Generalization of an integrated cost model and extensions to COTS, PLE and TTM

There have been existing software reuse cost models related to estimating costs of software reuse, for example, COCOMO II, COCOTS, and so on. Chmiel\u27s model [Chmiel 2000] is a generalization of these cost models. This model is different from others in that the decisions are composed of four levels and treats reuse projects from a point of view of long term run. Each level corresponds one engineering cycle. Each level is a decision making process based on calculation of NPV, ROI, and other economic indices. Reuse investment decisions are made on different levels from the corporate to the programming.;Chmiel\u27s model doesn\u27t cover Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS), Product Line Engineering (PLE) and benefits due to shortened Time-To-Market (TTM) and can only deal with internal traffic since the model assumes all of the reusable components are built from scratch in house. For example, Extra efforts caused by the use of COTS, assessment, tailoring, glue code and COTS volatility, are not covered in this model. And this model doesn\u27t treat the benefits of TTM, for example, business performance.;By extending Chmiel\u27s model, the new model is applied to CBSE (Component-Based Software Engineering), COTS reuse systems and PLE. In addition, attempts of quantifying benefits of shortened TTM are made within this study and a TTM submodel is developed to cover this issue.;This study also addresses the issue to analyze and optimize corporate Return On Investment (ROI). The rational is that optimizing (maximizing) the corporate ROI under the condition that all other ROI\u27s are positive. By designing an algorithm and applying it to the data, this study discovers the method how to make the maximized value of corporate ROI.;And this model is supported through a tool based on the model rationale. Users to this tool are corporate management and development engineers. The supporting tool has user-friendly interface and allows users to input values of related parameters. A detailed report is produced, which is composed of details about costs and benefits, final Net Present Value (NPV) and ROI of each cycle

Space biology initiative program definition review. Trade study 2: Prototype utilization in the development of space biology hardware

The objective was to define the factors which space flight hardware developers and planners should consider when determining: (1) the number of hardware units required to support program; (2) design level of the units; and (3) most efficient means of utilization of the units. The analysis considered technology risk, maintainability, reliability, and safety design requirements for achieving the delivery of highest quality flight hardware. Relative cost impacts of the utilization of prototyping were identified. The development of Space Biology Initiative research hardware will involve intertwined hardware/software activities. Experience has shown that software development can be an expensive portion of a system design program. While software prototyping could imply the development of a significantly different end item, an operational system prototype must be considered to be a combination of software and hardware. Hundreds of factors were identified that could be considered in determining the quantity and types of prototypes that should be constructed. In developing the decision models, these factors were combined and reduced by approximately ten-to-one in order to develop a manageable structure based on the major determining factors. The Baseline SBI hardware list of Appendix D was examined and reviewed in detail; however, from the facts available it was impossible to identify the exact types and quantities of prototypes required for each of these items. Although the factors that must be considered could be enumerated for each of these pieces of equipment, the exact status and state of development of the equipment is variable and uncertain at this time

Considerations upon interoperability on pervasive computing environments

Component-based Development is a challenging paradigm, though Pervasive Computing Environments, as a special case of such systems, carry even more complications. Applications must be kept available for users anytime, anywhere no matter the user location. This implies transparency on interconnection of components at run-time. Since components may not be previously evaluated when a user’s context change happen, integration of new components might blur the actual requirements of that system. This implies to consider Interoperability at different levels. This paper reports on those challenges, also discussing the possibility to improve the description of an approach under a formal basis. Thus solution strategies can be better defined and applied.Eje: Ingeniería en SoftwareRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Quality-aware architectural model transformations in adaptive mashups user interfaces

The final publication is available at IOS Press through http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/FI-2016-0000Mashup user interfaces provides their functionality through the combination of different services. The integration of such services can be solved by using reusable and third-party components. Furthermore, these interfaces must be adapted to user preferences, context changes, user interactions and component availability. Model transformation is a useful mechanism to address this adaptation but normally these operations only focus on the functional requirements. In this sense, quality attributes should be included in the adaptation process to obtain the best adapted mashup user interface. This paper proposes a generic quality-aware transformation process to support the adaptation of software architectures. The transformation process has been applied in ENIA, a geographic information system, by constructing a specific quality model for the adaptation of mashup user interfaces. This model is taken into account for evaluating the different transformation alternatives and choosing the one that maximizes the quality assessments. The approach has been validated by a set of adaptation scenarios that are intended to maximize different quality factors and therefore apply distinct combinations of metrics.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Studying functions on coral reefs : past perspectives, current conundrums, and future potential

