Digital Commons Network^™

National Hpcc Software Exchange, Shirley Browne, Jack Dongarra, Stan Green, Keith Moore, Tom Rowan, Reed Wade, Geoffrey .. Fox, Ken Hawick

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - All Scholarship

This report describes an effort to construct a National HPCC Software Exchange (NHSE). This system shows how the evolving National Information Infrastructure (NII) can be used to facilitate sharing of software and information among members of the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) community. To access the system use the URL: http://www.netlib.org/nse/.

Cooperative Assistance For Remote Robot Supervision, Erika Rogers, Robin R. Murphy, A. Stewart, Nazir Warsi

Computer Science and Software Engineering

This paper describes current work on the design of a computer system which provides cooperative assistance for the supervision of remote semi-autonomous robots. It consists of a blackboard-based framework which allows communication between the remote robot, the local human supervisor, and an intelligent mediating system, which aids interactive exception handling when the remote robot requires the assistance of the local operator.

Mathematical And Theological Beliefs: A Cognitive Science Perspective, Ron Benbow

ACMS Journal 2004

In recent years, research studies have shown that control decisions and processes, beliefs about the nature of mathematics, attitudes, and other affective variables have enormous impact on the mathematical performance of students. This paper gives an overview of the research on mathematical beliefs and reviews some work done in Christian education relating to theological beliefs. It then compares the two.

A Comprehensive, Automated Approach To Determining Sea Ice Thickness From Sar Data, Donna Haverkamp, Leen-Kiat Soh, Costas Tsatsoulis

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

This paper documents an approach to sea ice classification through a combination of methods, both algorithmic and heuristic. The resulting system is a comprehensive technique, which uses dynamic local thresholding as a classification basis and then supplements that initial classification using heuristic geophysical knowledge organized in expert systems. The dynamic local thresholding method allows separation of the ice into thickness classes based on local intensity distributions. Because it utilizes the data within each image, it can adapt to varying ice thickness intensities to regional and seasonal charges and is not subject to limitations caused by using predefined parameters.

A System For Recognizing A Large Class Of Engineering Drawings, Yuhong Yu, Ashok Samal, Sharad C. Seth

School of Computing: Conference and Workshop Papers

We present a complete system for recognizing a large class of symbolic engineering drawings that includes flowcharts, chemical plant diagrams, and logic & electrical circuits. The output of the system, a netlist identifying the symbol types and interconnections, may be used for design verification or as a compact portable representation of the drawing. The automatic recognition task is done in two stages: (1) domain-independent rules segment symbols from connection lines in the preprocessed drawing image and (2) an understanding subsystem makes use of a set of domain-specific matchers to classify symbols and correct errors automatically. A graphical user interface is …

Rule Extraction: From Neural Architecture To Symbolic Representation, Gail A. Carpenter, Ah-Hwee Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper shows how knowledge, in the form of fuzzy rules, can be derived from a supervised learning neural network called fuzzy ARTMAP. Rule extraction proceeds in two stages: pruning, which simplifies the network structure by removing excessive recognition categories and weights; and quantization of continuous learned weights, which allows the final system state to be translated into a usable set of descriptive rules. Three benchmark studies illustrate the rule extraction methods: (1) Pima Indian diabetes diagnosis, (2) mushroom classification and (3) DNA promoter recognition. Fuzzy ARTMAP and ART-EMAP are compared with the ADAP algorithm, the k nearest neighbor system, …

Nonrecursive Incremental Evaluation Of Datalog Queries, Guozhu Dong, Jianwen Su, Rodney Topor

Kno.e.sis Publications

We consider the problem of repeatedly evaluating the same (computationally expensive) query to a database that is being updated between successive query requests. In this situation, it should be possible to use the difference between successive database states and the answer to the query in one state to reduce the cost of evaluating the query in the next state. We use nonrecursive Datalog (which are unions of conjunctive queries) to compute the differences, and call this process “incremental query evaluation using conjunctive queries”. After formalizing the notion of incremental query evaluation using conjunctive queries, we give an algorithm that constructs, …

