in terms of process mechanics and physics. The output of the designers' present analytical tools will be input for the designers' cost prediction model to provide the designer with a database and deterministic cost methodology that allows one to trade and synthesize designs with both cost and weight as objective functions for optimization. This paper presents the team members, approach, goals, plans, and progress to date for development of COSTADE (Cost Optimization Software for Transport Aircraft Design Evaluation)

Computer automated experimentation for the control and assessment of the classically conditioned eyeblink response

The use of the classically conditioned eyeblink response, a form of associative learning, is a growing method of experimentation in modem science. This type of associative learning, has many features that make it useful for applications in the study of specific neurological functions. The goal of this project was to design and implement a software system for the automated control and on-line evaluation of a classical conditioning experiment for use with human subjects. A program was developed in the LabVIEW programming environment by National Instruments. Basic hardware components produce acoustic signals, deliver airpuffs, and sense and condition physiological responses. Safety features are utilized to eliminate hazards to test subjects. The apparatus is optimized for performance to reduce the cost of human experimentation. To verify the accuracy, reliability, and safety of the apparatus a series of tests was performed. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients and healthy controls were tested in a sensory reactivity protocol, using white noise at three intensities, and a delay protocol for the evaluation of associative learning through the measurement of the classically conditioned eyeblink response. Though only a pilot study, the design of the experimental system has the reliability and sensitivity for the measurement of this type of experimentation

Integrating psychological theory into the design of an online intervention for sexual health: the sexunzipped website.

BACKGROUND: The Internet can provide a confidential and convenient medium for sexual health promotion for young people. OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the development of an interactive, theory-based website (Sexunzipped) aimed at increasing safe sexual behavior of young people, as well as an outline of the evaluation protocol. METHODS: The website focuses on safer sex, relationships, and sexual pleasure. An overview of the site is provided, including a description of the theoretical constructs which form the basis of the site development. An integrated behavioral model was chosen as the guiding theory for the Sexunzipped intervention. A randomized trial design will be used to evaluate the site quantitatively. RESULTS: The content of the site is described in detail with examples of the main content types: information pages, quizzes, and decision-making activities. We describe the protocol for quantitative evaluation of the website using a randomized trial design and discuss the principal challenges involved in developing the site, including the challenge of balancing the requirements of theory with young people's views on website content and design. CONCLUSIONS: Considerations for future interventions are discussed. Developing an online behavior-change intervention is costly and time consuming. Given the large public health potential, the cost involved in developing online interventions, and the need for attractive design, future interventions may benefit from collaborating with established sites that already have a user base, a brand, and a strong Internet presence. It is vital to involve users in decisions about intervention content, design, and features, paying attention to aspects that will attract and retain users' interest. A central challenge in developing effective Internet-based interventions for young people is to find effective ways to operationalize theory in ways that address the views and perspectives of young people

Integra House

Average housing in the UK is less affordable for rural dwellers in comparison with urban living. Fuel poverty is a related challenge, being higher in rural than urban areas. In addition to lower incomes, energy inefficiency of rural dwellings is a driver for fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is recognized in the UK as a form of social inequality and injustice. This study features application-based research that creates a single integrated construction system of the walls, roof and floor of the "Integra House" - a singular operation to create a faster, more cost-effective and thermally efficient envelope. This work is carried out through design optimization, prototyping and performance evaluation. The design used well-understood truss technology to provide the superstructure and envelope for the entire house. The prototyping included two key elements - novelty and performance testing of: a) Elemental prototypes in workshops at the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), Glasgow, and; b) The complete prototype on-site in rural Fraserburgh, Scotland. The design proved that it is capable of reducing fuel poverty, addressing indoor air quality and making considerable reductions in capital and lifecycle costs. Most importantly, it is a fully repeatable model. The initial post-occupancy evaluation confirms that all except one of the outcomes have been met. The project was funded by the CSIC

A Framework for Evaluating Model-Driven Self-adaptive Software Systems

In the last few years, Model Driven Development (MDD), Component-based Software Development (CBSD), and context-oriented software have become interesting alternatives for the design and construction of self-adaptive software systems. In general, the ultimate goal of these technologies is to be able to reduce development costs and effort, while improving the modularity, flexibility, adaptability, and reliability of software systems. An analysis of these technologies shows them all to include the principle of the separation of concerns, and their further integration is a key factor to obtaining high-quality and self-adaptable software systems. Each technology identifies different concerns and deals with them separately in order to specify the design of the self-adaptive applications, and, at the same time, support software with adaptability and context-awareness. This research studies the development methodologies that employ the principles of model-driven development in building self-adaptive software systems. To this aim, this article proposes an evaluation framework for analysing and evaluating the features of model-driven approaches and their ability to support software with self-adaptability and dependability in highly dynamic contextual environment. Such evaluation framework can facilitate the software developers on selecting a development methodology that suits their software requirements and reduces the development effort of building self-adaptive software systems. This study highlights the major drawbacks of the propped model-driven approaches in the related works, and emphasise on considering the volatile aspects of self-adaptive software in the analysis, design and implementation phases of the development methodologies. In addition, we argue that the development methodologies should leave the selection of modelling languages and modelling tools to the software developers.Comment: model-driven architecture, COP, AOP, component composition, self-adaptive application, context oriented software developmen

Context guided retrieval

This paper presents a hierarchical case representation that uses a context guided retrieval method The performance of this method is compared to that of a simple flat file representation using standard nearest neighbour retrieval. The data presented in this paper is more extensive than that presented in an earlier paper by the same authors. The estimation of the construction costs of light industrial warehouse buildings is used as the test domain. Each case in the system comprises approximately 400 features. These are structured into a hierarchical case representation that holds more general contextual features at its top and specific building elements at its leaves. A modified nearest neighbour retrieval algorithm is used that is guided by contextual similarity. Problems are decomposed into sub-problems and solutions recomposed into a final solution. The comparative results show that the context guided retrieval method using the hierarchical case representation is significantly more accurate than the simpler flat file representation and standard nearest neighbour retrieval

Enhance maintenance problem recognition techniques and its application to palm oil mills

This paper discusses the application of enhanced maintenance problem recognition techniques. The main contribution of this study is the proposed combined techniques, namely snapshot model, failure mode, effect and criticality analysis (FMECA), Pareto analysis, and decision analysis by using information technology (IT). The snapshot model is part of the maintenance modelling technique while FMECA, Pareto analysis, and decision analysis are part of maintenance reliability techniques. Each of the techniques and the proposed combined techniques is explained. The case study used for this enhanced technique was the palm oil mills maintenance problem. The result and possible further enhancement is also discussed