System Designers Research Articles

An Emerging Design Space of How Tools Support Collaborations in AI Design and Development

Developing AI/ML models and incorporating them into a product is complex work. While AI models are generally non-deterministic and have high capability uncertainty, the advent of foundation models further exacerbates the complexity of working with AI and ensuring responsible innovation. This complex work is achieved by not just AI practitioners, but through coordination and collaboration of different groups of practitioners, not all of whom might be experts in AI. Our primary objective is to explore how the tools and systems used by practitioners help achieve this complex work. To that end, we conducted a design space analysis of 18 relevant tools using corresponding research publications and constructed a design space with the dimensions - User, Axis of AI work, Semantics of Use, Tool Architecture, Artifact Type and Availability, and Collaboration Goals. Using these dimensions we derive four spirits of the tool in supporting collaborations - groupware, core practice & communication, community of practice, and visibility & bridging. Through this work, we contribute a conceptual design space of how tools can be designed to support collaborations in AI development and discuss how our design space can be leveraged by system designers and researchers working at the intersection of HCI, CSCW, and AI.

A Review of Soft Robotic Actuators and Their Applications in Bioengineering, with an Emphasis on HASEL Actuators’ Future Potential

This review will examine the rapidly growing field of soft robotics, with a special emphasis on soft robotic actuators and their applications in bioengineering. Bioengineering has increasingly utilized soft robotics due to their mechanical adaptability and flexibility, with applications including drug delivery, assistive and wearable devices, artificial organs, and prosthetics. Soft robotic applications, as well as the responsive mechanisms employed in soft robotics, include electrical, magnetic, thermal, photo-responsive, and pressure-driven actuators. Special attention is given to hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators due to their biomimetic properties and innovative combination of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) and hydraulic actuators, which eliminates the limitations of each actuator while introducing capabilities such as self-healing. HASEL actuators combine the fast response and self-sensing features of DEAs, as well as the force generation and adaptability of hydraulic systems. Their self-healing ability from electrical damage not only makes HASELs a unique technology among others but also makes them promising for long-term bioengineering applications. A key contribution of this study is the comparative analysis of the soft actuators, presented in detailed tables. The performance of soft actuators is assessed against a common set of critical parameters, including specific power, strain, maximum actuation stress, energy efficiency, cycle life, and self-healing capabilities. This study has also identified some important research gaps and potential areas where soft robotics may still be developed in the future. Future research should focus on improvements in power supply design, long-term material durability, and enhanced energy efficiency. This review will serve as an intermediate reference for researchers and system designers, guiding the next generation of advancements in soft robotics within bioengineering.

Designing intermediary-involved regulatory system: organizational capacities and institutional conditions for NGO regulatory intermediation

ABSTRACT Regulatory intermediaries (RIs) are transforming implementation of contemporary regulatory policy. While the mainstream Regulator-Intermediary-Target framework offers important insights, limited research investigates the prerequisites for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to function as RIs. This study investigated the organizational capacities and institutional conditions for environmental NGOs’ contributions as RIs in China’s newly established Environmental Public Interest Litigation system. Analyzing data from interviews, archive retrieval and participatory observation, it found that their effective contributions require not only adequate capabilities and competences for the assigned authorities, but also alignment of their strategic and survival interests with the broader regulatory objectives. The contributions were influenced by their interactions with other key actors in the regulatory system and related institutions. The study suggests that researchers and designers of regulatory systems relying on NGO-RIs should consider their organizational capacities and interests in their evolving interactions with actors within and beyond the focal system and before and after its introduction. Constant feedback about their latest operational needs and concerned issues would help update the regulatory system. Institutional arrangements that support their development would also enable their effective functioning for the system, inducing wider and more dedicated contribution. The study highlights the complexity in governing with NGOs.

Tutorial: A Novel Runtime Environment for Accelerator-Rich Heterogeneous Architectures

As the landscape of computing advances, system designers are increasingly exploring methodologies that leverage higher levels of heterogeneity to enhance performance within constrained size, weight, power, and cost parameters. CEDR (Compiler-integrated Extensible DSSoC Runtime) stands as an ecosystem facilitating productive and efficient application development and deployment across heterogeneous computing systems. It fosters the co-design of applications, scheduling heuristics, and accelerators within a unified framework. Our goal is to present CEDR as a promising environment for lifting the barriers to research on heterogeneous systems and addressing the broader challenges within domain-specific architectures. We introduce CEDR and discuss the evolutionary design decisions underlying its programming model. Subsequently, we explore its utility for a broad range of users through design sweeps on off-the-shelf heterogeneous platforms across scheduling heuristics, hardware compositions, and workload scenarios.

