Reduction Semantics and Formal Analysis of Orc Programs

AbstractOrc is a language for orchestration of web services developed by J. Misra that offers simple, yet powerful and elegant, constructs to program sophisticated web orchestration applications. The formal semantics of Orc poses interesting challenges, because of its real-time nature and the different priorities of external and internal actions. In this paper, building upon our previous SOS semantics of Orc in rewriting logic, we present a much more efficient reduction semantics of Orc, which is provably equivalent to the SOS semantics thanks to a strong bisimulation. We view this reduction semantics as a key intermediate stage towards a future, provably correct distributed implementation of Orc, and show how it can naturally be extended to a distributed actor-like semantics. We show experiments demonstrating the much better performance of the reduction semantics when compared to the SOS semantics. Using the Maude rewriting logic language, we also illustrate how the reduction semantics can be used to endow Orc with useful formal analysis capabilities, including an LTL model checker. We illustrate these formal analysis features by means of an online auction system, which is modeled as a distributed system of actors that perform Orc computations

Basic income sustainability and productivity growth in cognitive capitalism: a first theoretical framework

This paper aims at proposing a first theoretical framework for studying the basic income sustainability. We consider the basic income not only as a tool of a policy to improve living standards and social well-being but, mostly, as the essential requisite to introduce a new stable compromise between capital and labour. Following the French Regulation School approach, we assert that the social compromise between capital and labour is founded on the redistribution of the productivity gains. Therefore we try to trace living standards and social well being problems back to their origins, i.e. the productivity growth. We think that describing the dynamics of productivity means understanding the main features of the contemporary capitalistic production. We first present a survey about BI in economic literature. We then focus on the socio-economic transformation of western countries and propose the term cognitive capitalism (CC) to describe the economic system after the Fordism paradigm crisis, highlighting the strong links between the exploitation of knowledge and the accumulation of surplus. Therefore we investigate the presence of a new type of Kaldor-Verdoorn law in cognitive capitalism (a virtuous circle among BI, increasing productivity - via knowledge and network externalities - output and employment). As a result, we first point out the ambiguous growth circle of the contemporary capitalism. Secondly we highlight that BI is compatible with the new way of accumulation, based on the exploitation of dynamic scale economies. BI increases productivity, through network (externalities) and learning processes and, at the same time, demand, via consumption level. This double result is not always guaranteed. It depends, on one side, on how much BI positively affects productivity, and the greater this probability, the lower the role played by intellectual property rights and the higher the diffusion of network economies (general intellect and social cooperation); on the other side, it depends on the way BI is financed. These results also depend on the assumption of closed economy, in which financial markets play no role at all.basic income, productivity, cognitive capitalism, crisis, Regulation School; Fordism; Post-fordism; knowledge; learning; externalities;, Kaldor-Verdoorn law; general intellect

New Product Development Portfolio Web Interface version 2.0

This project involved the development of an interactive web interface for a new product portfolio assessment tool. The tool\u27s purpose is to assess the various new products that a company is developing in order to assist the company in making selection, prioritization, and resource allocation decisions. Users input numerical data about each project (e.g. unit price, unit cost, life cycle, etc) and score the project on 19 questions across four categories (competitive advantage, marketing resources, technical resources, and technical uncertainty) using a seven-point scale. The tool then makes a variety of calculations based on these inputs and allows the user to generate comparisons of the company\u27s projects based on several criteria (e.g. net present value, return on investment, etc)

Measuring Language Learners’ Speaking Proficiency in a Second Language Using Economical Digital Tools

Rising costs, combined with an increasing lack of flexibility of commercial course management technology tools such as uLearn and Blackboard, have prompted educators to consider other options. New advances in free and open source software, webware, and hardware are becoming attractive alternatives for educators and school systems due to decreased funding. These innovative digital tools hold promise to help educators overcome a variety of impediments to teaching and learning in the 21st century such as fostering student motivation. In the context of second/foreign language learning, the author seeks to present various technologies to P-16 educators that can be used for student oral language assessment. The author provides an overview of the obstacles language teachers must overcome in order to teach more effectively, as well as a synopsis of various options with which language instructors may not be familiar. Afterwards, findings from empirical research comparing the use of digital technology for the measurement of student speaking proficiency to the more conventional face-to-face method are presented. Student and instructor perceptions of using free and open source software are discussed, and the chapter concludes with a discussion of challenges that can appear when changes in assessment methods take place as well as avenues for future research

Disseny d’una estructura de recol·lecció de dades d’un robot ABB140

Amb el present treball s’exposa el desenvolupament i implementació d’un sistema de monitorització de les dades manipulades per la controladora S4 del robot IRB140 del laboratori de robòtica i CIM de l’edifici TR11 de la ETSEIAT. Les dades s’adquiriran des d’una aplicació que actuant com a client OPC accedirà a les dades de la controladora S4 la qual actuarà com a servidor OPC. També es desenvoluparà i implementarà una base de dades amb les seves respectives taules on es desaran totes les dades monitoritzades segons el tipus de dades. Al mateix temps, l’aplicació permetrà visualitzar la base de dades en qualsevol moment sempre i quan no s’estigui realitzant la monitorització

Investigation of network-based information system model

The objective of the DOE-LBNL summer student research program in computer and information sciences focused on investigating database- based http-based information architectures, and implementation of a prototype using DOE`s Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource (CEDR) metadata or Epidemiology Guide content. We were successful in identifying the components of such an information system, and appropriate configuration given the requirements, and in implementing a prototype. This work comprised investigation of various information systems architectures or variants, evaluation and selection of various tools, products, and packages, preparation of databases, database content, output formats, and graphical (World Wide Web- compatible) interfaces. We successfully prepared and demonstrated network access to content from both the CEDR structured documentation and from the DOD Epidemiology Guides (site archive records)

mHealth Support System for Researchers and Participants

With the proliferation of mobile technologies, there is a significant increase of research using mobile devices in the medical and public health area. Mobile technology has improved the efficiency of healthcare delivery effectively. Mobile Health or mHealth is an interdisciplinary research area which has been active for more than a decade. Much research has been conducted and many software research tools (mHealth Support System) have been developed. Despite the time length, there is a significant gap in the mHealth research area regarding software research tools. Individual research groups are developing their own software research tool though there is a significant similarity among them. Most of the research tools are study or disease specific. Some of the tools are device specific (desktop/laptop, mobile phone, and tablet) and some are platform specific (web, android, iOS, and windows). This costs each research study their precious time, money, and workforce to develop similar service or software research tools. Based on the mHealth research characteristics, it is possible to design and implement a customizable generic software research tool. In this thesis, we have proposed, designed, and implemented a customizable generic mHealth software research tool. It has most of the common software research modules that are needed for an mHealth research study. These include real-time data collection, research participant management, research staff management, role based access control, research data anonymization, customizable surveys, report generation, study forum, and activity tracking. This software research tool is responsive and HIPAA compliant which makes it device independent, privacy-aware, and security-aware

Your Digital Toolkit: Lesser Known Web 2.0 & Desktop Apps

The presenter uses his blog to educate audience about useful Web 2.0 tools which may be under-utilized