This work was funded by the Australian Research Council (DRB; grant number FL190100062).Function-based studies have opened a new chapter in our understanding of coral reefs. Unfortunately, we are opening this chapter as the world’s reefs rapidly transform. In this context, one of the most important roles of function-based studies is to inform coral reef conservation. At this critical juncture, we have a chance to reflect on where we have come from, and where we are going, in coral reef functional ecology, with specific consideration of what this means for our approaches to conserving reefs. As focal examples, we examine the role of corals on reefs, and the practice of culling crown-of-thorns starfish, from a functional perspective. We also consider how the papers in this special issue build on our current understanding. Ultimately, we highlight how robust scientific investigation, based on an understanding of ecosystem functions, will be key in helping us navigate reefs through the current coral reef crisis.Peer reviewe

Development and Evaluation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for High Throughput Phenotyping of Field-based Wheat Trials.

Growing demands for increased global yields are driving researchers to develop improved crops, capable of securing higher yields in the face of significant challenges including climate change and competition for resources. However, abilities to measure favourable physical characteristics (phenotypes) of key crops in response to these challenges is limited. For crop breeders and researchers, current abilities to phenotype field-based experiments with sufficient precision, resolution and throughput is restricting any meaningful advances in crop development. This PhD thesis presents work focused on the development and evaluation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in combination with remote sensing technologies as a solution for improved phenotyping of field-based crop experiments. Chapter 2 presents first, a review of specific target phenotypic traits within the categories of crop morphology and spectral reflectance, together with critical review of current standard measurement protocols. After reviewing phenotypic traits, focus turns to UAVs and UAV specific technologies suitable for the application of crop phenotyping, including critical evaluation of both the strengths and current limitations associated with UAV methods and technologies, highlighting specific areas for improvement. Chapter 3 presents a published paper successfully developing and evaluating Structure from Motion photogrammetry for accurate (R2 ≥ 0.93, RMSE ≤ 0.077m, and Bias ≤ -0.064m) and temporally consistent 3D reconstructions of wheat plot heights. The superior throughput achieved further facilitated measures of crop growth rate through the season; whilst very high spatial resolutions highlighted both the inter- and intra-plot variability in crop heights, something unachievable with the traditional manual ruler methods. Chapter 4 presents published work developing and evaluating modified Commercial ‘Off the Shelf’ (COTS) cameras for obtaining radiometrically calibrated imagery of canopy spectral reflectance. Specifically, development focussed on improving application of these cameras under variable illumination conditions, via application of camera exposure, vignetting, and irradiance corrections. Validation of UAV derived Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) against a ground spectrometer from the COTS cameras (0.94 ≤ R2 ≥ 0.88) indicated successful calibration and correction of the cameras. The higher spatial resolution obtained from the COTS cameras, facilitated the assessment of the impact of background soil reflectance on derived mean Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measures of experimental plots, highlighting the impact of incomplete canopy on derived indices. Chapter 5 utilises the developed methods and cameras from Chapter 4 to assess the impact of nitrogen fertiliser application on the formation and senescence dynamics of canopy traits over multiple growing seasons. Quantification of changes in canopy reflectance, via NDVI, through three select trends in the wheat growth cycle were used to assess any impact of nitrogen on these periods of growth. Results showed consistent impact of zero nitrogen application on crop canopies within all three development phases. Additional results found statistically significant positive correlations between quantified phases and harvest metrics (e.g. final yield), with greatest correlations occurring within the second (Full Canopy) and third (Senescence) phases. Chapter 6 focuses on evaluation of the financial costs and throughput associated with UAVs; with specific focus on comparison to conventional methods in a real-world phenotyping scenario. A ‘cost throughput’ analysis based on real-world experiments at Rothamsted Research, provided quantitative assessment demonstrating both the financial savings (£4.11 per plot savings) and superior throughput obtained (229% faster) from implementing a UAV based phenotyping strategy to long term phenotyping of field-based experiments. Overall the methods and tools developed in this PhD thesis demonstrate UAVs combined with appropriate remote sensing tools can replicate and even surpass the precision, accuracy, cost and throughput of current strategies