Stochastic Modeling and Availability Optimization of Nuts Manufacturing Plant Using Markov Process and Particle Swarm Optimization

Availability is the key system effectiveness measure in process industries, manufacturing plants, and treatment plants like sewage, e-waste etc. The nut-bolt manufacturing industry is very prominent in manufacturing sector. The present work is proposed with a motto to develop a stochastic framework for a nut manufacturing plant to derive steady state availability and its optimization. The Markov birth death approach is applied to develop the stochastic model as well as Chapman-Kolmogorov differential difference equations of the system. The availability function derived using Markov approach is treated as objective function of the optimization problem having decision parameters as failure and repair rates. All the decision variables are considered as exponentially distributed which are i.i.d. in nature. The objective function is optimized using particle swarm optimization to predict the optimal availability and estimated parametric values. The most sensitive component of the system is observed through making variation in failure and repair rates. It is revealed that PSO predicts the optimal availability 0.9999 at population size 50 after 50 iterations. The convergence rate of PSO is very fast in prediction of the availability of nut manufacturing plant. These findings are beneficial for system designers and maintenance engineers to propose the maintenance strategies. The proposed methodology can be utilized to predict the availability of other process industries.

Authentication and authorization in microservice oriented application design.

In the past years microservice oriented design patterns obtained much popularity among the system architects and programmers. One of the obstacles in this design is authentication and authorization issues. This article presents one of the possible solutions for this problem. The essence of this methodology is a single point of authentication and many points of authorization spread across all the microservices.

Robust design heuristics for product costing systems: a replication and extension using an ABC cost hierarchy

AbstractAccurately reported product costs are essential for many managerial decisions, such as product and resource planning, pricing, product mix decisions, and cost management. Balakrishnan et al. (Manag Sci 57(3):520–541, 2011) offered valuable managerial guidance on how costing system design heuristics affect the accuracy of reported product costs. This paper tests the internal and external validity of their numerical experiments and recommendations. Our replication results show that we are able to reproduce most of the findings, thereby confirming the results’ internal validity. To test external validity and assess the robustness of their findings, we modify a key model element by implementing a resource consumption pattern that follows a four-tier Activity-Based Costing (ABC) cost hierarchy, with which we repeat the numerical experiments. Although the design heuristics are mostly robust in this modified environment, the benefits of improving the costing system design are less straightforward and less linear. For instance, single plant-wide cost drivers outperform more information-demanding costing systems with few (2–4) cost pools. Consequently, given a four-tier ABC cost hierarchy, refining the costing system incrementally can reduce accuracy, leaving costing system designers stuck in the middle. Overall, our study supports Balakrishnan et al. (2011) results’ robustness but also identifies reasons why firms may still use simple costing systems.

Performance Analysis of Multiple UAV-Based Hybrid Free-Space Optical/Radio Frequency Aeronautical Communication System in Mobile Scenarios

Free-space optical (FSO) communication with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as relays is a promising technology for future aeronautical communication systems. In this paper, a multiple UAV-based aeronautical communication system is proposed, wherein a hybrid FSO/radio frequency (RF) link is established to connect the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) with the mobile ground station (GS). Initially, we consider the velocity variance of both AWACS and the mobile GS, along with the influence of the Doppler effect. Furthermore, four relay selection modes are proposed, and exact closed expressions are derived for the end-to-end outage probability and bit error rate (BER) of the considered system. Numerical simulations demonstrate the impact of velocity variance variation on system performance. Additionally, we analyze the applicability of these four relay modes under different platform mobility characteristics through simulation results, while discussing the optimal numbers and the deployment altitude of UAVs. Finally, effective design guidelines that can be useful for aeronautical communication system designers are presented.

Understanding Wireless Debugging with Sniffers in Smart Home Environments

Wireless communication is becoming increasingly prevalent in smart home environments; the need for effective debugging methodologies has become paramount for system reliability and performance optimization. This comprehensive article analysis explores the implementation of wireless sniffers across multiple protocols, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, with particular emphasis on their application in contemporary IoT devices. Through a detailed examination of chipset capabilities from major manufacturers, including Qualcomm Atheros, Texas Instruments, and Nordic Semiconductor, this article presents a structured approach to wireless debugging that encompasses packet capture mechanisms, signal analysis, and protocol verification. The investigation demonstrates how modern sniffer technologies can effectively diagnose common issues such as packet loss, signal interference, and protocol misconfigurations in smart home devices, including voice assistants, security systems, and environmental controls. By synthesizing practical implementation strategies with technical analysis, this article provides developers and system architects with actionable methodologies for improving wireless system reliability while highlighting the critical role of protocol analysis in ensuring robust IoT deployments.

