35,804 research outputs found
ISML: an interface specification meta-language
In this paper we present an abstract metaphor model situated within a model-based user interface framework. The inclusion of metaphors in graphical user interfaces is a well established, but mostly craft-based strategy to design. A substantial body of notations and tools can be found within the model-based user interface design literature, however an explicit treatment of metaphor and its mappings to other design views has yet to be addressed. We introduce the Interface Specification Meta-Language (ISML) framework and demonstrate its use in comparing the semantic and syntactic features of an interactive system. Challenges facing this research are outlined and further work proposed
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Synthesis from specifications : basic concepts
The need has evolved for a synthesis tool at the computer system level. SpecSyn is one such tool. Basically, it will view the world as a set of chips communicating via protocols. Thus, an abstract specification would get synthesized into a set of one or more interconnected chips. From that point, detail is added to each chip's specification until its structure is synthesized or it is determined that a prefabricated chip similar in functionality can be used.Features of such a tool include executable specifications from which to synthesize, constraint driven partitioning of the specifications into components (chips) and synthesis of interfaces between them, translation into VHDL and synthesis into VHDL structures of micro-architectural components, and the use of other tools (e.g. MILO, a micro-architecture and logic optimizer, and LES, a layout expert system) to evaluate the quality of the chip layout generated from VHDL description.A major component of SpecSyn is SpecCharts, a high level specification language amenable to system level synthesis, able to represent designs from system to register transfer levels. The language consists of a hierarchy of states, represented in combined graphical and textual form, at the same time catering to the expression of concurrent behavior and specification of constraints. With it we have specified several Intel chips as well as higher level systems, and have found it to be quite powerful and easy to use.SpecSyn will have a graphical interface, from which the user can at any time view or edit a SpecChart, translate to VHDL and simulate, view statistics provided by estimators (such as area, speed, and pins), store and retrieve SpecCharts, apply basic Spec Chart operations, as well as apply the partitioning algorithms or interface synthesizer. Providing access to a wide range of tools, having a single language represent the design throughout the synthesis process, and having user specified constraints allow the user to have varying amounts of control over the synthesis process
Scientists in the MIST: Simplifying Interface Design for End Users
We are building a Malleable Interactive Software Toolkit (MIST), a tool set and infrastructure to simplify the design and construction of dynamically-reconfigurable (malleable) interactive software. Malleable software offers the end-user powerful tools to reshape their interactive environment on the fly. We aim to make the construction of such software straightforward, and to make reconfiguration of the resulting systems approachable and manageable to an educated, but non-specialist, user. To do so, we draw on a diverse body of existing research on alternative approaches to user interface (UI) and interactive software construction, including declarative UI languages, constraint-based programming and UI management, reflection and data-driven programming, and visual programming techniques
Three Dimensional Software Modelling
Traditionally, diagrams used in software systems modelling have been two dimensional (2D). This is probably because graphical notations, such as those used in object-oriented and structured systems modelling, draw upon the topological graph metaphor, which, at its basic form, receives little benefit from three dimensional (3D) rendering. This paper presents a series of 3D graphical notations demonstrating effective use of the third dimension in modelling. This is done by e.g., connecting several graphs together, or in using the Z co-ordinate to show special kinds of edges. Each notation combines several familiar 2D diagrams, which can be reproduced from 2D projections of the 3D model. 3D models are useful even in the absence of a powerful graphical workstation: even 2D stereoscopic projections can expose more information than a plain planar diagram
SPEEDY: An Eclipse-based IDE for invariant inference
SPEEDY is an Eclipse-based IDE for exploring techniques that assist users in
generating correct specifications, particularly including invariant inference
algorithms and tools. It integrates with several back-end tools that propose
invariants and will incorporate published algorithms for inferring object and
loop invariants. Though the architecture is language-neutral, current SPEEDY
targets C programs. Building and using SPEEDY has confirmed earlier experience
demonstrating the importance of showing and editing specifications in the IDEs
that developers customarily use, automating as much of the production and
checking of specifications as possible, and showing counterexample information
directly in the source code editing environment. As in previous work,
automation of specification checking is provided by back-end SMT solvers.
However, reducing the effort demanded of software developers using formal
methods also requires a GUI design that guides users in writing, reviewing, and
correcting specifications and automates specification inference.Comment: In Proceedings F-IDE 2014, arXiv:1404.578
Formal Safety and Security Assessment of an Avionic Architecture with Alloy
We propose an approach based on Alloy to formally model and assess a system
architecture with respect to safety and security requirements. We illustrate
this approach by considering as a case study an avionic system developed by
Thales, which provides guidance to aircraft. We show how to define in Alloy a
metamodel of avionic architectures with a focus on failure propagations. We
then express the specific architecture of the case study in Alloy. Finally, we
express and check properties that refer to the robustness of the architecture
to failures and attacks.Comment: In Proceedings ESSS 2014, arXiv:1405.055
Portinari: A Data Exploration Tool to Personalize Cervical Cancer Screening
Socio-technical systems play an important role in public health screening
programs to prevent cancer. Cervical cancer incidence has significantly
decreased in countries that developed systems for organized screening engaging
medical practitioners, laboratories and patients. The system automatically
identifies individuals at risk of developing the disease and invites them for a
screening exam or a follow-up exam conducted by medical professionals. A triage
algorithm in the system aims to reduce unnecessary screening exams for
individuals at low-risk while detecting and treating individuals at high-risk.
Despite the general success of screening, the triage algorithm is a
one-size-fits all approach that is not personalized to a patient. This can
easily be observed in historical data from screening exams. Often patients rely
on personal factors to determine that they are either at high risk or not at
risk at all and take action at their own discretion. Can exploring patient
trajectories help hypothesize personal factors leading to their decisions? We
present Portinari, a data exploration tool to query and visualize future
trajectories of patients who have undergone a specific sequence of screening
exams. The web-based tool contains (a) a visual query interface (b) a backend
graph database of events in patients' lives (c) trajectory visualization using
sankey diagrams. We use Portinari to explore diverse trajectories of patients
following the Norwegian triage algorithm. The trajectories demonstrated
variable degrees of adherence to the triage algorithm and allowed
epidemiologists to hypothesize about the possible causes.Comment: Conference paper published at ICSE 2017 Buenos Aires, at the Software
Engineering in Society Track. 10 pages, 5 figure
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