Set Of Configuration Parameters Research Articles

Moment-based local image watermarking via genetic optimization

A totally optimized image watermarking methodology that manages to enhance its local behaviour by applying the Krawtchouk moments is presented through this paper. The introduced technique is making use of a simple genetic algorithm in order to optimize the set of parameters that significantly influences the locality properties alongside with the overall performance of the watermarking procedure. Herein, the watermarking process is tackled as an optimization procedure. In this context, the appropriate set of configuration parameters is being searched for ensuring high quality watermarked images and low bit error rates at the extraction stage. For this purpose, several traditional and newly introduced image quality measures are used in order to quantify the influence of the examined set of parameters, as far as the quality of the watermarked image and the accuracy of the extracted watermark are concerned. The proposed method produces watermarked images of high quality and ensures high detection rates under several non-geometric attacks, by using less prior-knowledge at the detector’s side. Extensive experiments have shown that by handling the watermarking process as an optimization problem, more robust and accurate watermarking schemes can be derived.

A General Purpose Configurable Controller for Indoors and Outdoors GPS-Denied Navigation for Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This research on odometry based GPS-denied navigation on multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is focused among the interactions between the odometry sensors and the navigation controller. More precisely, we present a controller architecture that allows to specify a speed specified flight envelope where the quality of the odometry measurements is guaranteed. The controller utilizes a simple point mass kinematic model, described by a set of configurable parameters, to generate a complying speed plan. For experimental testing, we have used down-facing camera optical-flow as odometry measurement. This work is a continuation of prior research to outdoors environments using an AR Drone 2.0 vehicle, as it provides reliable optical flow on a wide range of flying conditions and floor textures. Our experiments show that the architecture is realiable for outdoors flight on altitudes lower than 9 m. A prior version of our code was utilized to compete in the International Micro Air Vehicle Conference and Flight Competition IMAV 2012. The code will be released as an open-source ROS stack hosted on GitHub.

QoS-Driven Service Composition with Reconfigurable Services

Service-oriented architecture provides a framework for achieving rapid system composition and deployment. To satisfy different system QoS requirements, it is possible to select an appropriate set of concrete services and compose them to achieve the QoS goals. In addition, some of the services may be reconfigurable and provide various QoS tradeoffs. To make use of these reconfigurable services, the composition process should consider not only service selection, but also configuration parameter settings. However, existing QoS-driven service composition research does not consider reconfigurable services. Moreover, the decision space may be enormous when reconfigurable services are considered. In this paper, we deal with the issues of reconfigurable service modeling and efficient service composition decision making. We introduce a novel compositional decision making process, CDP, which explores optimal solutions of individual component services and uses the knowledge to derive optimal QoS-driven composition solutions. Experimental studies show that the CDP approach can significantly reduce the search space and achieve great performance gains. We also develop a case study system to validate the proposed approach and the results confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of reconfigurable services.

An ontological-based knowledge organization for bioinformatics workflow management system

Motivation and Objectives In the field of Computer Science, ontologies represent formal structures to define and organize knowledge of a specific application domain (Chandrasekaran et al., 1999). An ontology is composed of entities, called classes, and relationships among them. Classes are characterized by features, called attributes, and they can be arranged into a hierarchical organization. Ontologies are a fundamental instrument in Artificial Intelligence for the development of Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS). With its formal and well defined structure, in fact, an ontology provides a machine-understandable language that allows automatic reasoning for problems resolution. Typical KBS are Expert Systems (ES) and Decision Support Systems (DSS). ESs gather and formalize the knowledge of a human expert of a domain in order to produce inferences and recommendations given an initial query. DSSs are more interactive KBS, in the sense they offer support, rather than replacement, for the decision making process during the execution of a task, suggesting one possible strategy or tool given a set of initial conditions. DSSs are mainly adopted in the clinical field, where they are called Clinical DSS (CDSS). Ontology specification, structure and organization are then of fundamental importance for the development of a KBS. In this paper we present an improvement of our ontological approach for knowledge organization in DSS design. In our previous publication (Fiannaca et al., 2012) we defined a paradigm for ontology specification named Data Problem Solver (DPS) and we showed how our approach can be applied to bioinformatics domain, modeling the Protein-Protein Interaction Network extraction scenario. In the proposed approach, we aim at integrating into our ontology the concept of Workflow as a set of processes. Our main objective is to provide a general schema in order to add the functionalities and capability of a DSS to the more recent Workflow Management Systems, that especially in bioinformatics, with the Taverna workbench (Hull et al., 2006), represent a powerful instrument for researchers. We called our extended ontological approach Data Problem Solver Workflow (DPSW).