The Impact of Augmented Reality Through User-Platform Interactions Towards Continuance Intention with the Effect of User Generation

When users interact with mobile platforms in an Augmented Reality (AR) environment, cognitive and emotional engagements change through different stimuli cues that respond to users’ behavioral intentions. Although AR engages more interactions in mobile platforms, there is a significant gap in assessing UX, considering the physical distance between users and virtual products in a mobile platform. Considering the effect of user generation, the impacts of perceived engagements toward continuance intention through user-platform interactions are unexplored. This study investigated a nuanced understanding of how stimuli cues in augmented reality affect sense of immersion and sense of presence, followed by an Interaction-Engagement-Intention (I-E-I) model. A quantitative method was used to validate the proposed model. Based on an online survey with 886 responses, product fit, network quality, and Artificial Intelligence-driven Recommendation (AIR) influences were assessed for cognitive engagements. This study examined the importance of engaging satisfaction and trust as emotional engagements, influencing users’ continuance intention. The findings showed that sense of presence has a more significant influence on building trust and satisfaction. Also, trust has a more significant impact on the continuance intention to use AR mobile platforms. This study also explored the positive effects of user generation on continuance intention. This could enhance the capabilities of information system designers, researchers, marketing professionals, and solution providers to attain sustainable user retention.

Designing adaptive learning environments for continuing education: Stakeholders’ perspectives on indicators and interventions

Adaptive learning environments (ALE) provide great potential for personalizing and supporting learning processes in continuing education (CE). However, valid frameworks for designing ALE for CE have been missing so far. For example, user-centered and empirically-based guidelines for selecting indicators (i.e., information about learners and their contexts that should be collected and analyzed by ALE) and interventions for personalizing and supporting learning processes have not been established yet. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a framework of indicators and interventions for ALE for CE by investigating the perspectives of different stakeholders (i.e., learners, CE specialists, and educational technology specialists). We first conducted an interview study (N = 37) to identify indicators for ALE for CE. Subsequently, we conducted focus group interviews (N = 19) and an online survey (N = 72) to specify and evaluate possible interventions. Several indicators related to internal (e.g., prior knowledge) and external (e.g., time available for learning) conditions of learning as well as corresponding interventions (e.g., adaptation of the general difficulty level and thematic focus, recommendation of timely suitable learning resources) were identified. We developed a framework classifying interventions based on indicators and adaptivity type and providing evaluations of learners’ willingness to use these interventions, perceived learning support, and implementation effort. This framework can be used by researchers, system designers, as well as CE and educational technology specialists to design and implement user-centered and trustworthy ALE for CE.

On the optimality of the square-root wiener time-frequency mask for noise reduction in cochlear implants

This work presents a theoretical foundation and experimental results to support the quasi-optimality of the square-root Wiener (SRW) filter for noise reduction with speech envelope preservation. The optimal time–frequency mask (TFM) for noise reduction with real-world speech envelope preservation is developed. It is demonstrated that the SRW approximates the optimal TFM for perfect envelope estimates. Attenuation functions, envelope preservation errors, and intelligibility results obtained from two objective metrics were compared for different types of noise, contamination levels, and envelope approximations. No statistically significant differences were found between the SRW and the optimal TFM results. Therefore, the SRW filter may be considered a quasi-optimal TFM for noise reduction with speech envelope preservation. This finding justifies and corroborates empirical observations recently reported in the literature about the superior intelligibility results of the SRW compared to other TFMs, such as the Wiener filter and the binary mask. These contributions are of special interest to designers of high-performance noise reduction systems in cochlear implant applications.

