発展型システムにおけるエージェント指向設計手法に関する研究

Tohoku University木下哲男課

Soft eSkin:distributed touch sensing with harmonized energy and computing

Inspired by biology, significant advances have been made in the field of electronic skin (eSkin) or tactile skin. Many of these advances have come through mimicking the morphology of human skin and by distributing few touch sensors in an area. However, the complexity of human skin goes beyond mimicking few morphological features or using few sensors. For example, embedded computing (e.g. processing of tactile data at the point of contact) is centric to the human skin as some neuroscience studies show. Likewise, distributed cell or molecular energy is a key feature of human skin. The eSkin with such features, along with distributed and embedded sensors/electronics on soft substrates, is an interesting topic to explore. These features also make eSkin significantly different from conventional computing. For example, unlike conventional centralized computing enabled by miniaturized chips, the eSkin could be seen as a flexible and wearable large area computer with distributed sensors and harmonized energy. This paper discusses these advanced features in eSkin, particularly the distributed sensing harmoniously integrated with energy harvesters, storage devices and distributed computing to read and locally process the tactile sensory data. Rapid advances in neuromorphic hardware, flexible energy generation, energy-conscious electronics, flexible and printed electronics are also discussed. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Harmonizing energy-autonomous computing and intelligence’

Enabling sustainable power distribution networks by using smart grid communications

Smart grid modernization enables integration of computing, information and communications capabilities into the legacy electric power grid system, especially the low voltage distribution networks where various consumers are located. The evolutionary paradigm has initiated worldwide deployment of an enormous number of smart meters as well as renewable energy sources at end-user levels. The future distribution networks as part of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) will involve decentralized power control operations under associated smart grid communications networks. This dissertation addresses three potential problems anticipated in the future distribution networks of smart grid: 1) local power congestion due to power surpluses produced by PV solar units in a neighborhood that demands disconnection/reconnection mechanisms to alleviate power overflow, 2) power balance associated with renewable energy utilization as well as data traffic across a multi-layered distribution network that requires decentralized designs to facilitate power control as well as communications, and 3) a breach of data integrity attributed to a typical false data injection attack in a smart metering network that calls for a hybrid intrusion detection system to detect anomalous/malicious activities. In the first problem, a model for the disconnection process via smart metering communications between smart meters and the utility control center is proposed. By modeling the power surplus congestion issue as a knapsack problem, greedy solutions for solving such problem are proposed. Simulation results and analysis show that computation time and data traffic under a disconnection stage in the network can be reduced. In the second problem, autonomous distribution networks are designed that take scalability into account by dividing the legacy distribution network into a set of subnetworks. A power-control method is proposed to tackle the power flow and power balance issues. Meanwhile, an overlay multi-tier communications infrastructure for the underlying power network is proposed to analyze the traffic of data information and control messages required for the associated power flow operations. Simulation results and analysis show that utilization of renewable energy production can be improved, and at the same time data traffic reduction under decentralized operations can be achieved as compared to legacy centralized management. In the third problem, an attack model is proposed that aims to minimize the number of compromised meters subject to the equality of an aggregated power load in order to bypass detection under the conventionally radial tree-like distribution network. A hybrid anomaly detection framework is developed, which incorporates the proposed grid sensor placement algorithm with the observability attribute. Simulation results and analysis show that the network observability as well as detection accuracy can be improved by utilizing grid-placed sensors. Conclusively, a number of future works have also been identified to furthering the associated problems and proposed solutions

Inter-disciplinary study on open source software development in developing countries: a case study of Chinese Linux

This research provides a detailed account of Open Source Software (OSS) development in the context of developing countries (DCs) by exploring the specific case of Chinese indigenous Linux design and development. It builds an interdisciplinary, socio-technical, analytical framework from the perspective of science and technology studies (STS), in particular the social shaping of technology (SST), infrastructural studies and international technology transfer. It also covers the fields of economic analysis, policy studies and development studies. The research investigates the adaptation process of a unique OSS with infrastructural features – Linux in the context of China by conducting case studies on both embedded Linux and platform Linux products developed by two Chinese Linux providers. Drawing upon the concepts developed in the SST perspective and infrastructural studies, this research addresses both the dynamism and continuity of OSS. In order to avoid the shortcomings of existing social scientific study on OSS, we applied social and biography of artefacts (BoA) approaches to examine the evolution of Chinese Linux by mapping out the key actors, investigating the linkages between them, and probing deeply into the intricate interplays among these actors over time. A detailed longitudinal and contextual analysis has been undertaken through a qualitative historical case study of the evolution of both Chinese embedded Linux and platform Linux from 1998-2008. The empirical data reveals that the local adaptation and further innovation of Chinese Linux is a ‘generification’ process, i.e. a process of design and developing generic Linux solutions for diverse local users. Theoretically, the understanding of the socio-technical interfaces of the software (seeking, identifying, categorising local users/intermediaries, as well as collaborating with key players associated with the particular software) are central elements for software technology transfer and local technological capabilities building. The findings also throw the light on the crucial importance of government role in providing incentives and institutional measures for Linux adaptation in China. In particular, it highlights the challenges concerning the socio-technical specificities of infrastructural software, like Linux OS (operating system) and the particular relevance to DCs as technology adapters. Finally, this study throws light on the policy and practice for China’s future Linux development, and the implications for other DCs

Investigation of quality of services (QoS) support for real-time or mission critical services over IEEE 802.11e wireless networks.

