ppxscal/embedding_network huggingface dataset:
Hydra: a platform for survivable and secure data storage systems
Authors: Lihao Xu
Venue: Proceedings of the 2005 ACM workshop on Storage security and survivability (2005)

This paper introduces Hydra, a platform that we are developing for highly survivable and secure data storage systems that distribute information over networks and adapt timely to environment changes, enabling users to store and access critical data in a continuously available and highly trustable fashion. The Hydra platform uses MDS array codes that can be encoded and decoded efficiently for distributing and recovering user data. Novel uses of MDS array codes in Hydra are discussed, as well as Hydra's design goals, general structures and a set of basic operations on user data. We also explore Hydra's applications in survivable and secure data storage systems.
A Balanced Approach to 3D Tracking from Image Streams
Authors: Raghav Subbarao, Peter Meer, Yakup Genc
Venue: Proceedings of the 4th IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (2005)

Estimation of camera pose is an integral part of augmented reality systems. Vision-based methods offer a flexible and accurate method for this estimation. Current vision based methods rely on markers to reduce the computation and increase robustness of the pose estimation. However, this limits the algorithm's applicability while being expensive since the markers also require maintenance. Alternatively, reconstructed scene features can be used for pose estimation but this can lead to a loss of accuracy. To avoid this we propose a two-stage balanced tracking method which does not require any visual markers in the scene. The first stage of our method is based on the sequential recovery of structure from motion which allows the system to learn the scene from a few frames in which the markers are visible. In the next stage, the learned features are used for camera tracking. The system ensures greater accuracy and reduces error drift due to its use of the HEIV estimator which is provably unbiased to the first degree. We also make use of a novel method for the detection and removal of outliers which are unavoidable in such systems. The experiments show the superiority of our method when compared to a nonlinear method based on Levenberg-Marquardt minimization.
Learning first-order probabilistic models with combining rules
Authors: Sriraam Natarajan, Prasad Tadepalli, Eric Altendorf, Thomas G. Dietterich, Alan Fern, Angelo Restificar
Venue: Proceedings of the 22nd international conference on Machine learning (2005)

First-order probabilistic models allow us to model situations in which a random variable in the first-order model may have a large and varying numbers of parent variables in the ground ("unrolled") model. One approach to compactly describing such models is to independently specify the probability of a random variable conditioned on each individual parent (or small sets of parents) and then combine these conditional distributions via a combining rule (e.g., Noisy-OR). This paper presents algorithms for learning with combining rules. Specifically, algorithms based on gradient descent and expectation maximization are derived, implemented, and evaluated on synthetic data and on a real-world task. The results demonstrate that the algorithms are able to learn the parameters of both the individual parent-target distributions and the combining rules.
Reconstruction, registration, and modeling of deformable object shapes
Authors: Jing Xiao
Venue:  (2005)

Natural objects, such as expressive human faces, and dynamic scenes, such as cars running on the roads, generally vary the shapes as linear combinations of certain bases. With the expeditious development of computer and imaging technologies, the problems of reconstruction, registration, and modeling of such deformable shapes from image measurements has shown enormous importance for applications such as biomedical image interpretation and human computer interaction. Because the image measurements are generated by coupling two factors: non-rigid deformations and rigid similarity transformations between the shapes and the measuring systems, the essence of the three problems is to factorize the measurements and compute the deformable shapes (reconstruction), the rigid transformations (registration), and the shape bases (modeling). This thesis presents novel factorization algorithms for the three problems. First, we present a linear closed-form solution for reconstructing 3D deformable shapes from 2D images, assuming the weak-perspective camera model and non-degenerate cases. We prove that enforcing only the constraints on orthonormality of rigid rotations, as in the previous methods, inherently leads to ambiguous and invalid solutions. We show that the ambiguity stems from the non-uniqueness of the shape bases. We then introduce constraints on bases that resolve the ambiguity and result in a linear closed-form solution. We also develop methods for degeneracy cases and propose a 2-step factorization algorithm for uncalibrated perspective reconstruction. Second, we present a factorization-based technique for registering the deformable shapes in local measuring systems into a common coordinate system. This technique takes into account the shape deformation during the registration process and avoids the bias problem in the previous methods. Third, we apply the proposed algorithms to extracting the 3D shape model (consisting of the bases) of expressive human faces from monocular image sequences. Combining the 3D model with the 2D Active Appearance Model, we present a novel face model that describes the variations of both 2D and 3D face shapes and facial appearances. We then develop a real-time algorithm (60fps) that recovers the 2D and 3D face shapes, the 3D face poses, and the facial appearances by fitting the model to images.
Implementing Collaborative Manufacturing with Intelligent Web Services
Authors: Weiming Shen, Yinsheng Li, Qi Hao, Shuying Wang, Hamada Ghenniwa
Venue: Proceedings of the The Fifth International Conference on Computer and Information Technology (2005)