The Impact of the Shunt Reactor(s) Location on Offshore Wind Farm Power Export System on Zero-Missing Phenomenon and Switching Overvoltages—The Case of a Polish Power System

The observed development of offshore wind farms has resulted in an increasing presence of long extra-high voltage cables, with lengths ranging from 10 to 200 km. These cable lines are compensated for by a shunt reactor(s). The transient states that accompany switching operations, in this type of line, cause a number of challenges. There are slightly different and more dangerous phenomena than in classic uncompensated lines. One such phenomenon is the zero-missing phenomenon. The most effective methods for mitigating these phenomena are still under investigation and comparison to identify the optimal countermeasures. Applying a single minimization countermeasure often leads to avoiding one phenomenon (e.g., zero-missing phenomenon) while enhancing another (e.g., switching overvoltages). This can challenge designers, as they must consider the trade-offs between these competing objectives. The added value of this article is an analysis of the impact of the compensation level and its distribution (shunt reactor(s) location) in the offshore wind farm power export systems on zero-missing phenomenon and switching overvoltages. These analyses are supported by simulation cases mapping the case of the Polish power system. The results of the presented analysis are very important in light of a dynamic development of offshore wind farms and may be utilized by designers of power export systems, and can mitigate the significant risks occurring in such systems during energization cable lines.

Understanding SIP and VoIP: Fundamental Technologies in Modern Communication Systems

This comprehensive article examines the fundamental technologies driving modern unified communications, specifically Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems. The article analyzes SIP's technical framework and architecture, exploring its critical role in establishing, maintaining, and terminating multimedia communication sessions across IP networks. The investigation delves into VoIP's technical foundations, examining digital voice transmission processes, infrastructure components, and economic implications in enterprise deployments. Through detailed case studies of prominent platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, the study illuminates practical implementation strategies and challenges in real-world scenarios. The article also addresses emerging trends, including the integration of artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and advanced security protocols, while identifying crucial areas for future research and development. The article demonstrates that SIP and VoIP technologies offer significant cost advantages and serve as catalysts for digital transformation in enterprise communications. This analysis provides valuable insights for IT professionals, system architects, and business leaders seeking to understand and leverage these technologies in their unified communication strategies.

Techno-economic evaluation and multi-objective optimization of a cogeneration system integrating solid oxide fuel cell with steam Rankine and supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycles

Developing highly efficient thermodynamic cycles is of great importance in the area of distributed energy system, there are still many non-negligible problems on feasibility assessment and performance evaluation in the application of some emerging technologies, especially involving the fuel cells and carbon dioxide power cycles. This study proposes a distributed heat and power cogeneration system composed of a solid oxide fuel cell, a gas turbine, a steam Rankine cycle, a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle, and a heat exchanger. The system mathematical model is constructed, and the investigation on system energy, exergy, economic, environmental, and techno-economic performance is performed to demonstrate the technology’s feasibility and applicability. The simulation results indicate that the system can provide 367.03 kW of power and 58.02 kW of heating at the design point, and the overall electrical, exergetic, and energy efficiencies are 68.38 %, 72.41 %, and 79.19 %. The total cost rate of system is achieved to be 11.62 $/h with the system carbon dioxide emission and payback period being 0.2829 kg/kWh and 10.87 year. It can be concluded from the sensitivity analysis that the increases of the compressor pressure ratio, fuel flow rate, and SOFC inlet temperature contribute to improving the system electrical efficiency, while the carbon dioxide emission and the payback period can be reduced. Finally, multi-objective optimization of the cogeneration system is further performed to provide a strategy of performance improvement for system designers and decision makers. The optimization result indicates that though the system carbon emission is increased by 0.25 %, the system payback period and levelized cost of energy are obtained to be 9.88 year and 0.2836 kg/kWh, which are decreased by 9.11 % and 1.47 % compared to the design point.

Mechanisms to support changeability during sustainment: Modularity, excess, and operations

AbstractComplex engineered systems face protracted design cycles and indefinite lifetimes, leading to discrepancies between expected and actual operating conditions. The field of design for changeability has focused on developing strategies to cope with these discrepancies. Literature has implicitly assumed that future changes can be predicted by system designers, but this assumption does not match observed reality. Often, systems must be modified in unexpected ways to maintain value, limiting the usefulness of standard change mechanisms. To understand how unexpected changes are implemented in practice, we studied the C‐130, a setting where one platform performed many missions, and close air support in Desert Storm, a setting where many platforms performed one mission. Through this examination, we find that excess and operator change are key mechanisms for changeability that have been largely ignored by literature. Excess can enable additions to systems without having to remove or swap subsystems out. It is also a critical enabler of modular changes during the operational phase. Operator changes are non‐form changes driven by system users who change how their systems are used to gain new capabilities rather than relying on changes to the form of the system. This paper also studies the relationship between these mechanisms to shed light on how changeability is achieved in practice, building the foundation for future work to study tradeoffs of implementing valuable excess during design.

