Semantic Surfaces for Business Applications

In this paper we introduce the concept of semantic surfaces – surfaces which are enhanced to provide additional information to the one visible, and are able to interact with the user. We consider several approaches to their implementation and in particular show the perspectives of the Cluster Pattern Interface (CLUSPI) technology developed and patented by one of the authors. Various business applications of semantic surfaces are outlined which illustrate the potential of the proposed concept

Composing control flow and formula rules for computing on grids

We define computation on grids as the composition, through pushout constructions, of control flows, carried across adjacency relations between grid cells, with formulas updating the value of some attribute. The approach is based on the identification of a subcategory of attributed typed graphs suitable to the definition of pushouts on grids, and is illustrated in the context of the Cyberfilm visual language

Soggiorno di tre mesi come Visiting Researcher presso l'Università di Aizu, per

We define computation on grids as the composition, through pushout constructions, of control flows, carried across adjacency relations between grid cells, with formulas updating the value of some attribute. The approach is based on the identification of a subcategory of attributed typed graphs suitable to the definition of pushouts on grids, and is illustrated in the context of the Cyberfilm visual language.Settembre 200

Soggiorno di tre mesi come Visiting Researcher

We propose a combination of technologies for information encoding and for multimedia annotation to enrich interaction with paper documents and object labels, both in desktop and mobile settings. We argue that combining immediate access to online information from physical support with creation and retrieval of annotations, while keeping in focus the context of their creation, would increase awareness about products, processes and situations, and provide new ways of interaction based on tangible objects. Spatial structures, due to their homogeneity, are well suited to the definition of parallel programs. The Movie-based Programming Framework allows users to specify both computations on regular networks of processors and visualizations of the computation progress as processors in nodes are activated. Computations over spatial structures are specified by composing independent views on propagation of control flows and formulae defining local computations: a mask specified by a shape pattern indicates which nodes have to be active during a specific phase of the computation; a visit pattern defines the propagation law for actual processor activation. By combining these types of patterns, it is possible to achieve complicated forms of mask specification. Dedicated languages and the corresponding environments have been defined to allow users to generate masks and laws, to which there corresponds the automatic generation of executable code, and to observe the evolution of the resulting computational processes. The paper demonstrates some principles and examples of shape and visit patterns construction.Novembre 201

Movie-based Templates for Linear Algebra Problems

The paper discusses program design approaches supporting effective and convenient programming. The first approach is based on movie-based representation of algorithms and programs. The user has a deal with special multimedia objects, each of which can generate an executable code as well as produce animation frames. These objects build an algorithmic skeleton representing the steps of computation. The other direction is the template metaprogramming technique in which templates are used by a compiler to generate temporary source code. The presented work is in combining both approaches in the software design. The key point is in using an application-oriented moviebased templates library. The important feature of this library is that it is open for addition new templates, and all components can be prepared by means of the movie-based environment. The other peculiarities are the presence of two types of components: functional modules and multimedia macros that can be easily embedded into the user’s algorithmic skeleton. In this paper, we show the main features of movie-based programming as well as describe the movie-based template library for linear algebra problems. Examples of the library usage are also presented. Key words

Shape-based computations on regular processor networks

Spatial structures are particularly suited to the definition of parallel programs, due to their homogeneity The Movie-based Programming Framework allows specification of computations on regular networks of processors, and the visualization of the computation progress as processors are activated. Computations over spatial structures are specified by composing independent views on propagation of control flows and formulae defining local computations. A shape pattern indicates which processors have to be active during a specific phase of the computation. A visit pattern defines the law, of propagation for actual processor activation. By combining these types of patterns, we achieve sophisticated forms of specification. In particular one specifies visitors implementing collective communication schemas widely used in parallel programming. broadcast, gather, scatter and reduction. As a result, automatic generation of visit algorithms adapted to different network configurations is made possible, thus facilitating experimentation. with different laws and their visualization

approximate real distance functions

Constructive heterogeneous object modeling using signe