A Study Of Voluntary Participation In Computer User Groups, Alan Engels

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine ways to increase participation of members in Computer User Groups. The problem addressed was that a small select group, less than ten percent, in the Parsons Apple/Macintosh Users Group was doing ninety-five percent or more of the work. If this scenario does not change soon, the overworked and overburdened select few may suffer burnout and quit. Case in point, Joplin, MO, had a large Computer User Group, but about seven years ago, it vanished when the select few refused to serve anymore. The same process of decay and erosion has happened in …

Idea Analysis For The Development Of Clinical Trial Strategies, Roberta S. Horowitz

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Idea Analysis was investigated to determine its ability to organize scientific information and explain the results of specialists' deliberations in designing new clinical trials. Ideas have long been recognized as the engine of creativity. By focusing on the capture of ideas from the scientific literature, idea analysis procedures enable the arrangement of the information into forms consistent with those developed by subject specialists. The most obvious example is the concept structure. Ideas containing a common frequently occurring term/phrase can be depicted as a primary node in the concept network. Related terms will appear as elements associated with that node. Ideas …

A Taxonomy Of Workgroup Computing Applications, Warren Von Worley

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

The goal of workgroup computing is to help individuals and groups efficiently perform a wide range of functions on networked computer systems (Ellis, Gibbs, & Rein, 1991). Early workgroup computing tools were designed for limited functionality and group interaction (Craighill, 1992). Current workgroup computing applications do not allow enough control of group processes and they provide little correlation between various workgroup computing application areas (Rodden and Blair, 1991). An integrated common architecture may produce more effective workgroup computing applications. Integrating common support functions into a common framework will avoid duplication of these functions for each workgroup computing application (Pastor & …

Parallel Remapping Algorithms For Adaptive Problems, Chao Wei Ou, Sanjay Ranka

Northeast Parallel Architecture Center

In this paper we present fast parallel algorithms for remapping a class of irregular and adaptive problems on coarse-grained distributed memory machines. We show that the remapping of these applications, using simple index-based mapping algorithm, can be reduced to sorting a nearly sorted list of integers or merging an unsorted list of integers with a sorted list of integers. By using the algorithms we have developed, the remapping of these problems can be achieved at a fraction of the cost of mapping from scratch. Experimental results are presented on the CM-5.

Shape Reconstruction From Shading Using Linear Approximation, Ping Sing Tsai

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Shape from shading (SFS) deals with the recovery of 3D shape from a single monocular image. This problem was formally introduced by Horn in the early 1970s. Since then it has received considerable attention, and several efforts have been made to improve the shape recovery. In this thesis, we present a fast SFS algorithm, which is a purely local method and is highly parallelizable. In our approach, we first use the discrete approximations for surface gradients, p and q, using finite differences, then linearize the reflectance function in depth, Z ( x , y), instead of p and q. This …

Experimenting With The Finite Element Method In The Calculation Of Radiosity Form Factors, Donna Marie Chesteen

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Radiosity has been used to create some of the most photorealistic computer-generated images to date. The problem, however, is that radiosity algorithms are so computationally and memory expensive that few applications can employ them successfully. Form factor calculation is the most costly part of the process. This report describes an algorithm for using the finite element method to reduce the amount of time that is used in the form factor calculation portion of the radiosity algorithm. This technique for form factor calculation significantly reduces the number of projections done at each iteration by using shape functions to determine the distribution …

Critical Success Factors For Organizational Case Success, Chad Strauss

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Practitioners and researchers have suggested that Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology can significantly improve the productivity of systems analysts and the quality of systems development. Before CASE can succeed, however, specific components must exist. This paper explores CASE and the components necessary for its widespread acceptance and use within information systems departments. Specifically, this paper will examine the systems development life cycle (SDLC), the possible benefits of CASE, the current state of CASE, critical success factors for CASE, and finally CASE use.