Integrating Equity in Public Sector Data-Driven Decision Making: Exploring the Desired Futures of Underserved Stakeholders

Public sector agencies aim to innovate not just for efficiency but also to enhance equity. Despite the growing adoption of data-driven decision-making systems in the public sector, efforts to integrate equity as a primary goal often fall short. This typically arises from inadequate early-stage involvement of underserved stakeholders and prevalent misunderstandings concerning the authentic meaning of equity from these stakeholders' perspectives. Our research seeks to address this gap by actively involving undersevered stakeholders in the process of envisioning the integration of equity within public sector data-driven decisions, particularly in the context of a building department in a Northeastern mid-sized U.S. city. Applying a speed dating method with storyboards, we explore diverse equity-centric futures within the realm of local business development, a domain where small businesses, particularly women-and minority-owned businesses, historically confront inequitable distribution of public services. We explored three essential aspects of equity: monitoring equity, resource allocation prioritization, as well as information and equity. Our findings illuminate the complexities of integrating equity into data-driven decisions, offering nuanced insights about the needs of stakeholders. We found that attempts to monitor and incorporate equity goals into public sector decision-making can unexpectedly backfire, inadvertently sparking community apprehension and potentially exacerbating existing inequities. Small business owners, including those identifying as women-and minority-owned, advocated against the use of demographic-based data in equity-focused data-driven decision-making in the public sector, instead emphasizing factors such as community needs, application complexity, and uncertainties inherent in small businesses. Drawing from these insights, we propose design implications to assist designers of public sector data-driven decision-making systems to better accommodate equity considerations.

Definitions of Fairness Differ Across Socioeconomic Groups & Shape Perceptions of Algorithmic Decisions

Understanding how people perceive algorithmic decision-making is remains critical, as these systems are increasingly integrated into areas such as education, healthcare, and criminal justice. These perceptions can shape trust in, compliance with, and the perceived legitimacy of automated systems. Focusing on San Francisco's decade-long policy of algorithmic school assignments, we draw on procedural and distributive justice theory to investigate parents' fairness perceptions of San Francisco's school assignment system. We find that key differences in parents' definitions of fairness shape their preferences for what constitutes a fair school assignment system, while also controlling for parents' school assignment outcomes. Moreover, parents' definitions and perceptions of fairness differ across socioeconomic and racial groups. For instance, among white respondents, the most used definition of fairness was "proximity'' to their assigned school, whereas, among Hispanic or Latino parents, the most popular definition of fairness was that the "same rules'' are applied to everyone. It is crucial for computational system designers and policymakers to consider these differences when deciding on the goals and values embedded in decision-making systems and who those goals and values reflect.

Cell Temperature Determination based on IEC61215: Solar Photovoltaic Experimental Study of Tropical Malaysia

Most commercial photovoltaic (PV) module data sheets include Nominal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT) values, which assist PV system designers in estimating module temperatures under real outdoor conditions. However, the typical NOCT values of 45°C to 47°C do not account for tropical climates. This study seeks to develop an adjusted NOCT mathematical model and determine revised NOCT values suited for tropical conditions. The new proposed NOCT model follows the international standard IEC61215 but incorporates updated tropical Standard Reference Environment (SRE) parameters: solar irradiance (SI) of 800 W/m², ambient temperature (AT) of 31°C, and wind speed (WS) of 1 m/s. This modified NOCT model demonstrates improved accuracy over the existing model, with an average reduction of 2% in percentage error, root mean square error, and mean average percentage error. Outdoor NOCT testing conducted in Shah Alam, Malaysia, uncovered much higher NOCT values for various PV modules technology: 55°C for monocrystalline, 57°C for polycrystalline, and 59°C for thin film. These results emphasize the inadequacy of current NOCT values in commercial PV module data sheets, which do not accurately reflect conditions in tropical climates. The revised NOCT values from this study offer crucial thermal reference data for PV system designers, integrators, and researchers working in tropical regions, particularly Malaysia.

Data Stream Protocols for Real-Time Messaging : Optimizing Performance and Reliability

This article explores the design and implementation of data stream protocols for real-time messaging, focusing on key aspects that contribute to their performance and reliability. It examines protocol architectures, data formatting and serialization techniques, error handling mechanisms, and quality of service features. The article compares popular protocols such as WebSocket and MQTT, discusses performance optimization techniques, and addresses security considerations. Emerging trends like WebTransport, HTTP/3, and edge computing integration are also explored, highlighting their potential to reshape the landscape of real-time messaging. By providing a comprehensive overview of current practices and future directions, this article aims to equip developers and system architects with the knowledge needed to design efficient and reliable real-time communication systems.