Design and Development of Upper-Computer Software for AC Servo System

In order to monitor and control the parameters of AC servo driver, and also operate the condition of AC servo motor from upper-computer in real-time, a modularized architecture of software of upper-computer was presented. This software with well-designed human-computer interface and powerful function was developed by Visual C++ 6.0 and designed by the principle of object-oriented according to the requirements of users. An experimental platform was set up to test the software functions. The experimental results have proven that the developed software can realize the communication between the upper-computer and AC servo driver; it can also monitor and control parameters and including operation status of the AC servo motor. Meantime, the upper-computer software can read or write 149 sets of configuration parameters. These results indicate the developed software is convenient for users to control the AC servo driver.

An ontological-based knowledge organization for bioinformatics workflow management system

An ontological-based knowledge organization for bioinformatics workflow management system

The cross layer RMPA handover: a reliable mobility pattern aware handover strategy for broadband wireless communication in a high-speed railway domain

Enhancing the handover process in broadband wireless communication deployment has traditionally motivated many research initiatives. In a high-speed railway domain, the challenge is even greater. Owing to the long distances covered, the mobile node gets involved in a compulsory sequence of handover processes. Consequently, poor performance during the execution of these handover processes significantly degrades the global end-to-end performance. This article proposes a new handover strategy for the railway domain: the RMPA handover, a Reliable Mobility Pattern Aware IEEE 802.16 handover strategy “customized” for a high-speed mobility scenario. The stringent high mobility feature is balanced with three other positive features in a high-speed context: mobility pattern awareness, different sources for location discovery techniques, and a previously known traffic data profile. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no IEEE 802.16 handover scheme that simultaneously covers the optimization of the handover process itself and the efficient timing of the handover process. Our strategy covers both areas of research while providing a cost-effective and standards-based solution. To schedule the handover process efficiently, the RMPA strategy makes use of a context aware handover policy; that is, a handover policy based on the mobile node mobility pattern, the time required to perform the handover, the neighboring network conditions, the data traffic profile, the received power signal, and current location and speed information of the train. Our proposal merges all these variables in a cross layer interaction in the handover policy engine. It also enhances the handover process itself by establishing the values for the set of handover configuration parameters and mechanisms of the handover process. RMPA is a cost-effective strategy because compatibility with standards-based equipment is guaranteed. The major contributions of the RMPA handover are in areas that have been left open to the handover designer’s discretion. Our simulation analysis validates the RMPA handover decision rules and design choices. Our results supporting a high-demand video application in the uplink stream show a significant improvement in the end-to-end quality of service parameters, including end-to-end delay (22%) and jitter (80%), when compared with a policy based on signal-to-noise-ratio information.

A tunable hand biofidelity-enhancing device for Hybrid III dummies

Hybrid III dummies used for collision testing in the automotive industry include passive hands that cannot produce any grasping force. Such capability would be useful in low-acceleration collisions or vehicle tipover investigations, since grasping force and hand stiffness may impact the dummy movements during impact. In the context of studying the need for restraining devices for drivers in forklift tilting accidents, a new hand gripper compatible with the Hybrid III dummy was designed to replicate hand grasp capabilities, namely its grip force and stiffness on a steering wheel. A theoretical model of the device was developed to figure out a set of configuration parameters that replicate human hand grasping force and stiffness. Extraction force, manually tuned by a compression spring, was analytically characterised and validated experimentally with a prototype on a uniaxial traction machine. The system exhibits a non-intuitive behaviour, both in terms of extraction force and axial stiffness, due in part to the non-conservative friction forces involved. Tuning simplicity, low cost and robustness were desirable design constraints given the intended usage.

