3,365 research outputs found
Separation of Test-Free Propositional Dynamic Logics over Context-Free Languages
For a class L of languages let PDL[L] be an extension of Propositional
Dynamic Logic which allows programs to be in a language of L rather than just
to be regular. If L contains a non-regular language, PDL[L] can express
non-regular properties, in contrast to pure PDL.
For regular, visibly pushdown and deterministic context-free languages, the
separation of the respective PDLs can be proven by automata-theoretic
techniques. However, these techniques introduce non-determinism on the automata
side. As non-determinism is also the difference between DCFL and CFL, these
techniques seem to be inappropriate to separate PDL[DCFL] from PDL[CFL].
Nevertheless, this separation is shown but for programs without test operators.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2011, arXiv:1106.081
Modeling, Simulation and Emulation of Intelligent Domotic Environments
Intelligent Domotic Environments are a promising approach, based on semantic models and commercially off-the-shelf domotic technologies, to realize new intelligent buildings, but such complexity requires innovative design methodologies and tools for ensuring correctness. Suitable simulation and emulation approaches and tools must be adopted to allow designers to experiment with their ideas and to incrementally verify designed policies in a scenario where the environment is partly emulated and partly composed of real devices. This paper describes a framework, which exploits UML2.0 state diagrams for automatic generation of device simulators from ontology-based descriptions of domotic environments. The DogSim simulator may simulate a complete building automation system in software, or may be integrated in the Dog Gateway, allowing partial simulation of virtual devices alongside with real devices. Experiments on a real home show that the approach is feasible and can easily address both simulation and emulation requirement
Randomization in Criminal Justice: A Criminal Law Conversation
In this Criminal Law Conversation (Robinson, Ferzan & Garvey, eds., Oxford 2009), the authors debate whether there is a role for randomization in the penal sphere - in the criminal law, in policing, and in punishment theory. In his Tanner lectures back in 1987, Jon Elster had argued that there was no role for chance in the criminal law: “I do not think there are any arguments for incorporating lotteries in present-day criminal law,” Elster declared. Bernard Harcourt takes a very different position and embraces chance in the penal sphere, arguing that randomization is often the only way to avoid the pitfalls of ideology and unconscious bias. Alon Harel challenges Harcourt’s position, arguing that he is overly skeptical and that instead of embracing chance by default, he should abandon his skepticism for the sake of defending randomization. Ken Levy argues that Harcourt confuses power with right and that it is not possible to embrace randomization without first addressing the proper justification for punishment. Michael O’Hear acknowledges the significant role of luck in contemporary punishment practices, but he argues for channeling chance in more appropriate and useful directions. Alice Ristroph, while also acknowledging the significant role of chance in the criminal law, argues that instead of embracing chance at moments of indeterminacy, it would be better simply not to punish. In a reply, Harcourt responds to these criticisms and argues that we should think of randomization in the punishment field as a way to get beyond punishment as a form of social engineering – as a practice intended to change humans, to correct delinquents, to treat the deviant, or to deter the super-predator. The increased use of chance to resolve issues at moments of indeterminacy, Harcourt argues, could usher in a world in which punishment is chastened by critical reason – an idea, he suggests, worth taking seriously
Revisiting Semantics of Interactions for Trace Validity Analysis
Interaction languages such as MSC are often associated with formal semantics
by means of translations into distinct behavioral formalisms such as automatas
or Petri nets. In contrast to translational approaches we propose an
operational approach. Its principle is to identify which elementary
communication actions can be immediately executed, and then to compute, for
every such action, a new interaction representing the possible continuations to
its execution. We also define an algorithm for checking the validity of
execution traces (i.e. whether or not they belong to an interaction's
semantics). Algorithms for semantic computation and trace validity are analyzed
by means of experiments.Comment: 18 pages of contents and 2 pages for references, 10 figures.
Published in ETAPS-FASE2020 : "23rd International Conference on Fundamental
Approaches to Software Engineering" in the "research papers" categor
Conditional generation of sub-Poissonian light from two-mode squeezed vacuum via balanced homodyne detection on idler mode
A simple scheme for conditional generation of nonclassical light with
sub-Poissonian photon-number statistics is proposed. The method utilizes
entanglement of signal and idler modes in two-mode squeezed vacuum state
generated in optical parametric amplifier. A quadrature component of the idler
mode is measured in balanced homodyne detector and only those experimental runs
where the absolute value of the measured quadrature is higher than certain
threshold are accepted. If the threshold is large enough then the conditional
output state of signal mode exhibits reduction of photon-number fluctuations
below the coherent-state level.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, REVTe
Direct visualization reveals dynamics of a transient intermediate during protein assembly
Interactions between proteins underlie numerous biological functions. Theoretical work suggests that protein interactions initiate with formation of transient intermediates that subsequently relax to specific, stable complexes. However, the nature and roles of these transient intermediates have remained elusive. Here, we characterized the global structure, dynamics, and stability of a transient, on-pathway intermediate during complex assembly between the Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) and its receptor. We show that this intermediate has overlapping but distinct interaction interfaces from that of the final complex, and it is stabilized by long-range electrostatic interactions. A wide distribution of conformations is explored by the intermediate; this distribution becomes more restricted in the final complex and is further regulated by the cargo of SRP. These results suggest a funnel-shaped energy landscape for protein interactions, and they provide a framework for understanding the role of transient intermediates in protein assembly and biological regulation
Behavior trees in action: A study of robotics applications
Autonomous robots combine a variety of skills to form increasingly complex
behaviors called missions. While the skills are often programmed at a
relatively low level of abstraction, their coordination is architecturally
separated and often expressed in higher-level languages or frameworks.
Recently, the language of Behavior Trees gained attention among roboticists for
this reason. Originally designed for computer games to model autonomous actors,
Behavior Trees offer an extensible tree-based representation of missions.
However, even though, several implementations of the language are in use,
little is known about its usage and scope in the real world. How do behavior
trees relate to traditional languages for describing behavior? How are behavior
tree concepts used in applications? What are the benefits of using them?
We present a study of the key language concepts in Behavior Trees and their
use in real-world robotic applications. We identify behavior tree languages and
compare their semantics to the most well-known behavior modeling languages:
state and activity diagrams. We mine open source repositories for robotics
applications that use the language and analyze this usage. We find that
Behavior Trees are a pragmatic language, not fully specified, allowing projects
to extend it even for just one model. Behavior trees clearly resemble the
models-at-runtime paradigm. We contribute a dataset of real-world behavior
models, hoping to inspire the community to use and further develop this
language, associated tools, and analysis techniques.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 13rd ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on
Software Language Engineering (SLE) (SLE 2020
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