Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extension of a decomposition method for a global LTL specification

This paper proposes an extension of an algorithm that decomposes a high-level specification into sub-formulas that are called tasks. The extension consists in enabling repetitive (non-terminating) behaviors expressed in Linear Temporal Logic (LTL), rather than only terminating ones, as the previous version of our method allowed. The LTL specification has the meaning of a global mission that must be accomplished by a team of mobile agents, while the decomposition ensures that the tasks can be executed independently by the robots, thus avoiding communications or synchronizations. An example is illustrating the presented work, while future research will be conducted towards inclusion of negations in formulas.
Model-based Self-adaptive Management in a Smart Grid Substation

The design of Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) is becoming increasingly complex due to the dynamic changes in their environments and infrastructures, requiring them to be self-adaptive. An important class of CPS is Industrial Control Systems (ICS), where a major trend is to upgrade from historically specific hardware and technologies towards more software-defined, virtual approaches involving the Could-Fog-Edge continuum. In this work, we propose a model-based approach for the design of the self-adaptation in ICS, inspired by, and applied to an industrial case study in Smart Grids, more particularly an electrical substation from RTE (the French Energy Transmission company). The problem is to allocate and reallocate dynamically a set of control functions upon a distributed computing infrastructure, with self-adaptation to variations and perturbations. We define and implement the model-based autonomic management feedback loop using constraint programming, to describe the space of possible configurations, as well as the constraints and objectives formalizing the operators strategies. This model is used in simulation, calling the constraints solver at each cycle of the loop.
Integrating Interdependencies in Semantic Manufacturing Process Description Models

The level of automation in production systems is increasing, with the use of advanced equipment to produce high-quality products. However, in today's dynamic situation, characterized by sustainability demands and shrinking product life cycles, manufacturing processes often require reconfiguration or even complete redesign. When undertaking the process reconfiguration or redesign of the production system, it is of utmost importance to explicitly describe the interdependencies among known parameters in order to anticipate the effects of parameter changes accurately. In this contribution, an approach for integrating process parameter interdependencies into a semantic model is presented. The semantic model uses various so-called Ontology Design Patterns. These patterns contain terminologies and logic of industrial standards. Models following this approach enable a support for process redesign by representing semantically enriched process knowledge. In addition, the model can be utilized to perform calculations and generate process output data based on specific process input data.
Using Tool Support to Visualize and Interact with IEC 61499 Control Software

The field of industrial automation has witnessed a significant increase in software development and maintenance efforts in recent years. This can be attributed to the demand for shorter product life cycles and customized products, leading to increasingly complex applications. As a result, control software engineers are facing new challenges. In this paper, we present our tool for visualizing industrial automation software. It provides engineers with a unique perspective on their large-scale applications. The tool offers several benefits, including convenient tracing of control and information flow across multiple levels of hierarchy, applying metrics to the visualization, and various interaction methods. The tool is tightly integrated into an existing IDE, providing a unique workflow for software analysis and maintenance. We discuss the experiences of engineers of our industry partner, who have been using the tool, and next steps.
Challenges in Precision Continuous-Time Delta-Sigma Data Converter Design [Feature]

We describe challenges encountered in the design of continuoustime delta-sigma modulators that target high resolution (>16 bits) over wide bandwidths (several hundreds of kHz). The linearity of the feedback DAC and flicker noise introduced by the loop filter are primary problems that need to be addressed. We describe two techniques that are inherently more linear than prior-art DACs, namely the virtual-ground-switched resistor DAC and the zapped virtual-ground-switched dual return-to-open DAC. Flicker noise can be eliminated by chopping, but one needs to pay careful attention to minimize chopping artifacts. Example multi-bit and singlebit designs achieving in excess of 100 dB SNDR over a 250 kHz bandwidth, designed in a 180 nm CMOS technology, are used to illustrate the efficacy of the techniques described in this article.
Optimizing parameters of robotic task-oriented programming via a multiphysics simulation

The programming complexity of industrial robots significantly limits their expansion in complex industrial applications. Consequently, research has focused extensively on the development of intuitive programming methods.This article proposes a framework for task-oriented programming introducing an intuitive and modular task structure. The framework provides an algorithm able to optimize the execution parameter of the tasks. A physical simulation environment allows accurate parameter optimization in a virtual environment providing feasible and safe results. Efficiency tests demonstrated the method’s effectiveness, and a comparison with genetic and Bayesian -based ones have been conducted.
Obfuscation of function block diagrams