Enhanced Peptide Identification by Electron Transfer Dissociation Using an Improved Mascot Percolator

Peptide identification using tandem mass spectrometry is a core technology in proteomics. Latest generations of mass spectrometry instruments enable the use of electron transfer dissociation (ETD) to complement collision induced dissociation (CID) for peptide fragmentation. However, a critical limitation to the use of ETD has been optimal database search software. Percolator is a post-search algorithm, which uses semi-supervised machine learning to improve the rate of peptide spectrum identifications (PSMs) together with providing reliable significance measures. We have previously interfaced the Mascot search engine with Percolator and demonstrated sensitivity and specificity benefits with CID data. Here, we report recent developments in the Mascot Percolator V2.0 software including an improved feature calculator and support for a wider range of ion series. The updated software is applied to the analysis of several CID and ETD fragmented peptide data sets. This version of Mascot Percolator increases the number of CID PSMs by up to 80% and ETD PSMs by up to 60% at a 0.01 q-value (1% false discovery rate) threshold over a standard Mascot search, notably recovering PSMs from high charge state precursor ions. The greatly increased number of PSMs and peptide coverage afforded by Mascot Percolator has enabled a fuller assessment of CID/ETD complementarity to be performed. Using a data set of CID and ETcaD spectral pairs, we find that at a 1% false discovery rate, the overlap in peptide identifications by CID and ETD is 83%, which is significantly higher than that obtained using either stand-alone Mascot (69%) or OMSSA (39%). We conclude that Mascot Percolator is a highly sensitive and accurate post-search algorithm for peptide identification and allows direct comparison of peptide identifications using multiple alternative fragmentation techniques.

A multi-objective adaptive immune algorithm for multi-application NoC mapping

Current SoC design trends are characterized by the integration of larger amount of IPs targeting a wide range of application fields. Such multi-application systems are constrained by a set of requirements. In such scenario network-on-chips (NoC) are becoming more important as the on-chip communication structure. Designing an optimal NoC for satisfying the requirements of each individual application requires the specification of a large set of configuration parameters leading to a wide solution space. It has been shown that IP mapping is one of the most critical parameters in NoC design, strongly influencing the SoC performance. IP mapping has been solved for single application systems using single and multi-objective optimization algorithms. In this paper we propose the use of a multi-objective adaptive immune algorithm (M2AIA), an evolutionary approach to solve the multi-application NoC mapping problem. Latency and power consumption were adopted as the target multi-objective functions. To compare the efficiency of our approach, our results are compared with those of the genetic and branch and bound multi-objective mapping algorithms. We tested 11 well-known benchmarks, including random and real applications, and combines up to 8 applications at the same SoC. The experimental results showed that the M2AIA decreases in average the power consumption and the latency 27.3 and 42.1 % compared to the branch and bound approach and 29.3 and 36.1 % over the genetic approach.

Palliacom : système multimodal d’aide à la communication

The Palliacom project, which is intended to be a communication support for persons with severe difficulties to talk and/or to write, focuses mainly on two objectives: the implementation of a writing assistance device based on either an alphabet or a set of icons, using personal or tablet computers; and the compilation of functional knowledge about how users exploit this writing assistance device, obtained through long term observation of utilization strategies. Depending on the user profile, different dynamic writing options are possible, for instance clicking or touching specific images displayed on the first screen of the writing assistance device enables to directly select the most appropriate set of configuration parameters. Otherwise, the written text can be printed, inserted within another text, or read automatically using a speech synthesizer. The system is currently being studied from a usability perspective, analyzing how impaired children express themselves with icons and handicapped adults communicate with alphabets.

A Programmable Look-Up Table-Based Interpolator with Nonuniform Sampling Scheme

Interpolation is a useful technique for storage of complex functions on limited memory space: some few sampling values are stored on a memory bank, and the function values in between are calculated by interpolation. This paper presents a programmable Look-Up Table-based interpolator, which uses a reconfigurable nonuniform sampling scheme: the sampled points are not uniformly spaced. Their distribution can also be reconfigured to minimize the approximation error on specific portions of the interpolated function’s domain. Switching from one set of configuration parameters to another set, selected on the fly from a variety of precomputed parameters, and using different sampling schemes allow for the interpolation of a plethora of functions, achieving memory saving and minimum approximation error. As a study case, the proposed interpolator was used as the core of a programmable noise generator—output signals drawn from different Probability Density Functions were produced for testing FPGA implementations of chaotic encryption algorithms. As a result of the proposed method, the interpolation of a specific transformation function on a Gaussian noise generator reduced the memory usage to 2.71% when compared to the traditional uniform sampling scheme method, while keeping the approximation error below a threshold equal to 0.000030518.