Multimedia application is currently making much impact in this technological era. It has been thekey driving force behind the convergence of fixed, mobile and IP networks. Furthermore, real-timeapplications are making head way in vehicular networks, mission critical applications which usededicated short range communications (DSRC). 802.l i e standards support quality of services(QoS) guarantees in these applications. This is opposed to the problem with 802.11 legacy whichis based on distributed coordination function (DCF), and its inability to prioritized applications forservice differentiation. Simulation was done on various 802.l i e networks which use enhancedDCF (EDCF). In these simulations, it was observed that controlling low priority applicationsenhances the effectiveness of high priority applications. Different MAC and traffic generationparameters were used in various scenarios. It was actually observed that high priority applicationshave greater impacts on the performance of the network and hence performs better when itcomes to delay and throughput requirements. Even when the number of high priority applicationswere reduced, the results obtained was still able to satisfy QoS requirements for each traffic type.Results for different scenarios were taken and discussed. Also, differentiated values of delay,throughput and packet loss were recorded when same and different values of MAC and trafficgeneration parameters were used. In all results the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T) values of these metrics parameters were kept low. These make the network design suitable forroad safety application where very low delay is required for emergency messages and tolerabledelay in routine messages. The results obtained show th at, this network can be applicable inroad safety, simply because of the low delay, and low loss which implies , messages to cars canbe successfully delivered and also good throughput. 802.11 legacy standard lacks servicedifferentiation that limits QoS support for real-time applications. These simulations were able tohandle the drawback associated with this standard and prefer a better standard which is 802.l i ethat provides differentiated access to the metrics that was used in analyzing QoS in this research

Sustainability in design: now! Challenges and opportunities for design research, education and practice in the XXI century

Copyright @ 2010 Greenleaf PublicationsLeNS project funded by the Asia Link Programme, EuropeAid, European Commission

Sense and Respond

Over the past century, the manufacturing industry has undergone a number of paradigm shifts: from the Ford assembly line (1900s) and its focus on efficiency to the Toyota production system (1960s) and its focus on effectiveness and JIDOKA; from flexible manufacturing (1980s) to reconfigurable manufacturing (1990s) (both following the trend of mass customization); and from agent-based manufacturing (2000s) to cloud manufacturing (2010s) (both deploying the value stream complexity into the material and information flow, respectively). The next natural evolutionary step is to provide value by creating industrial cyber-physical assets with human-like intelligence. This will only be possible by further integrating strategic smart sensor technology into the manufacturing cyber-physical value creating processes in which industrial equipment is monitored and controlled for analyzing compression, temperature, moisture, vibrations, and performance. For instance, in the new wave of the ‘Industrial Internet of Things’ (IIoT), smart sensors will enable the development of new applications by interconnecting software, machines, and humans throughout the manufacturing process, thus enabling suppliers and manufacturers to rapidly respond to changing standards. This reprint of “Sense and Respond” aims to cover recent developments in the field of industrial applications, especially smart sensor technologies that increase the productivity, quality, reliability, and safety of industrial cyber-physical value-creating processes

Design interventions for re-conceptualising sustainable graphic design practices in Ghana

Thesis (DTech (Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019This research explored and examined graphic design practices through the lens of the Sustainability Development Analytical Grid. The exploration was meant to discover how graphic design practices are carried out - from idea inception to the delivery stage of graphic design products - in a developing nation. The essence of the exploration was to understand how graphic designers make design decisions and the effects of these design decisions in the pre-press, press and post-press activities from a sustainability perspective. In the examination, the first task was to probe the identified graphic design practices using the selected sustainability framework, to ascertain what the challenges are to sustainability in graphic design practices. The second task was to explore sustainable, emerging-design interventions and match them to the identified challenges within the same graphic design community. This served as a means for re-conceptualising sustainable graphic design for purposes of best practice in a particular developing nation. This research, thus, advances that aside from the environmental dimension, the social and economic dimensions of sustainability are also integral parts of sustainability, and thus the holistic nature of sustainability should be recognised as such in sustainable graphic design. In the research study, empathic, contextual and ethnographic human-centred approaches were deployed through the interpretivist paradigm. The selected human-centred approaches were used with the aid of an amalgamation of the Sustainability Development Analytical Grid and Activity Theory to examine graphic design practices from a graphic design production perspective. Qualitative research methods were used. The data-gathering tools used were participant observation, interviews and document reviews to interrogate the nature of graphic design practices, the challenges to sustainability and the emerging-design interventions used by some designers to counter the challenges to sustainability. The research site was Asafo, a suburb of Kumasi in Ghana. The selected samples were four graphic design firms, 30 graphic designers, 15 creative directors, 30 clients and 30 graphic design products, all were selected purposively. The results revealed several challenges to sustainability in graphic design practices such as lack of knowledge on proper disposal of printing machine chemicals, poor choice of printing paper without environmental considerations and weak ethics in the promotion of unapproved graphic design packages for food products. On the other hand, there were local, emerging-design interventions within the same graphic design community developed by the designers that countered most of the challenges to sustainability. The local design interventions supported the concept of cosmopolitan localism that gives graphic designers room to develop solutions that are local but have global essence. The study proposes that the future of holistic sustainable graphic design lies in local design interventions, implying that the developing nations have alternative solutions to their problems and must be allowed to develop their resilience through innovation