16 research outputs found
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Formalizing graphical notations
The thesis describes research into graphical notations for software engineering, with a principal interest in ways of formalizing them. The research seeks to provide a theoretical basis that will help in designing both notations and the software tools that process them.
The work starts from a survey of literature on notation, followed by a review of techniques for formal description and for computational handling of notations. The survey concentrates on collecting views of the benefits and the problems attending notation use in software development; the review covers picture description languages, grammars and tools such as generic editors and visual programming environments. The main problem of notation is found to be a lack of any coherent, rigorous description methods. The current approaches to this problem are analysed as lacking in consensus on syntax specification and also lacking a clear focus on a defined concept of notated expression.
To address these deficiencies, the thesis embarks upon an exploration of serniotic, linguistic and logical theory; this culminates in a proposed formalization of serniosis in notations, using categorial model theory as a mathematical foundation. An argument about the structure of sign systems leads to an analysis of notation into a layered system of tractable theories, spanning the gap between expressive pictorial medium and subject domain. This notion of 'tectonic' theory aims to treat both diagrams and formulae together.
The research gives details of how syntactic structure can be sketched in a mathematical sense, with examples applying to software development diagrams, offering a new solution to the problem of notation specification. Based on these methods, the thesis discusses directions for resolving the harder problems of supporting notation design, processing and computer-aided generic editing. A number of future research areas are thereby opened up. For practical trial of the ideas, the work proceeds to the development and partial implementation of a system to aid the design of notations and editors. Finally the thesis is evaluated as a contribution to theory in an area which has not attracted a standard approach
Computer Aided Verification
The open access two-volume set LNCS 12224 and 12225 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 32st International Conference on Computer Aided Verification, CAV 2020, held in Los Angeles, CA, USA, in July 2020.* The 43 full papers presented together with 18 tool papers and 4 case studies, were carefully reviewed and selected from 240 submissions. The papers were organized in the following topical sections: Part I: AI verification; blockchain and Security; Concurrency; hardware verification and decision procedures; and hybrid and dynamic systems. Part II: model checking; software verification; stochastic systems; and synthesis. *The conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic
A complex systems approach to education in Switzerland
The insights gained from the study of complex systems in biological, social, and engineered systems enables us not only to observe and understand, but also to actively design systems which will be capable of successfully coping with complex and dynamically changing situations. The methods and mindset required for this approach have been applied to educational systems with their diverse levels of scale and complexity. Based on the general case made by Yaneer Bar-Yam, this paper applies the complex systems approach to the educational system in Switzerland. It confirms that the complex systems approach is valid. Indeed, many recommendations made for the general case have already been implemented in the Swiss education system. To address existing problems and difficulties, further steps are recommended. This paper contributes to the further establishment complex systems approach by shedding light on an area which concerns us all, which is a frequent topic of discussion and dispute among politicians and the public, where billions of dollars have been spent without achieving the desired results, and where it is difficult to directly derive consequences from actions taken. The analysis of the education system's different levels, their complexity and scale will clarify how such a dynamic system should be approached, and how it can be guided towards the desired performance
Contributions to the content-based image retrieval using pictorial queries
