Turning the Lab into Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon. The Effect of Punishment on Offenders and Non-Offenders

The most famous element in Bentham’s theory of punishment, the Panopticon Prison, expresses his view of the two purposes of punishment, deterrence and special prevention. We investigate Bentham’s intuition in a public goods lab experiment by manipulating how much information on punishment experienced by others is available to would-be offenders. Compared with the tone that Jeremy Bentham set, our results are non-expected: If would-be offenders learn about contributions and punishment of others at the individual level, they contribute much less to the public project. Our results confirm the special prevention effect but show that the deterrence effect is smaller the more information on individual punishment is available.Punishment, Deterrence, Special Prevention, Jeremy Bentham, Experiment, Public Good

A Survey of Dimension Reduction Methods for High-dimensional Data Analysis and Visualization

Dimension reduction is commonly defined as the process of mapping high-dimensional data to a lower-dimensional embedding. Applications of dimension reduction include, but are not limited to, filtering, compression, regression, classification, feature analysis, and visualization. We review methods that compute a point-based visual representation of high-dimensional data sets to aid in exploratory data analysis. The aim is not to be exhaustive but to provide an overview of basic approaches, as well as to review select state-of-the-art methods. Our survey paper is an introduction to dimension reduction from a visualization point of view. Subsequently, a comparison of state-of-the-art methods outlines relations and shared research foci

On Probation. An Experimental Analysis

Does probation pay a double dividend? Society saves the cost of incarceration, and convicts preserve their liberty. But does probation also reduce the risk of recidivism? In a meta-study we show that the field evidence is inconclusive. Moreover it struggles with an identification problem: those put on probation are less likely to recidivate in the first place. We therefore complement the field evidence by a lab experiment that isolates the definitional feature of probation: the first sanction is conditional on being sanctioned again during the probation period. We find that probationers contribute less to a joint project; punishment cost is higher; efficiency is lower; inequity is higher. While experimental subjects are on probation, they increase their contributions to a joint project. However, once the probation period expires, they reduce their contributions. While in the aggregate these two effects almost cancel out, critically those not punished themselves do trust the institution less if punishment does not become effective immediately.probation, recidivism, public goods, punishment, experimental economics

Advancing Operating Systems via Aspect-Oriented Programming

Operating system kernels are among the most complex pieces of software in existence to- day. Maintaining the kernel code and developing new functionality is increasingly compli- cated, since the amount of required features has risen significantly, leading to side ef fects that can be introduced inadvertedly by changing a piece of code that belongs to a completely dif ferent context. Software developers try to modularize their code base into separate functional units. Some of the functionality or “concerns” required in a kernel, however, does not fit into the given modularization structure; this code may then be spread over the code base and its implementation tangled with code implementing dif ferent concerns. These so-called “crosscutting concerns” are especially dif ficult to handle since a change in a crosscutting concern implies that all relevant locations spread throughout the code base have to be modified. Aspect-Oriented Software Development (AOSD) is an approach to handle crosscutting concerns by factoring them out into separate modules. The “advice” code contained in these modules is woven into the original code base according to a pointcut description, a set of interaction points (joinpoints) with the code base. To be used in operating systems, AOSD requires tool support for the prevalent procedu- ral programming style as well as support for weaving aspects. Many interactions in kernel code are dynamic, so in order to implement non-static behavior and improve performance, a dynamic weaver that deploys and undeploys aspects at system runtime is required. This thesis presents an extension of the “C” programming language to support AOSD. Based on this, two dynamic weaving toolkits – TOSKANA and TOSKANA-VM – are presented to permit dynamic aspect weaving in the monolithic NetBSD kernel as well as in a virtual- machine and microkernel-based Linux kernel running on top of L4. Based on TOSKANA, applications for this dynamic aspect technology are discussed and evaluated. The thesis closes with a view on an aspect-oriented kernel structure that maintains coherency and handles crosscutting concerns using dynamic aspects while enhancing de- velopment methods through the use of domain-specific programming languages

FE analysis and experimental determination of a shaft deflection under three-point loading

Increasing industrial demand for new products including advanced production technology leads to substantial natural resources consumption. Furthermore, huge environmental pollution and emerging environmental legislation motivate the machine tools industry as one of the major resource consumers on a global scale to develop methods for more sustainable use of the Earth's resources. Machine tools re-engineering concerning design and failure analysis is an approach by which outdated machines are upgraded and restored to like-new machines. To evaluate the mechanical failure of the used machine components and to ensure their reliable future performance, it is essential to make material, design, and surface investigations. In this paper, an experimental approach based on the principle of a three-point bending test is presented to evaluate the shaft elastic behavior under loading. Moreover, finite element analysis and numerical integration method are used to determine the maximum linear deflection and bending stress of the shaft. Subsequently, a comparison between the results is made. In conclusion, it was found that the measured bending deflection and stress were well close to the admissible design values. Therefore, the shaft can be used again in the second life cycle. However, based on previous surface tests conducted, the shaft surface needs re-carburizing and refining treatments to ensure the reliable performance of the surface

Cyber equipping 4.0 – fe-simulation-based setting instructions for a rotary draw-bending machine

The tool setting process for rotary draw-bending is very complex. Only experienced machine operators know which settings lead to a good result in relation to the bending task. Up to seven individual tools can be installed, positioned and set in the process independently. A complete set of tools consists of: pressure die, mandrel, wiper die, inner and outer clamp die as well as the bend die and the collet or piston bend. [1] Furthermore there are the axis settings, which can be adjusted with the parameters distance, force, angle, torque and time. If a defect occurs after the successful set-up process the machine operator has various possibilities to solve the problem. The effects of the different setting parameters and the procedure for the fastest possible elimination of the error are often unclear. The goal is to be able to use an adjustment support for the setting process by means of physical-analytical principles and systematically constructed FE simulations at the bending machine. In order to evaluate the bending result, the condition of the bending component is examined concerning the quality characteristics, cracking, wrinkling, cross-section deformation and elastic deformation. [2] Based on performed and analyzed FE simulations, adjustment recommendations regarding the respective quality characteristics are to be established as well as predictions about possible defects. The simulation and calculation results flow into a database. This is used for the implementation of an electronic expert, who uses a visualization aid to provide the machine operator with information and recommendations on the setup settings. This avoids errors during the equipping process and saves set-up time. Machine operators and particularly trained employees are guided and supported in their work

Using a LowLevel Virtual Machine to improve dynamic aspect support in operating system kernels

ABSTRACT Current implementations of software providing dynamic aspect functionality in operating system (OS) kernels are quite restricted in the possible joinpoint types for native code they are able to support. Most of the projects implementing advice for native code use basic technologies adopted from instrumentation methods which allow to provide before, after and around joinpoints for functions. More elaborate joinpoints, however, are not available since support for monitoring native code execution in current CPUs is very restricted without extensive extensions of the compiler toolchain. To realize improved ways of aspect activation in OS kernels, we present an architecture that provides an efficient low-level virtual machine running on top of a microkernel system in cooperation with an aspect deployment service to provide novel ways of aspect activation in kernel environments