Analysis And Extension Of Model-Based Software Executives, Keith E. Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

This research developed a comprehensive description of the simulation environment of Architect, a domain-oriented application composition system being developed at the Air Force Institute of Technology to explore new software engineering technologies. The description combines information from several previous research efforts and Architect's source code into a single, comprehensive document. A critical evaluation of the simulation environment was also performed, identifying improvements and modifications that enhance Architecture's application execution capabilities by reducing complexity and execution time. The analysis was then taken one step further and presented extensions to the current simulation environment. The extensions included investigating the feasibility of mixed-mode …

Interaction And Interdependency Of Software Engineering Methods And Visual Programming, Robert A. Touchton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Visual Programming Languages and Visual Programming Tools incorporate non-procedural coding mechanisms that may duplicate, or perhaps even conflict with, the analysis and design mechanisms promulgated by the mainstream Software Engineering methodologies. By better understanding such duplication and conflict, software engineers can take proactive measures to accommodate and, ideally, eliminate them. Better still, there may be opportunities for synergy that can be exploited if one is looking for them.

This research explored, documented and classified the interactions and interdependencies, both positive (synergies) and negative (conflicts), between two closely related and rapidly evolving Computer Science subdisciplines: software engineering and visual programming. A …

Feasible Offset And Optimal Offset For General Single-Layer Channel Routing, Ronald I. Greenberg, Jau-Der Shih

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This paper provides an efficient method to find all feasible offsets for a given separation in a very large-scale integration (VLSI) channel-routing problem in one layer. The previous literature considers this task only for problems with no single-sided nets. When single-sided nets are included, the worst-case solution time increases from $\Theta ( n )$ to $\Omega ( n^2 )$, where n is the number of nets. But if the number of columns c is $O( n )$, the problem can be solved in time $O( n^{1.5} \lg n )$, which improves upon a “naive” $O( cn )$ approach. As a …

Visage: Improving The Ballistic Vulnerability Modeling And Analysis Process, Brett F. Grimes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to improve the process of modeling and analyzing ballistic vulnerability data. This was accomplished by addressing two of the more urgent needs of vulnerability analysts; the ability to display fault tree data and to edit target descriptions. A vulnerability data visualization program called VISAGE was modified to meet these needs. VISAGE was originally created to preview static shotline plots and subsequently grew into a full-featured visualization package for vulnerability target descriptions and analyses data. The next logical step in the programs evolution was to include the needed editing and fault tree display capabilities. The …

Reliable Stream Transmission In Mobile Computing Environments, Houzhi Xu, Bharat Bhargava

Department of Computer Science Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

A Trainable, Single-Pass Algorithm For Column Segmentation, Son Sylwester, Sharad C. Seth

School of Computing: Conference and Workshop Papers

Column Segmentation logically precedes OCR in the document analysis process. The trainable algorithm described here, XYCUT, relies on horizontal and vertical binary profiles to produce an XY- tree representing the column structure of a page of a technical document in a single pass through the bit image. Training against ground truth adjusts a single, resolution independent, parameter using only local information and guided by an edit distance function. The algorithm correctly segments the page image for a (fairly) wide range of parameter values, although small, local and repairable errors may be made, an effect measured by a repair cost function.

Learning Via Queries With Teams And Anomalies, William I. Gasarch, Efim Kinber, Mark G. Pleszkoch, Carl H. Smith, Thomas Zeugmann

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

Most work in the field of inductive inference regards the learning machine to be a passive recipient of data. In a prior paper the passive approach was compared to an active form of learning where the machine is allowed to ask questions. In this paper we continue the study of machines that ask questions by comparing such machines to teams of passive machines. This yields, via work of Pitt and Smith, a comparison of active learning with probabilistic learning. Also considered are query inference machines that learn an approximation of what is desired. The approximation differs from the desired result …

Production Of Excited Beauty States In Z Decays, D. Buskulic, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A data sample of about 3.0 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP in the years 1991 through 1994, is used to make an inclusive selection of B hadron events.

Inclusive Production Of Neutral Vector Mesons In Hadronic Z Decays, D. Buskulic, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Data on the inclusive production of the neutral vector mesonsρ 0(770),ω(782), K*0(892), andφ(1020) in hadronic Z decays recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP are presented and compared to Monte Carlo model predictions. Bose-Einstein effects are found to be important in extracting a reliable value for theρ 0 production rate. An averageρ 0 multiplicity of 1.45±0.21 per event is obtained. Theω is detected via its three pion decay modeω→π + π − π 0 and has a total rate of 1.07±0.14 per event. The multiplicity of the K*0 is 0.83±0.09, whilst that of theφ is 0.122±0.009, both measured using their …

