Designing Software Architectures As a Composition of Specializations of Knowledge Domains

This paper summarizes our experimental research and software development activities in designing robust, adaptable and reusable software architectures. Several years ago, based on our previous experiences in object-oriented software development, we made the following assumption: ‘A software architecture should be a composition of specializations of knowledge domains’. To verify this assumption we carried out three pilot projects. In addition to the application of some popular domain analysis techniques such as use cases, we identified the invariant compositional structures of the software architectures and the related knowledge domains. Knowledge domains define the boundaries of the adaptability and reusability capabilities of software systems. Next, knowledge domains were mapped to object-oriented concepts. We experienced that some aspects of knowledge could not be directly modeled in terms of object-oriented concepts. In this paper we describe our approach, the pilot projects, the experienced problems and the adopted solutions for realizing the software architectures. We conclude the paper with the lessons that we learned from this experience

A synthesis of logic and bio-inspired techniques in the design of dependable systems

Much of the development of model-based design and dependability analysis in the design of dependable systems, including software intensive systems, can be attributed to the application of advances in formal logic and its application to fault forecasting and verification of systems. In parallel, work on bio-inspired technologies has shown potential for the evolutionary design of engineering systems via automated exploration of potentially large design spaces. We have not yet seen the emergence of a design paradigm that effectively combines these two techniques, schematically founded on the two pillars of formal logic and biology, from the early stages of, and throughout, the design lifecycle. Such a design paradigm would apply these techniques synergistically and systematically to enable optimal refinement of new designs which can be driven effectively by dependability requirements. The paper sketches such a model-centric paradigm for the design of dependable systems, presented in the scope of the HiP-HOPS tool and technique, that brings these technologies together to realise their combined potential benefits. The paper begins by identifying current challenges in model-based safety assessment and then overviews the use of meta-heuristics at various stages of the design lifecycle covering topics that span from allocation of dependability requirements, through dependability analysis, to multi-objective optimisation of system architectures and maintenance schedules

Fuzzy Decision-Support System for Safeguarding Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage

In the current world economic situation, the maintenance of built heritage has been limited due to a lack of funds and accurate tools for proper management and implementation of these actions. However, in specific local areas, the maintenance and conservation of historical and cultural heritage have become an investment opportunity. In this sense, in this study, a new tool is proposed, for the estimation of the functional service life of heritage buildings in a local region (city of Seville, South Spain). This tool is developed in Art-Risk research project and consists of a free software to evaluate decisions in regional policies, planning and management of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, considering physical, environmental, economic and social resources. This tool provides a ranking of priority of intervention among case studies belonging to a particular urban context. This information is particularly relevant for the stakeholders responsible for the management of maintenance plans in built heritage

Time Series on Functional Service Life of Buildings using Fuzzy Delphi Method

The functional service life of heritage buildings, defined as the time period during which the building fulfils the requirements for which it was designed, is a complex system that has still not been fully resolved and continues to be the object of research regarding its social, economic and cultural importance. This paper presents an application for analysing time series that reflect the state of building performance over time. To this end, historical time records are used that provided data that could be interpreted by experts in the field. The latter can then evaluate the input variables (vulnerability and risk) using the expert system for predicting the service life of buildings, Fuzzy Building Service Life (FBSL), this methodology put together the fuzzy logic tools and Delphi method. This model provides output data on the state of functionality or performance of each buildings at each moment in time whenever information records are available. The Delphi Method is used to eliminate expert subjectivity, establishing an FDM-type assessment methodology that effectively quantifies the service life of buildings over time. The application is able to provide significant data when generating future preventive maintenance programmes in architectural-cultural heritage buildings. It can also be used to optimise the resources invested in the conservation of heritage buildings. In order to validate this system, the FDM methodology is applied to some specific building examples.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España, Project ART-RISK - BIA2015-64878-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad de España MTM 2015-65397-

WARP: Weight Associative Rule Processor. A dedicated VLSI fuzzy logic megacell

During the last five years Fuzzy Logic has gained enormous popularity in the academic and industrial worlds. The success of this new methodology has led the microelectronics industry to create a new class of machines, called Fuzzy Machines, to overcome the limitations of traditional computing systems when utilized as Fuzzy Systems. This paper gives an overview of the methods by which Fuzzy Logic data structures are represented in the machines (each with its own advantages and inefficiencies). Next, the paper introduces WARP (Weight Associative Rule Processor) which is a dedicated VLSI megacell allowing the realization of a fuzzy controller suitable for a wide range of applications. WARP represents an innovative approach to VLSI Fuzzy controllers by utilizing different types of data structures for characterizing the membership functions during the various stages of the Fuzzy processing. WARP dedicated architecture has been designed in order to achieve high performance by exploiting the computational advantages offered by the different data representations

Single board system for fuzzy inference

The very large scale integration (VLSI) implementation of a fuzzy logic inference mechanism allows the use of rule-based control and decision making in demanding real-time applications. Researchers designed a full custom VLSI inference engine. The chip was fabricated using CMOS technology. The chip consists of 688,000 transistors of which 476,000 are used for RAM memory. The fuzzy logic inference engine board system incorporates the custom designed integrated circuit into a standard VMEbus environment. The Fuzzy Logic system uses Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) parts to provide the interface between the Fuzzy chip and a standard, double height VMEbus backplane, allowing the chip to perform application process control through the VMEbus host. High level C language functions hide details of the hardware system interface from the applications level programmer. The first version of the board was installed on a robot at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in January of 1990

A 16 [email protected] Mixed-Signal Programmable Fuzzy Controller CMOS-1μm Chip

We present a fuzzy inference chip capable to evaluate 16 programmable rules at a speed of 2.5Mflips (2.5 × 10 6 fuzzy inferences per second) with 8.6mW power consumption. It occupies 2.89mm 2 (including pads) in a CMOS 1μm single-poly technology. Measurements are given to demonstrate its performance. All the operations needed for fuzzy inference are realized on-chip using analog circuitry compatible with standard VLSI CMOS technologies. On-chip digital control and memory circuitry is also incorporated for programmability. The chip architecture and circuitry are based on our design methodology for neurofuzzy systems reported in [1]. A few architectural modifications are made to share circuitry among rules and, thus, obtain reduced area and power consumption. The chip parameters can be learned in situ, for operation in a changing environment, by using dedicated hardware-compatible learning algorithms [1][8

Early aspects: aspect-oriented requirements engineering and architecture design

This paper reports on the third Early Aspects: Aspect-Oriented Requirements Engineering and Architecture Design Workshop, which has been held in Lancaster, UK, on March 21, 2004. The workshop included a presentation session and working sessions in which the particular topics on early aspects were discussed. The primary goal of the workshop was to focus on challenges to defining methodical software development processes for aspects from early on in the software life cycle and explore the potential of proposed methods and techniques to scale up to industrial applications