Towards microagent based DBIST/DBISR

We present some ideas and experiments on using microagents for testing and repairing a distributed system, whose elements may or may not have embedded BIST (built in self test) and BISR (built in self repair) facilities. The microagents are software modules that perform monitoring, diagnosis and repair of the faults. They form together a society whose members communicate, set goals and solve tasks. The platforms taken into consideration for mobile tester microagents include Java Micro Edition, BREW, Symbian, PalmOS, as well as more general small scale platforms. Experimental tester agents in Java 2 Micro Edition and PalmOS are also presented, a solution that ensures portability, flexibility, but also a relatively small memory footprint

Completing and adapting models of biological processes

We present a learning-based method for model completion and adaptation, which is based on the combination of two approaches: 1) R2D2C, a technique for mechanically transforming system requirements via provably equivalent models to running code, and 2) automata learning-based model extrapolation. The intended impact of this new combination is to make model completion and adaptation accessible to experts of the field, like biologists or engineers. The principle is briefly illustrated by generating models of biological procedures concerning gene activities in the production of proteins, although the main application is going to concern autonomic systems for space exploration.1st IFIP International Conference on Biologically Inspired Cooperative Computing - Biological Inspiration 1Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Completing and Adapting Models of Biological Processes

We present a learning-based method for model completion and adaptation, which is based on the combination of two approaches: 1) R2D2C, a technique for mechanically transforming system requirements via provably equivalent models to running code, and 2) automata learning-based model extrapolation. The intended impact of this new combination is to make model completion and adaptation accessible to experts of the field, like biologists or engineers. The principle is briefly illustrated by generating models of biological procedures concerning gene activities in the production of proteins, although the main application is going to concern autonomic systems for space exploration

A Review on Key Issues and Challenges in Devices Level MEMS Testing

The present review provides information relevant to issues and challenges in MEMS testing techniques that are implemented to analyze the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) behavior for specific application and operating conditions. MEMS devices are more complex and extremely diverse due to the immersion of multidomains. Their failure modes are distinctive under different circumstances. Therefore, testing of these systems at device level as well as at mass production level, that is, parallel testing, is becoming very challenging as compared to the IC test, because MEMS respond to electrical, physical, chemical, and optical stimuli. Currently, test systems developed for MEMS devices have to be customized due to their nondeterministic behavior and complexity. The accurate measurement of test systems for MEMS is difficult to quantify in the production phase. The complexity of the device to be tested required maturity in the test technique which increases the cost of test development; this practice is directly imposed on the device cost. This factor causes a delay in time-to-market

A Review on Key Issues and Challenges in Devices Level MEMS Testing

The present review provides information relevant to issues and challenges in MEMS testing techniques that are implemented to analyze the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) behavior for specific application and operating conditions. MEMS devices are more complex and extremely diverse due to the immersion of multidomains. Their failure modes are distinctive under different circumstances. Therefore, testing of these systems at device level as well as at mass production level, that is, parallel testing, is becoming very challenging as compared to the IC test, because MEMS respond to electrical, physical, chemical, and optical stimuli. Currently, test systems developed for MEMS devices have to be customized due to their nondeterministic behavior and complexity. The accurate measurement of test systems for MEMS is difficult to quantify in the production phase. The complexity of the device to be tested required maturity in the test technique which increases the cost of test development; this practice is directly imposed on the device cost. This factor causes a delay in time-to-market

Completing and adapting models of biological processes

We present a learning-based method for model completion and adaptation, which is based on the combination of two approaches: 1) R2D2C, a technique for mechanically transforming system requirements via provably equivalent models to running code, and 2) automata learning-based model extrapolation. The intended impact of this new combination is to make model completion and adaptation accessible to experts of the field, like biologists or engineers. The principle is briefly illustrated by generating models of biological procedures concerning gene activities in the production of proteins, although the main application is going to concern autonomic systems for space exploration.1st IFIP International Conference on Biologically Inspired Cooperative Computing - Biological Inspiration 1Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Semiconductor devices in solid-state/hybrid circuit breakers: current status and future trends

Circuit breakers (CBs) are the main protection devices for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power systems, ranging from tens of watts up to megawatts. This paper reviews the current status for solid-state circuit breakers (SSCBs) as well as hybrid circuit breakers (HCBs) with semiconductor power devices. A few novel SSCB and HCB concepts are described in this paper, including advantage and limitation discussions of wide-band-gap (WBG) devices in basic SSCB/HCB configuration by simulation and 360 V/150 A experimental verifications. Novel SSCB/HCB configurations combining ultra-fast switching and high efficiency at normal operation are proposed. Different types of power devices are installed in these circuit breakers to achieve adequate performance. Challenges and future trends of semiconductor power devices in SSCB/HCB with different voltage/power levels and special performance requirements are clarified

Incorporating International Collaboration and Usability Evaluation Into a Technical Communication Course

This chapter describes how globalization and rapid technological change are transforming technical communication both in academia and the corporate world. Products and technologies are used by a variety of user groups, and usability has become an important requirement. The transnational pedagogical collaboration, the Trans-Atlantic and Pacific Project, has taken up the gauntlet by providing students with a simulated professional environment and sharing insights into collaborative writing, translation, and usability evaluation. By reflecting on previous studies and the author´s experiences, this article explores issues relevant to teachers when incorporating international collaboration and usability evaluation into a technical communication course. It describes international student collaboration regarding usability practices and discusses the benefits and challenges of usability evaluation as part of international collaboration. It concludes by suggesting guidelines for teachers to facilitate international collaboration and usability evaluation in higher education setting.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Prosecuting antidumping and countervailing duty cases in the United States of America

This thesis takes a corporate political strategy perspective of antidumping and countervailing duty cases to understand why some firms are more successful at the prosecution of these trade remedy measures. Trade remedy measures are long standing tools of US trade policy and their use has continued to grow globally amongst member countries of the World Trade Organisation. Between 1980 and 2007 a total of 1606 of these trade remedy cases were investigated by the Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission, an average of 41 antidumping and 17 countervailing duty cases a year, with a value of around US$ 63 billion or 0.3% of all US imports. Thirty-seven percent of the cases by number and 54% by value resulted in duties being imposed on the subject imports. This study uses archival material for five recent trade remedy investigations and forty-five semistructured interviews with business interests, trade attorneys and economic consultants that have experience of prosecuting these cases to understand why some firms may be more successful than others at achieving their preferred policy outcome. The imposition of duties is found to be only the simplest measure of success for US firms that file a case and does not capture the range of potential outcomes for foreign firms that face the duties. Successful prosecution of a trade case has been found to be firm specific, as the DOC determination of individual firm duty rates significantly affects what the outcome of case means for each firm in the US and foreign industries. The successful prosecution of US trade remedy cases is argued to be an informational corporate political strategy that is affected by statutory and administrative biases in the execution of the agency investigations, and creates the potential for indirect rent-seeking bias in the outcomes of cases. This informational corporate political strategy is based on three capabilities that firms need to develop, the capability to gather information, the capability to build and shape the administrative record at the agencies to reflect a firm’s policy preferences and the capability to align business practices with the US trade remedy institutions. These three capabilities are enabled by the bundling of corporate political expertise resources, organisational resources, financial resources and reputational resources. Some of these resources are internal to the firms, including staff, money and information, while other resources are external, such as the trade attorneys and economic consultants.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo