Pynamic: the Python Dynamic Benchmark

Python is widely used in scientific computing to facilitate application development and to support features such as computational steering. Making full use of some of Python's popular features, which improve programmer productivity, leads to applications that access extremely high numbers of dynamically linked libraries (DLLs). As a result, some important Python-based applications severely stress a system's dynamic linking and loading capabilities and also cause significant difficulties for most development environment tools, such as debuggers. Furthermore, using the Python paradigm for large scale MPI-based applications can create significant file IO and further stress tools and operating systems. In this paper, we present Pynamic, the first benchmark program to support configurable emulation of a wide-range of the DLL usage of Python-based applications for large scale systems. Pynamic has already accurately reproduced system software and tool issues encountered by important large Python-based scientific applications on our supercomputers. Pynamic provided insight for our system software and tool vendors, and our application developers, into the impact of several design decisions. As we describe the Pynamic benchmark, we will highlight some of the issues discovered in our large scale system software and tools using Pynamic

GammaLib - A new framework for the analysis of Astronomical Gamma-Ray Data

With the advent of a new generation of telescopes (INTEGRAL, Fermi, H.E.S.S., MAGIC, VERITAS, MILAGRO) and the prospects of planned observatories such as CTA or HAWC, gamma-ray astronomy is becoming an integral part of modern astrophysical research. Analysing gamma-ray data is still a major challenge, and today relies on a large diversity of tools and software frameworks that were specifically developed for each instrument. With the goal of facilitating and unifying the analysis of gamma-ray data, we are currently developing an innovative data analysis toolbox, called the GammaLib, that enables gamma-ray data analysis in an instrument independent way. We will present the basic ideas that are behind the GammaLib, and describe its architecture and usage.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to be published in the proceedings of the ADASS XXI meeting by The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP

Dynamic Message-Oriented Middleware with Open Sound Control and Odot

International audienceWe present recent work on odot, a system that extends Open Sound Control and facilitates the rapid and dynamic construction of Message-Oriented Middleware providing an in-teroperability layer for communication between applications. Unlike traditional middleware systems, odot, when embedded in a host environment, provides a node where computation can take place, allowing middleware to take shape dynamically as the needs of the system develop

Python API for Altair Inspire Studio with functionality of capturing 3D models from RGBD sensors

This thesis shows how we implemented the Python support to write plugins and to interact with Altair Inspire Studio, in addition to the C++ SDK they have been offering for years. Then, the thesis shows how we used this novel api to develop a plugin to capture 3D models from reality, using RGBD sensors

Python as a Federation Tool for GENESIS 3.0

The GENESIS simulation platform was one of the first broad-scale modeling systems in computational biology to encourage modelers to develop and share model features and components. Supported by a large developer community, it participated in innovative simulator technologies such as benchmarking, parallelization, and declarative model specification and was the first neural simulator to define bindings for the Python scripting language. An important feature of the latest version of GENESIS is that it decomposes into self-contained software components complying with the Computational Biology Initiative federated software architecture. This architecture allows separate scripting bindings to be defined for different necessary components of the simulator, e.g., the mathematical solvers and graphical user interface. Python is a scripting language that provides rich sets of freely available open source libraries. With clean dynamic object-oriented designs, they produce highly readable code and are widely employed in specialized areas of software component integration. We employ a simplified wrapper and interface generator to examine an application programming interface and make it available to a given scripting language. This allows independent software components to be ‘glued’ together and connected to external libraries and applications from user-defined Python or Perl scripts. We illustrate our approach with three examples of Python scripting. (1) Generate and run a simple single-compartment model neuron connected to a stand-alone mathematical solver. (2) Interface a mathematical solver with GENESIS 3.0 to explore a neuron morphology from either an interactive command-line or graphical user interface. (3) Apply scripting bindings to connect the GENESIS 3.0 simulator to external graphical libraries and an open source three dimensional content creation suite that supports visualization of models based on electron microscopy and their conversion to computational models. Employed in this way, the stand-alone software components of the GENESIS 3.0 simulator provide a framework for progressive federated software development in computational neuroscience

Design and Performance of Odyssey IV: A Deep Ocean Hover-Capable AUV

The Odyssey IV class AUV was designed to fill the evolving needs of research and industry for a deep rated (6000 meter) vehicle, which is capable of both efficient cruising and precise hovering. This AUV is powerful enough to reject currents typical in the open ocean environment and yet small enough to be deployed from a small fishing boat. The thruster layout, two vectored side thrusters and two fixed cross-body thrusters, allow for 4-DOF control, which gives this vehicle precision and flexibility not possible in previous Odyssey class AUVs. An adaptable payload area allows the mounting of sensors, actuators, or other hardware suitable to a particular mission. The dynamic control layer of our behavior-based MOOS software was completely redesigned to take advantage of the capabilities of this vehicle. This is also the first platform to utilize new graphical controls and database-driven logging which increase operator efficiency and make the vehicle safer to operate. Odyssey IV's intended uses include survey and inspection of cold water corals, fisheries, archaeological sites, and subsea infrastructure. It will also serve as a research platform for computer vision-based servoing and acoustic supervisory control. This paper will document the design considerations and implementation of the Odyssey IV, as well as report on a series of field tests culminating in its first scientific deployment at Georges Bank, observing and mapping the invasive tunicate Didemnum.United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Grant NA16RG2255); United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Grant NA06AOR4170019

TiGL - An Open Source Computational Geometry Library for Parametric Aircraft Design

This paper introduces the software TiGL: TiGL is an open source high-fidelity geometry modeler that is used in the conceptual and preliminary aircraft and helicopter design phase. It creates full three-dimensional models of aircraft from their parametric CPACS description. Due to its parametric nature, it is typically used for aircraft design analysis and optimization. First, we present the use-case and architecture of TiGL. Then, we discuss it's geometry module, which is used to generate the B-spline based surfaces of the aircraft. The backbone of TiGL is its surface generator for curve network interpolation, based on Gordon surfaces. One major part of this paper explains the mathematical foundation of Gordon surfaces on B-splines and how we achieve the required curve network compatibility. Finally, TiGL's aircraft component module is introduced, which is used to create the external and internal parts of aircraft, such as wings, flaps, fuselages, engines or structural elements