Obfuscation is a process of transforming a program into an equivalent version which is harder to understand and reverse-engineer. Little attention has been paid to obfuscation techniques for programs written for programmable logic controllers (PLC). However, there is no reason to assume that an attacker would not be interested in hiding malicious payload into a PLC program before it is compiled to machine code.In this paper, I present five techniques for obfuscating IEC 61131-3 Function Block Diagram (FBD) programs. Four of the techniques are specific to the graphical representation of FBD. I then evaluate the applicability of each technique by experimenting with different PLC programming tools. I prove that at least four of the techniques are practically applicable, and demonstrate features that some tools successfully use to prevent abuse. Stricter rules, if implemented in IEC 61131-3, would prevent some of the techniques listed.
Mapping and Integration of Event- and Time-triggered Real-time Tasks on Partitioned Multi-core Systems

In order to meet the requirements of critical applications, modern multi-core multi-SoC real-time systems must handle both periodic and sporadic events within specified deadlines. A two-level scheduling hierarchy that combines time-triggered and fixed-priority scheduling is effective for managing periodic time-triggered (TT) and sporadic event-triggered (ET) tasks, respectively. We introduce two polling-based approaches, called simple and advanced polling, for guaranteeing both TT and ET task deadlines within single core systems. We then propose an optimization heuristic for the task-to-core allocation problem based on genetic algorithms for fully partitioned multi-core systems that can be applied to both polling methods. We evaluate the schedulability and runtime performance of the polling approaches and investigate the effectiveness of the allocation heuristic using synthetic test cases based on real-world application characteristics. The results show that both polling approaches achieve high schedulability with low runtime, and the allocation heuristic can generate good solutions for fully partitioned systems. Furthermore, we show that the server design problem of the advanced polling approach can be integrated into the allocation heuristic to achieve better solutions in terms of schedulability and that our choice of the genetic algorithm has a good speedup when being parallelized.
Generating Por table Test Cases for IEC 61499 FBs from Interface Behaviour Specifications

IEC 61499 is an executable, event-based language for control software that allows visual and textual implementation of individual software components (Function Blocks, FBs). The standardized visual service sequence model specifies the expected input/output behaviour of a component, thus supporting model-based testing. We present our approach for testing an FB on various platforms, which helps manage the variations in execution semantics between different vendors. First, service sequences are generated manually or derived from an existing (partial) implementation. Then, these service sequences serve as unit tests for this implementation. Finally, we create a test application that is executable on any IEC 61499-compliant platform. Executing tests directly in the target platform helps validate the correct functionality of an FB before deploying the control software to a cyber-physical system.
ADVANCING MOTION WORDS FOR HUMAN MOTION CLASSIFICATION

The growing volume of human motion data, captured by specialized sensors or extracted from ordinary video, requires efficient and effective representation. Its everyday applications range from protecting cars in parking lots by classifying human motion against a database of standard and suspicious behavior to detecting falls in nursing homes to trigger an immediate response. However, these high-dimensional data, typically represented by 3D skeleton sequences, incur nontrivial storage and processing costs. The authors of [1] introduced a compact short-motion representation called Motion Word (MW). This oneor few-dimensional identifier is used to translate an existing skeleton sequence into a sequence of MWs. Using such a sequence in the action classification task reduces the classification speed by two orders of magnitude [1] and improves the classification accuracy.
When Species Meet

Lunds Civila Ryttarforening, LCR, is one of Sweden’s largest equestrian clubs with its facilities located in between Norra Faladen to the north and LTH to the south. To the west of the horse facilities is “Smorlyckans Idrottsplats” with football pitches, tennis courts, a Jujutsu club and a Home Guard’s building. The club has approximately 500 weekly riders and offers a wide range of activities within the the riding school, as well as stalls for private horses. Discussions on whether the equestrian centre should be relocated or not have reached a standstill as it has been going on for about 50 years. I believe that if LCR is to stay on its current site it can not continue to be an island. Therefore this project is an investigation into how the centre could be developed meeting and integrating with its surroundings. As much as the horse is the centre of the stable and the equestrian sport it’s also the centre of this project. “When Species Meet” is a what-if scenario on what could happen if we plan for the horse and who else that could benefit from that. In addition to the architectural proposal, one major question with the project has been to develop my own method and investigate how it’s possible to keep a high rate of complexity when working with a project. This is something I have done by taking the position of the horse instead of the architect. This change of position has provided me with a possibility to see the site, with all its opportunities, from a perspective that I couldn’t have without the horse. Therefore, this project is also a try on how it could be possible to take on other projects by relocating my investigation to several other positions relevant for those projects. (Less)
Estimating contemporary methane emissions from tropical wetlands using multiple modelling approaches

