Integrated sensor and controller framework : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Information and Telecommunications Engineering at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

This thesis presents a software platform to integrate sensors, controllers, actuators and instrumentation within a common framework. This provides a flexible, reusable, reconfigurable and sealable system for designers to use as a base for any sensing and control platform. The purpose of the framework is to decrease system development time, and allow more time to be spent on designing the control algorithms, rather than implementing the system. The architecture is generic, and finds application in many areas such as home, office and factory automation, process and environmental monitoring, surveillance and robotics. The framework uses a data driven design, which separates the data storage areas (dataslots) from the components of the framework that process the data (processors). By separating all the components of the framework in this way, it allows a flexible configuration. When a processor places data into a dataslot, the dataslot queues all the processors that use that data to run. A system that is based on this framework is configured by a text file. All the components are defined in the file, with the interactions between them. The system can be thought of as multiple boxes, with the text file defining how these boxes are connected together. This allows rapid configuration of the system, as separate text files can be maintained for different configurations. A text file is used for the configuration instead of a graphical environment to simplify the development process, and to reduce development time. One potential limitation of the approach of separating the computational components is an increased overhead or latency. It is acknowledged that this is an important consideration in many control applications, so the framework is designed to minimise the latency through implementation of prioritized queues and multitasking. This prevents one slow component from degrading the performance of the rest of the system. The operation of the framework is demonstrated through a range of different applications. These show some of the key features including: acquiring data, handling multiple dataslots that a processor reads from or writes to, controlling actuators, how the virtual instrumentation works, network communications, where controllers fit into the framework, data logging, image and video dataslots. timers and dynamically linked libraries. A number of experiments show the framework under real conditions. The framework's data passing mechanisms are demonstrated, a simple control and data logging application is shown and an image processing application is shown to demonstrate the system under load. The latency of the framework is also determined. These illustrate how the framework would operate under different hardware and software applications. Work can still be done on the framework, as extra features can be added to improve the usability. Overall, this thesis presents a flexible system to integrate sensors, actuators, instrumentation and controllers that can be utilised in a wide range of applications

Enterprise Experience into the Integration of Human-Centered Design and Kanban

he integration of Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Agile Software Development (ASD) promises the development of competitive products comprising a good User Experience (UX). This study has investigated the integration of HCD and Kanban with the aim to gain industrial experiences in a real world context. A case study showed that requirements flow into the development process in a structured manner by adding a design board. To this end, the transparency concerning recurring requirements increased. We contribute to the body of knowledge of software development by providing practical insights into Human-Centered Agile Development (HCAD). On one hand, it is shown that the integration of HCD and Kanban leads to a product with a good UX and makes the development process more human-centered. On the other hand, we conclude that a cross-functional collaboration speeds up product development.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46928-C3-3-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2015-71938-RED

Systems development methods and usability in Norway: An industrial perspective

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2007 Springer Berlin HeidelbergThis paper investigates the relationship between traditional systems development methodologies and usability, through a survey of 78 Norwegian IT companies. Building on previous research we proposed two hypotheses; (1) that software companies will generally pay lip service to usability, but do not prioritize it in industrial projects, and (2) that systems development methods and usability are perceived as not being integrated. We find support for both hypotheses. Thus, the use of systems development methods is fairly stable, confirming earlier research. Most companies do not use a formal method, and of those who do, the majority use their own method. Generally, the use of methods is rather pragmatic: Companies that do not use formal methods report that they use elements from such methods. Further, companies that use their own method import elements from standardised methods into their own

Software development methods and usability: Perspectives from a survey in the software industry in Norway

This paper investigates the relationship between traditional software development methodologies and usability. The point of departure is the assumption that two important disciplines in software development, one of software development methods (SDMs) and one of usability work, are not integrated in industrial software projects. Building on previous research we investigate two questions; (1) Will software companies generally acknowledge the importance of usability, but not prioritise it in industrial projects? and (2) To what degree are software development methods and usability perceived by practitioners as being integrated? To this end a survey in the Norwegian IT industry was conducted. From a sample of 259 companies we received responses from 78 companies. In response to our first research question, our findings show that although there is a positive bias towards usability, the importance of usability testing is perceived to be much less than that of usability requirements. Given the strong time and cost pressures associated with the software industry, we believe that these results highlight that there is a gap between intention and reality. Regarding our second research question our survey revealed that companies perceive usability and software development methods to be integrated. This is in contrast to earlier research, which, somewhat pessimistically, has argued for the existence of two different cultures, one of software development and one of usability. The findings give hope for the future, in particular because the general use of system development methods are pragmatic and adaptable

Embedding accessibility and usability: considerations for e-learning research and development projects

This paper makes the case that if e‐learning research and development projects are to be successfully adopted in real‐world teaching and learning contexts, then they must effectively address accessibility and usability issues; and that these need to be integrated throughout the project. As such, accessibility and usability issues need to be made explicit in project documentation, along with allocation of appropriate resources and time. We argue that accessibility and usability are intrinsically inter‐linked. An integrated accessibility and usability evaluation methodology that we have developed is presented and discussed. The paper draws on a series of mini‐case studies from e‐learning projects undertaken over the past 10 years at the Open University

Usability discussions in open source development

The public nature of discussion in open source projects provides a valuable resource for understanding the mechanisms of open source software development. In this paper we explore how open source projects address issues of usability. We examine bug reports of several projects to characterise how developers address and resolve issues concerning user interfaces and interaction design. We discuss how bug reporting and discussion systems can be improved to better support bug reporters and open source developers