Collaborative Manufacturing is a new paradigm for the 21st century manufacturing. This paper proposes a service oriented integration framework based on emerging technologies including software agents and Web Services. A software prototype system has been implemented to demonstrate how the proposed service oriented integration framework could be used to establish a dynamic collaborative environment for inter-enterprise collaboration.
Exploring the Potential of Mobile Services to Support Learning and Communication in University Classes
Authors: Marcelo Milrad, Daniel Bergman, Michele H. Jackson
Venue: Proceedings of the IEEE International Workshop on Wireless and Mobile Technologies in Education (2005)

This paper presents initial results of our on-going activities regarding the use of smart phones and mobile services in university classrooms at Växjö University. The purpose of these trials was to explore and identify which content and services could be delivered to the smart phones in order to support learning and communication in the context of university studies. The activities were conducted within the MUSIS (MUlticasting Services and Information in Sweden) project where 41 students from two different courses at Vaxjo University participated during a period of 3 months. Generally, the services integrated transparently into students' previous experience with mobile phones. Students generally perceived the services as useful to learning; interestingly, attitudes were more positive if the instructor adapted pedagogical style and instructional material to take advantage of the distinctive capabilities of multicasting. To illustrate, we report a case study of a class in the School of Humanities. We conclude with recommendations for increasing the potential for successful implementation of mobile services in higher education, including the importance of usability, institutional support, and tailored educational content.
Device-aware desktop web page transformation for rendering on handhelds
Authors: A. Artail, Mackram Raydan
Venue: Personal and Ubiquitous Computing (2005)

This paper illustrates a new approach to automatic re-authoring of web pages for rendering on small-screen devices. The approach is based on automatic detection of the device type and screen size from the HTTP request header to render a desktop web page or a transformed one for display on small screen devices, for example, PDAs. Known algorithms (transforms) are employed to reduce the size of page elements, to hide parts of the text, and to transform tables into text while preserving the structural format of the web page. The system comprises a preprocessor that works offline and a just-in-time handler that responds to HTTP requests. The preprocessor employs Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to set default attributes for the page and prepares it for the handler. The latter is responsible for downsizing graphical elements in the page, converting tables to text, and inserting visibility attributes and JavaScript code to allow the user of the client device to interact with the page and cause parts of the text to disappear or reappear. A system was developed that implements the approach and was used it to collect performance results and conduct usability testing. The importance of the approach lies in its ability to display hidden parts of the web page without having to revisit the server, thus reducing user wait times considerably, saving battery power, and cutting down on wireless network traffic.
Dynamic Software Architecture Oriented Service Composition and Evolution
Authors: Ping Yu, Xiaoxing Ma, Jian Lu
Venue: Proceedings of the The Fifth International Conference on Computer and Information Technology (2005)

Service-Oriented Computing (SOC) is believed to be prominent for the efficient and effective businesses development. However, current SOC technologies and standards are challenged by the changeful environment and user requirements. Concerns for runtime evolution are evoked to realize extensible and adaptive service-oriented applications. In this paper we argue that software architecture, esp. dynamic software architecture (DSA), should be used as a complement view for the commonly adopted workflow views in service composition. Furthermore, a novel reification mechanism for DSA is proposed to enable the runtime evolution of the architecture. A corresponding system named Artemis-ARC is implemented to support the development, execution and dynamic reconfiguration of service-oriented applications.
Stochastic Fluid Model for P2P Caching Evaluation
Authors: Florence Clevenot-Perronnin, Philippe Nain
Venue: Proceedings of the 10th International Workshop on Web Content Caching and Distribution (2005)

In this paper we propose a stochastic fluid model to analyze the performance of Squirrel, a P2P cooperative Web cache. This work provides a scalable and insightful extension of our previous analysis of Squirrel. This new model provides a closed-formexpression for the hit probability when documents are equally popular. Realistic object popularity is also addressed through a clustering approximation. The accuracy of this model is validated by a comparison with discrete-event simulations. Our model allows us to study the impact of various parameters on the performance of the Squirrel system. In particular, we emphasize the importance of taking object popularity into account. We also investigate the impact of clients announcing their departure on the resulting hit probability.
Privacy enhancing identity management: protection against re-identification and profiling
Authors: Sebastian Clauβ, Dogan Kesdogan, Tobias Kölsch
Venue: Proceedings of the 2005 workshop on Digital identity management (2005)