Estimating contemporary methane emissions from tropical wetlands using multiple modelling approaches Methane gas makes a significant contribution to the greenhouse effect happening on the planet. In modern times, natural wetlands are the biggest source of methane gas as compared to other sources of natural origin. Emissions of methane gas from wetlands rely on the climate and have the ability to give a positive feedback to the changing climate. Nevertheless, there is lot of uncertainty associated with the strength of both the natural emissions and the feedback. Upscaling from site-based observations, process based models and inverse models have variable estimations of methane emission regionally as well as globally. Very few studies are available on tropical regions as compared to higher latitudes. This study has estimated methane emissions from tropical wetlands (30 degrees S to 30 degrees N) by extrapolation of fluxes based on wetland types using the Lehner and Doll (2004) wetland dataset. The information on the tropical wetland vegetation was also derived from the upscaling study carried out and was used to run a version of the LPJ-GUESS model developed for northern wetlands (LPJ-GUESS WHyMe) to estimate methane emissions from the tropics at a resolution of 0.5 degree latitude 0.5 degree longitude. Modelled heterotrophic respiration from LPJ-GUESS (version 2.1) was also used to assess methane release from the tropics in a simple parameterization in which a fixed carbon conversion factor was used to divert 4.15% of the respiration to methane release. The estimated annual methane emissions from tropical wetlands using upscaling of site based fluxes ranged from around 51 to 183 Tg CH₄ per year with largest emissions coming from ‘swamp forest, flooded forest’ wetland type. This range is largely in agreement with inverse modelling studies carried out in recent years. Modelled emissions from LPJ-GUESS WHyMe for the tropics was too high, at 566 TgCH₄ per year, whereas estimation from the simpler method using modelled heterotrophic respiration was 110 Tg CH₄ per year, which is also largely in agreement with inverse modelling studies carried out in recent years. Simulations with LPJ-GUESS WHyMe highlight the need for specific tropical wetland vegetation and their associated parameters, better water table calculations, seasonal inundation inputs, and more analysis of the factors governing the CO₂ to CH₄ production ratio in tropical regions. These factors combined could reduce the emissions to more reasonable values.
Assessing seasonality of boreal coniferous forest CO 2 exchange by estimating biochemical model parameters from micrometeorological flux observations

Assessing seasonality of boreal coniferous forest CO2 exchange by estimating biochemical model parameters from micrometeorological flux observations T. Thum, T. Aalto, T. Laurila, M. Aurela, A. Lindroth, and T. Vesala Finnish Meteorological Institute, Global and Climate Change Research, P.O. Box 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland Lund University, Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis, Sölvegatan 12, S-223 62, Lund, Sweden University of Helsinki, Department of Physics, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland Received: 29 May 2008 – Accepted: 29 May 2008 – Published: 27 June 2008 Correspondence to: T. Thum (tea.thum@fmi.fi) Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.
Foreground Object Detection Based on Chrominance and Texture Features with Enhancement by Canny Filter

The foreground object detection became very important in a computer vision system and has a many applications such as recognition, object tracking, counting, classifying, home surveillance, traffic monitoring, video monitoring, medical image and in other multimedia applications. So that each of these applications needs a method for object detection, therefore, requires improving new methods and algorithms for processing this information. This paper proposes foreground objects detection approach based on the chrominance and texture features with canny enhance filter. The input is background image and current image and the output are the detecting foreground objects. The proposed approach consists of three steps: first the features extracting which are chrominance and texture features (these features are robust against to illumination changes, noise, and shadows) from a current and background image. Then, the similarity matching is computed for each feature. Finally, canny
ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

with phylogenetic constraint. Our phylogeny places fan-fishes at the base of the Bramidae and suggests that non-fanfish bramids have reduced medial fins and re-evolved SOCs. These observations suggest that the evolution of novel fin morphologies in basal species has led to the phylogenetic coupling of head and fin shape, possibly pre-disposing the entire family to a limited range of feeding. Thus, the evolution of extreme morphologies may have carryover effects, even after the morphology is lost, limiting ecological diversification of lineages.
Enabling Multi-tenancy on SSDs with Accurate IO Interference Modeling