Descripci贸 del recurs: el 02 de novembre de 2010L'acc茅s massiu a les c脿meres digitals, els ordinadors personals i a Internet, ha propiciat la creaci贸 de grans volums de dades en format digital. En aquest context, cada vegada adquireixen major rellev脿ncia totes aquelles eines dissenyades per organitzar la informaci贸 i facilitar la seva cerca. Les imatges s贸n un cas particular de dades que requereixen t猫cniques espec铆fiques de descripci贸 i indexaci贸. L'脿rea de la visi贸 per computador encarregada de l'estudi d'aquestes t猫cniques rep el nom de Recuperaci贸 d'Imatges per Contingut, en angl猫s Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR). Els sistemes de CBIR no utilitzen descripcions basades en text sin贸 que es basen en caracter铆stiques extretes de les pr貌pies imatges. En contrast a les m茅s de 6000 lleng眉es parlades en el m贸n, les descripcions basades en caracter铆stiques visuals representen una via d'expressi贸 universal. La intensa recerca en el camp dels sistemes de CBIR s'ha aplicat en 脿rees de coneixement molt diverses. Aix铆 doncs s'han desenvolupat aplicacions de CBIR relacionades amb la medicina, la protecci贸 de la propietat intel路lectual, el periodisme, el disseny gr脿fic, la cerca d'informaci贸 en Internet, la preservaci贸 dels patrimoni cultural, etc. Un dels punts importants d'una aplicaci贸 de CBIR resideix en el disseny de les funcions de l'usuari. L'usuari 茅s l'encarregat de formular les consultes a partir de les quals es fa la cerca de les imatges. Nosaltres hem centrat l'atenci贸 en aquells sistemes en qu猫 la consulta es formula a partir d'una representaci贸 pict貌rica. Hem plantejat una taxonomia dels sistemes de consulta en composada per quatre paradigmes diferents: Consulta-segons-Selecci贸, Consulta-segons-Composici贸-Ic貌nica, Consulta-segons-Esbo莽 i Consulta-segons-Il路lustraci贸. Cada paradigma incorpora un nivell diferent en el potencial expressiu de l'usuari. Des de la simple selecci贸 d'una imatge, fins a la creaci贸 d'una il路lustraci贸 en color, l'usuari 茅s qui pren el control de les dades d'entrada del sistema. Al llarg dels cap铆tols d'aquesta tesi hem analitzat la influ猫ncia que cada paradigma de consulta exerceix en els processos interns d'un sistema de CBIR. D'aquesta manera tamb茅 hem proposat un conjunt de contribucions que hem exemplificat des d'un punt de vista pr脿ctic mitjan莽ant una aplicaci贸 final
Contributions to the Content-Based Image Retrieval Using Pictorial Queris
L'acc茅s massiu a les c脿meres digitals, els ordinadors personals i a Internet, ha propiciat la creaci贸 de grans volums de dades en format digital. En aquest context, cada vegada adquireixen major rellev脿ncia totes aquelles eines dissenyades per organitzar la informaci贸 i facilitar la seva cerca.Les imatges s贸n un cas particular de dades que requereixen t猫cniques espec铆fiques de descripci贸 i indexaci贸. L'脿rea de la visi贸 per computador encarregada de l'estudi d'aquestes t猫cniques rep el nom de Recuperaci贸 d'Imatges per Contingut, en angl猫s Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR). Els sistemes de CBIR no utilitzen descripcions basades en text sin贸 que es basen en caracter铆stiques extretes de les pr貌pies imatges. En contrast a les m茅s de 6000 lleng眉es parlades en el m贸n, les descripcions basades en caracter铆stiques visuals representen una via d'expressi贸 universal.La intensa recerca en el camp dels sistemes de CBIR s'ha aplicat en 脿rees de coneixement molt diverses. Aix铆 doncs s'han desenvolupat aplicacions de CBIR relacionades amb la medicina, la protecci贸 de la propietat intel路lectual, el periodisme, el disseny gr脿fic, la cerca d'informaci贸 en Internet, la preservaci贸 dels patrimoni cultural, etc. Un dels punts importants d'una aplicaci贸 de CBIR resideix en el disseny de les funcions de l'usuari. L'usuari 茅s l'encarregat de formular les consultes a partir de les quals es fa la cerca de les imatges. Nosaltres hem centrat l'atenci贸 en aquells sistemes en qu猫 la consulta es formula a partir d'una representaci贸 pict貌rica. Hem plantejat una taxonomia dels sistemes de consulta en composada per quatre paradigmes diferents: Consulta-segons-Selecci贸, Consulta-segons-Composici贸-Ic貌nica, Consulta-segons-Esbo莽 i Consulta-segons-Il路lustraci贸. Cada paradigma incorpora un nivell diferent en el potencial expressiu de l'usuari. Des de la simple selecci贸 d'una imatge, fins a la creaci贸 d'una il路lustraci贸 en color, l'usuari 茅s qui pren el control de les dades d'entrada del sistema. Al llarg dels cap铆tols d'aquesta tesi hem analitzat la influ猫ncia que cada paradigma de consulta exerceix en els processos interns d'un sistema de CBIR. D'aquesta manera tamb茅 hem proposat un conjunt de contribucions que hem exemplificat des d'un punt de vista pr脿ctic mitjan莽ant una aplicaci贸 final