Using formal methods to support testing

Formal methods and testing are two important approaches that assist in the development of high quality software. While traditionally these approaches have been seen as rivals, in recent years a new consensus has developed in which they are seen as complementary. This article reviews the state of the art regarding ways in which the presence of a formal specification can be used to assist testing

Automated Game Design Learning

While general game playing is an active field of research, the learning of game design has tended to be either a secondary goal of such research or it has been solely the domain of humans. We propose a field of research, Automated Game Design Learning (AGDL), with the direct purpose of learning game designs directly through interaction with games in the mode that most people experience games: via play. We detail existing work that touches the edges of this field, describe current successful projects in AGDL and the theoretical foundations that enable them, point to promising applications enabled by AGDL, and discuss next steps for this exciting area of study. The key moves of AGDL are to use game programs as the ultimate source of truth about their own design, and to make these design properties available to other systems and avenues of inquiry.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for CIG 201

Simulation of networks of spiking neurons: A review of tools and strategies

We review different aspects of the simulation of spiking neural networks. We start by reviewing the different types of simulation strategies and algorithms that are currently implemented. We next review the precision of those simulation strategies, in particular in cases where plasticity depends on the exact timing of the spikes. We overview different simulators and simulation environments presently available (restricted to those freely available, open source and documented). For each simulation tool, its advantages and pitfalls are reviewed, with an aim to allow the reader to identify which simulator is appropriate for a given task. Finally, we provide a series of benchmark simulations of different types of networks of spiking neurons, including Hodgkin-Huxley type, integrate-and-fire models, interacting with current-based or conductance-based synapses, using clock-driven or event-driven integration strategies. The same set of models are implemented on the different simulators, and the codes are made available. The ultimate goal of this review is to provide a resource to facilitate identifying the appropriate integration strategy and simulation tool to use for a given modeling problem related to spiking neural networks.Comment: 49 pages, 24 figures, 1 table; review article, Journal of Computational Neuroscience, in press (2007

The knowledge-based software assistant

Where the Knowledge Based Software Assistant (KBSA) is now, four years after the initial report, is discussed. Also described is what the Rome Air Development Center expects at the end of the first contract iteration. What the second and third contract iterations will look like are characterized

Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on Domain-Specific Language Design and Implementation (DSLDI 2015)

The goal of the DSLDI workshop is to bring together researchers and practitioners interested in sharing ideas on how DSLs should be designed, implemented, supported by tools, and applied in realistic application contexts. We are both interested in discovering how already known domains such as graph processing or machine learning can be best supported by DSLs, but also in exploring new domains that could be targeted by DSLs. More generally, we are interested in building a community that can drive forward the development of modern DSLs. These informal post-proceedings contain the submitted talk abstracts to the 3rd DSLDI workshop (DSLDI'15), and a summary of the panel discussion on Language Composition

Design and manufacturing of a Selective Laser Sintering test bench to test sintering materials

The goal of this project is to design and build a prototype of recoating system for a laser cutting machine to turn it into a selective laser sintering printing machine. This prototype will be used to study new sintering materials and to design, if decided, a SLS 3D printing Machine (Selective Laser Sintering). This project has been developed in the installations and funded by Fundació CIM. The project develops the mechanical design and the electronic system design. Both parts are explained on this paper, so new users can use the machine and can understand the system. With this paper, it is expected that it can be improved in a future to test other parameters and configurations. The paper is divided in three basic blocks that are summed up here: The first block is an introduction to the 3D printing technologies. The most used of them are explained and selective laser sintering is explained in deep. With this block the reader can understand why it is important to develop the SLS technology and what has to be done to improve the machines and the technology. The second block is a discussion on the mechanical design of the machine. The general idea of the machine is explained so the user can understand why the machine is designed in this way. After that, each part is detailed to see how the different mechanical challenges where overtaken. At the end of the block, there is a small calculations section needed on the electronic part. The third block is an extensive explanation of the electronic system that controls and moves the machine. In that block, the different components are explained so the user can understand its basics working principles. It is also explained how the selection of the electronic components was done. Then everything is put together to see the whole electronic system. Along with this paper, there are annexes that provide some extra information for the reader. One of this annexes refers to the mechanical part and the other one has some datasheets and coding for the electronic section. The whole design has been done in SOLIDWORKS cad software and its electric extension ELECWORKS. The programming job was done with Arduino compiler