User centric identity management will be necessary to protect user's privacy in an electronic society. However, designing such systems is a complex task, as the expectations of the different parties involved in electronic transactions have to be met. In this work we give an overview on the actual situation in user centric identity management and point out problems encountered there. Especially we present the current state of research and mechanisms useful to protect the user's privacy. Additionally we show security problems that have to be borne in mind while designing such a system and point out possible solutions. Thereby, we concentrate on attacks on linkability and identifiability, and possible protection methods.
Email feedback: a policy-based approach to overcoming false positives
Authors: Saket Kaushik, William Winsborough, Duminda Wijesekera, Paul Ammann
Venue: Proceedings of the 2005 ACM workshop on Formal methods in security engineering (2005)

Current email-control mechanisms, though highly effective, are pro-ne to dropping desirable messages. This can be attributed to their coarseness in filtering out undesirable messages from desirable ones. As a result policies to control undesirable messages are often overly permissive. To allow policies to be more restrictive, the transmission mechanism must be made aware of the ways to document a message so that it is acceptable downstream, thus giving the senders a chance of meeting those requirements. In this work, we design a scheme to enable rejected, but desirable messages to be upgraded in a way that they meet downstream requirements. We call this process 'message refinement'. This in turn allows downstream principals to express and enforce precise requirements as the risk of losing desirable messages is minimized. To apply this scheme uniformly to any email-control mechanism, we provide a flexible and extensible policy language to express message acceptance preferences. We use a constraint logic programming approach to specifying and evaluating these policies and show that their evaluation can be accomplished in PTIME. This supports our belief that this technique can be practically applied.
A principled methodology for the specification and design of nonvisual widgets
Authors: Alistair D. N. Edwards, Evangelos Mitsopoulos
Venue: ACM Transactions on Applied Perception (TAP) (2005)

When the visual channel of communication is unavailable because the user is blind, nonvisual user interfaces must be developed. The proposed methodology consists of three interrelated specification levels. Information and supported tasks are specified in abstract terms at the conceptual level, taking into account requirements imposed by manipulation of interaction devices and information provided by analysis of the visual representation. The perceptual structure of the auditory scene is specified next at the structural level and then the physical dimensions of sound are defined at the implementation level. The methodology is applied to the specification of a simple listbox widget.
Extreme Formal Modeling (XFM) for Hardware Models
Authors: Syed Suhaib, Deepak Mathaikutty, Sandeep Shukla, David Berner
Venue: Proceedings of the Fifth International Workshop on Microprocessor Test and Verification (2004)

In this paper, we show the usefulness of an agile formal method (named XFM) based on extreme programming concepts to construct abstract models from a natural language specification of a complex system. Building formal models for verification purposes is being employed in the industry for two different usage modes: (i) Descriptive Formal Models (DFM) which, are used to capture an implementation into an abstract model to submit to analysis by model checking tools, (ii) Prescriptive Formal Models (PFM) which, are used to capture natural language specifications into a formal model to analyze consistency of the specification and also as a reference model to compare a DFM against it. We propose XFM as a methodology to incrementally build a correct PFM from a natural language specification. In this paper, using XFM, on various examples related to micro-processors, we build the models of DLX pipeline in SPIN, the ISA bus monitor and arbitration phase of the Pentium Pro bus in SMV.
The Design of A Personal and Intelligent Pervasive-Commerce System Architecture
Authors: Kwei-Jay Lin, Tao Yu, Chia-Yen Shih
Venue: Proceedings of the Second IEEE International Workshop on Mobile Commerce and Services (2005)

This paper studies the paradigm of pervasive commerce (p-commerce) and presents the design of a p-commerce system architecture which consists of e-commerce servers and store sensors. The architecture includes a personal device, PAM (Pervasive Activity Manager), that allows a user to interact with the smart e-commerce environment. PAM can be used to automatically collect sensor information, manage user preference and context, connect to servers and peers on the Web, conduct service checking and integration, and execute user transactions. Extended from traditional m-commerce devices, PAM is user-centric in the sense that it tries to help a user look for preferred products and find the best result for the user. It proactively conducts many context-aware operations in the background without user's explicit requests. We study the p-commerce system issues and define the capabilities to make such a device feasible. We also show shopping scenarios and present a simple PAM prototype using the PDA device available today.
State Assignment for PAL-based CPLDs
Authors: Robert Czerwinski, Dariusz Kania
Venue: Proceedings of the 8th Euromicro Conference on Digital System Design (2005)