Simulation modelling of abnormal activities in computer networks

The state of a network can be described by a set of configuration parameters. The suggested method consists in singling out some parameters in order to detect the on-going attack traffic. The results of the modelling are given in the paper. Bibliography: 8 titles.

A Link Adaptation Scheme for Efficient Transmission of H.264 Scalable Video Over Multirate WLANs

In this paper, we propose a cross-layer optimization scheme for delivery of scalable video over multirate wireless networks, in particular the popular 802.11 based wireless local area network (WLAN). The 802.11 based networks use a link adaptation mechanism in the physical layer (PHY) to maintain the reliability of transmission under varying channel conditions. When channel condition worsens, the reliability is maintained by employing more robust modulation and coding schemes, at the cost of reduced PHY bit rate. The reduced bit rate will result in lower available throughput for applications. For scalable video streaming applications, the conventional solution to this problem is to reduce the video bit rate by dropping the higher enhancement layers of the scalable video. We show in this article that the video quality can be improved, if the link adaptation scheme uses more intelligent reliability criteria and adjusts the PHY parameters used for delivering each video layer, according to the relative importance of that layer. Our scheme achieves better video quality without increasing the traffic load of the WLAN. For this purpose we present temporal fairness constraints and formulate an optimization problem for assigning different PHY modes to different layers of scalable video; the solution to this problem provides a set of PHY configuration parameters that achieve the highest possible video quality while meeting the admission control constraints in the network. Performance evaluations demonstrate that our method outperforms the existing mechanisms.

SU‐GG‐T‐528: Configuration of a Treatment Planning System with Monte Carlo Simulations for a Compact Proton Therapy Unit

Purpose: A compact proton therapy unit Monarch250 (Still River Systems, Littleton, MA) is under development and the first unit will be installed at our institution. Our purpose is to generate dose profiles and test beam characteristics for the proton therapy unit with Monte Carlo simulation and configure a commercial treatment planning system (Varian, Palo Alto) using the simulated beam data. Method and Materials: Since the beam delivery apparatus is not installed yet, we used the design data provided by the manufacturer to model the beam line and calculate machine specific parameters such as water equivalent thickness of each component. We modeled the range modulator, second scatterer, range shifter, applicator, aperture and other components in detail. A Monte Carlo code (MCNPX, Los Alamos National Laboratory) was used to simulate the beam profiles. Up to 108 proton histories were tracked per simulation to achieve < 2% statistical uncertainties. The dose profiles and machine‐specific parameters were then entered into the treatment planning system for configuration. Results: A complete set of configuration parameters and beam profiles will be generated. The beam characteristics such as flatness, symmetry and penumbra and spread‐out Bragg peak will be evaluated against the machine specifications. The treatment planning system will be configured with the dose profiles from Monte Carlo simulation and machine specific parameters provided by the manufacturer. Conclusion: The Monte Carlo tool allows us to test the beam characteristics and configure a treatment planning system for a compact proton therapy unit before it is constructed. Validation of the Monte Carlo modeling will commence. Using a validated MC model to (partially or fully) commission the treatment plan and proton therapy machine is under investigation, which could significantly reduce the overall time and cost to model and commission proton beams for clinic use.

TH‐D‐224C‐09: Implementation of the Varian Eclipse System for Proton Therapy Treatment Planning

Purpose: To configure and test a treatment planning system (TPS) (Varian, Palo Alto) for use with a passively‐scattered proton therapy delivery system. Methods and Materials: Since the mechanical designs of the commercial beam delivery apparatus (Probeat, Hitachi Limited, Japan) had not yet been completed, measurements of the required data were not possible. Instead, we designed our own therapy system components using analytical methods. The MCNPX (Los Alamos National Laboratory) Monte Carlo (MC) code was used to simulate beam profiles. Separate codes were developed to create the initial proton sources, the absorbed dose and fluence tallies, and simple homogeneous water phantoms (see Zheng et al., separate contribution). Up to 108 proton histories were tracked per simulation to achieve < 2% statistical uncertainties. Additional codes were developed to generate ancillary TPS configuration files, e.g., for the range modulator wheels, flattening filters, and variable range shifter. The MC beam characteristics such as penetration range were compared with values from independent one‐dimensional analytical calculations. Results: A complete set of configuration parameters and beam profiles were generated, including 832 dose and fluence profiles, in approximately four weeks (simulation time using 60 CPUs). With the simulated configuration data, the TPS has undergone extensive development and testing during the past year. Preliminary results indicate that the MC, TPS, and independent analytical calculations are in good agreement (< 4 mm differences in penetration range). Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate the practicality of MC models to calculate beam data for configuring a proton treatment planning system. Additional simulations with the manufacturer's preliminary equipment designs are now in progress. Validation tests of Eclipse in heterogeneous media are in progress (see Titt et al., separate contribution). Confirmatory measurements are planned. Conflict of Interest: This work was funded in part by a research grant from Varian.