Technological advancements in the past decades have substantially increased the capacity and performance of Solid State Drives (SSDs). Provisioning such high-capacity SSDs among tenants can reap multiple benefits, such as elevated performance, efficient resource utilization, and cost savings through reduced Total Cost of Ownership. However, workloads perform poorly when co-located with others on the same SSD due to IO Interference, potentially violating Service Level Objectives (SLOs). High overprovisioning can address the SLO issue, however, it entails low utilization. Prior works proposed Machine Learning (ML) techniques to predict SSD performance in the presence of interfering tenants for optimizing workload placement. However, we find that these works suffer from two notable limitations. First, previous ML models do not capture interference impact due to the non-uniform workload characteristics and SSD internals. Second, they fail to compute interference of an arbitrary number of workloads due to a lack of feature aggregation. As a result, these works still offer low utilization and can only enforce weak SLOs. To address these limitations, we propose a Gray-box feature representation and aggregation technique to capture the IO interference impact of multiple non-uniform workloads based on internal SSD characteristics. Our technique improves prediction accuracy by 12x (lower mean absolute error) over prior works, resulting in up to 60% higher resource utilization or enforcing up to 2.5× stricter SLOs.
A time delay estimation method using canonical correlation analysis and log-sum regularization

: The localization of sources has a numerous number of applications. To estimate the position of sources, the relative time delay between two or more received signals for the direct signal must be determined. Although the GCC (Generalized Cross-Correlation) method is the most popular technique, an approach based on CCA (Canonical Correlation Analysis) was also proposed for the TDE (Time Delay Estimation). In this paper, we propose a new adaptive algorithm based on CCA in order to utilized the sparsity in the eigenvector of CCA based time delay estimator. The proposed algorithm uses the eigenvector corresponding to the maximum eigenvalue with log-sum regularization in order to utilize the sparsity in the eigenvector. We have performed simulations for several SNR(signal to noise ratio)s, showing that the new CCA based algorithm can estimate the time delays more accurately than the conventional CCA and GCC based TDE algorithms.
Stakeholder Synergies for Enhancing Community-based Tourism Development

The rise of community-based tourism has ushered in a new era of home-staying. The paper intends to demonstrate a viable model of synergistic efforts of local community-led tourism, as well as to analyze its functions in culturally significant historic sites. The necessary data were collected in the touristic environment of the historical Panauti area. Open-ended questionnaires with homestay owners and people's representative respondents were employed for the study. This essay focuses on socio-historical perspectives, settings and conditions of modernization, and the success of homestays through collaborative function. The descriptive model was employed for the analysis. Collective features of homestay are recognized as fostering factors for intimate relationship among local people, and local government is also thought to produce sustainable resource use, social relationships, cooperation, and empowerment.
Multistatic sonar tracking

Multistatic active sonar has significant potential for littoral surveillance. This paper describes a multistatic tracking algorithm, and provides performance analysis with both simulated and real multistatic sonar data. We find that sensor fusion and target tracking provided significant value added in the sonar processing chain. In particular, we are able to drastically reduce the number of objects that an operator must contend with, both by removing large numbers of false contacts as well as by associating true contacts and establishing tracks on moving targets and fixed clutter points. The association of contacts allows for recursive filtering algorithms to process kinematic measurements and provides localization and velocity information with much smaller errors than are present in multistatic contact data.
Bargaining for Exclusive Rights in Two-Sided Markets: The Case of the NFL and Broadcast Channels

The National Football League (NFL) represents its 32 member teams when bargaining with broadcasters over NFL broadcasting rights. Current broadcasting contracts restrict access to NFL Sunday games based upon a viewer’s location. I develop an endogenous disagreement payoffs extension to the standard bargaining model to describe the interaction between the NFL and broadcasters when allocating broadcasting rights. The disagreement payoff is found by calculating profits under the counterfactual when the broadcaster does not win. This is done by estimating viewer and advertiser benefits in a full two-sided equilibrium model of advertiser-consumer interaction mediated by channel ad choices and then changing broadcast programs. I estimate advertiser willingness-to-pay to reach a viewer at $ 0.04. I conduct simulations for when NFL bargaining is decentralized to the division level. The estimates suggest that while the price of contracts increases, broadcaster profits increase due to the flexibility in bundling games.