In the paper, the state assignment methods of the finite state machines for PAL-based structures are presented. A main feature of the PAL-cell is a limited number of product terms (k-AND-gates) that are connected to a single sum (OR-gate). Function,which is the sumof p-implicants, when p \nek, does not take full advantage of the cell. When p \ge k, implementation is multi-cell (so multi-level). The main idea of solving this problem is to count the number of product terms during the process of state assignment. First algorithm leads to automata which take advantage of the number of PAL-cell terms. Second approach is dedicated to state assignment of fast automata. Methods based on Primary and Secondary Merging Conditions are presented. In one of the most basic states of the logic synthesis of sequential devices, the elements referring to restrictions of PAL-based CPLDs are taken into account.
Enhancing the Robustness of Distributed Real-Time Middleware via End-to-End Utilization Control
Authors: Xiaorui Wang, Chenyang Lu, Xenofon Koutsoukos
Venue: Proceedings of the 26th IEEE International Real-Time Systems Symposium (2005)

A key challenge for distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) middleware is maintaining both system reliability and desired real-time performance in unpredictable environments where system workload and resources may fluctuate significantly. This paper presents FC-ORB, a realtime Object Request Broker (ORB) middleware that employs end-to-end utilization control to handle fluctuations in application workload and system resources. The contributions of this paper are three-fold. First, we present a novel utilization control service that enforces desired CPU utilization bounds on multiple processors by adapting the rates of end-to-end tasks within user-specified ranges. Second, we describe a set of middleware-level mechanisms designed to support end-to-end tasks and distributed multi-processor utilization control in a real-time ORB. Finally, we present extensive experimental results on a Linux testbed. Our results demonstrate that our middleware can maintain desired utilizations in face of uncertainties and variations in task execution times, resource contentions from external workloads, and permanent processor failure. FC-ORB demonstrates that the integration of utilization control, end-to-end scheduling and fault-tolerance mechanisms in DRE middleware is a promising approach for enhancing the robustness of DRE applications in unpredictable environments.
Delay noise pessimism reduction by logic correlations
Authors: A. Glebov, S. Gavrilov, R. Soloviev, V. Zolotov, M. R. Becer, C. Oh
Venue: Proceedings of the 2004 IEEE/ACM International conference on Computer-aided design (2004)

High-performance digital circuits are facing increasingly severe signal integrity problems due to crosstalk noise and therefore the state-of-the-art static timing analysis (STA) methods consider crosstalk-induced delay variation. Current noise-aware STA methods compute noise-induced delay uncertainty for each net independently and annotate appropriate delay changes of nets onto data paths and associated clock paths to determine timing violations. Since delay changes in individual nets contribute cumulatively to delay changes of paths, even small amounts of pessimism in noise computation of nets can add up to produce large timing violations for paths, which may be unrealistic. Unlike glitch noise analysis where noise often attenuates during propagation, quality of delay noise analysis is severely affected by any pessimism in noise estimation and can unnecessarily cost valuable silicon and design resources for fixing unreal violations. In this paper, we propose a method to reduce pessimism in noise-aware STA by considering signal correlations of all nets associated with an entire timing path simultaneously, in a path-based approach. We first present an exact algorithm based on the branch-and-bound technique and then extend it with several heuristic techniques so that very large industrial designs can be analyzed efficiently. These techniques, which are implemented in an industrial crosstalk noise analysis tool, show as much as 75% reduction in the computed path delay variations.
The use of empirical observations in the development of formal models
Authors: Lawrence H. Miller
Venue: ACM SIGSOC Bulletin (1979)

The Xerox 800 is a very simple word processing machine. At Xerox, however, we are finding that a large number of people are calling up their service representative and saying, "Take this machine out - I don't want it." This, of course, causes a great deal of concern. The main reason for recalls of this machine is not because it breaks down, not because it produces results that are unsatisfactory, but because it is virtually impossible to use, and to learn to use! One of the reasons this problem occurs is that, for the type of people who are using these very low level, simple kinds of computer systems, there is an extremely high turnover rate in the offices. In the Los Angeles area, the turnover rates for secretaries in law offices (for example) can be anywhere from 50 per cent to 200 per cent per year; that means that a person stays for an average of six months or less. Most of the people who are using these kinds of systems and who only stay around for a short period of time can be described as naive or inexperienced users of the system. If they are having this kind of trouble with a very simple system like the 800 typing system, I think we can imagine the kinds of problems that we can expect in much more complex systems, such as fully automated text editors, graphics packages, forms handlers, data base inquiry systems, management information systems, etc.