A multikey secure multimedia proxy using asymmetric reversible parametric sequences: theory, design, and implementation

Because of limited server and network capacities for streaming applications, multimedia proxies are commonly used to cache multimedia objects such that, by accessing nearby proxies, clients can enjoy a smaller start-up latency and receive a better quality-of-service (QoS) guarantee-for example, reduced packet loss and delay jitters for their requests. However, the use of multimedia proxies increases the risk that multimedia data are exposed to unauthorized access by intruders. In this paper, we present a framework for implementing a secure multimedia proxy system for audio and video streaming applications. The framework employs a notion of asymmetric reversible parametric sequence (ARPS) to provide the following security properties: i) data confidentiality during transmission, ii) end-to-end data confidentiality, iii) data confidentiality against proxy intruders, and iv) data confidentiality against member collusion. Our framework is grounded on a multikey RSA technique such that system resilience against attacks is provably strong given standard computability assumptions. One important feature of our proposed scheme is that clients only need to perform a single decryption operation to recover the original data even though the data packets may have been encrypted by multiple proxies along the delivery path. We also propose the use of a set of encryption configuration parameters (ECP) to trade off proxy encryption throughput against the presentation quality of audio/video obtained by unauthorized parties. Implementation results show that we can simultaneously achieve high encryption throughput and extremely low video quality (in terms of peak signal-to-noise ratio and visual quality of decoded video frames) for unauthorized access.

Middleware For Building Adaptive Systems Via Configuration

COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) devices, including middleware components, are capable of executing powerful, distributed algorithms. Very large, adaptive systems can be created by simply integrating these devices, not by creating new devices, algorithms or external control systems. The principal integration method is configuration: every device is designed to have a finite set of configuration parameters that can be set to definite values. These parameters are static in that, unlike the device's dynamic state, these do not change during the device's normal operation. Inspite of the ubiquity of the configuration method, there is no "science" for it. There are no tools which let one specify global, end-to-end system functionality requirements at a high level, reason about these, and have these compiled into device configurations. On the other hand, it is inherently difficult to develop this science because of the large conceptual gap between global, end-to-end requirements and device configurations. A middleware is needed to bridge this gap in the form of specification, reasoning, compilation and diagnostic tools.This position paper sketches a technique called Service Grammar for developing such middleware for a given domain. It is based on the idea that algorithms for implementing end-to-end functional requirements can be expressed as the enforcement of a set of fundamental requirements. These are upon the existence of definite high-level relationships between configuration parameters of various devices. We can collect these into a Requirements Library. By mixing and matching items from it we can define algorithms for implementing a very wide range of end-to-end functional requirements. This Library can also simplify design of the reasoning, compilation and diagnostic tools. This plan is illustrated by analyzing how realistic service requirements are implemented in a Virtual Private Network via configuration steps.First, a network of "resilient", secure tunnels is set up by composing capabilities of protocols OSPF, GRE and IPSec. Then, quality of service guarantees are established by composing capabilities of MPLS, RSVP and DiffServ. Finally, as an example of configuring middleware components themselves, an example is presented from CORBA security.

IBM 2750 Voice and Data Switching System: System Generation and Simulation

A large number of IBM 2750 system configurations is available. Any particular 2750 system configuration runs under control of a personalized program package, and each personalized program package is generated on a remote system/360 using as input a generalized program package, written in a macro assembly language, in conjunction with a set of configuration parameters. The output of the generation process is a set of absolute binary paper tapes which are loaded directly into the 2750 system. The reliability of the personalized program package is ensured by running it under the control of a program that simulates the operation of the 2750 system. This paper describes the structure of the generalized program package and the technique used for the generation and simulation of personalized program packages.