A Portable Computer System For Recording Heart Sounds And Data Modeling Using A Backpropagation Neural Network, Erik Mark Hudson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cardiac auscultation is the primary tool used by cardiologists to diagnose heart problems. Although effective, auscultation is limited by the effectiveness of human hearing. Digital sound technology and the pattern classification ability of neural networks may offer improvements in this area. Digital sound technology is now widely available on personal computers in the form of sound cards. A good deal of research over the last fifteen years has shown that neural networks can excel in diagnostic problem solving. To date, most research involving cardiology and neural networks has focussed on ECG pattern classification. This thesis explores the prospects of recording …

Finding Connected Components On A Scan Line Array Processor, Ronald I. Greenberg

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This paper provides a new approach to labeling the connected components of an n x n image on a scan line array processor (comprised of n processing elements). Variations of this approach yield an algorithm guaranteed to complete in o(n lg n) time as well as algorithms likely to approach O(n) time for all or most images. The best previous solutions require using a more complicated architecture or require Omega(n lg n) time. We also show that on a restricted version of the architecture, any algorithm requires Omega(n lg n) time in the worst case.

Using Multiple Statistical Prototypes To Classify Continuously Valued Data, Tony R. Martinez, Dan A. Ventura

Faculty Publications

Multiple Statistical Prototypes (MSP) is a modification of a standard minimum distance classification scheme that generates muItiple prototypes per class using a modified greedy heuristic. Empirical comparison of MSP with other well-known learning algorithms shows MSP to be a robust algorithm that uses a very simple premise to produce good generalization and achieve parsimonious hypothesis representation.

Hardware Assists For High Performance Computing Using A Mathematics Of Arrays, Hardy J. Pottinger, W. Eatherton, J. Kelly, T. Schiefelbein, Lenore Mullin, R. Ziegler

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Work in progress at the University of Missouri-Rolla on hardware assists for high performance computing is presented. This research consists of a novel field programmable gate array (FPGA) based reconfigurable coprocessor board (the Chameleon Coprocessor) being used to evaluate hardware architectures for speedup of array computation algorithms. These algorithms are developed using a Mathematics of Arrays (MOA). They provide a means to generate addresses for data transfers that require less data movement than more traditional algorithms. In this manner, the address generation algorithms are acting as an intelligent data prefetching mechanism or special purpose cache controller. Software implementations have been …

Using Taguchi''S Method Of Experimental Design To Control Errors In Layered Perceptrons, William E. Bond, Gerald E. Peterson, Daniel C. St. Clair, Stephen R. Aylward

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

A significant problem in the design and construction of an artificial neural network for function approximation is limiting the magnitude and the variance of errors when the network is used in the field. Network errors can occur when the training data does not faithfully represent the required function due to noise or low sampling rates, when the network's flexibility does not match the variability of the data, or when the input data to the resultant network is noisy. This paper reports on several experiments whose purpose was to rank the relative significance of these error sources and thereby find neural …

Object Interactions As First Class Objects: From Design To Implementation, Mahesh Dodani, Benjamin Kok Siew Gan, Lizette Velazquez

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Collaborations between objects make up the dynamic behavior of OO software. These collaborations among objects require careful design and implementation. Treating the interactions as responsibilities that are integrated in the participating objects, results in tight coupling between objects. Tight coupling increases complexity and reduces reusability. Object interactions need to be first class objects from design to implementation. Our research provides a unified approach to model and implement these interactions as first class objects. During analysis and design, they are modeled using DynaSpecs. During implementation, they are coded with a new language construct called Compositions. DynaSpecs and Compositions provide a consistent …

Automatic Pcb Inspection Systems, M. Moganti, Fikret Erçal

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

There are more than 50 process steps required to fabricate a printed circuit board (PCB). To ensure quality, human operators simply inspect the work visually against prescribed standards. The decisions made by this labor intensive, and therefore costly, procedure often also involve subjective judgements. Automatic inspection systems remove the subjective aspects and provide fast, quantitative dimensional assessments. Machine vision may answer the manufacturing industry's need to improve product quality and increase productivity. The major limitation of existing inspection systems is that all the algorithms need a special hardware platform to achieve the desired real-time speeds. This makes the systems extremely …