Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549983
J. Yuventi, S. Weiss
Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrices are essential to systems engineering approaches as they facilitate stakeholder-value prioritization, requirement analyses, and conflict resolutions through organizing and quantifying qualitative considerations. Unfortunately, there can be concern to the verity of these quantifications and the associated sensitivity of the systems engineering process. We explore this matter through the use of probabilistic models and computer simulations to illustrate how QFD variances can impact decision-making. We use a simplified QFD implementation for large-scale photovoltaic system construction projects-wherein we relate stakeholder prioritization to concept selections that dictate the quality of the constructed systems-to facilitate this discussion. Our results support other research, which indicate that QFD is robust and can provide meaningful results even when faced with significant degrees of uncertainty. This study not only demonstrates the robustness of QFD, it also conveys the importance of meticulous QFD implementation and illustrates an application of systems engineering in construction workflows.
{"title":"Value sensitivity of Quality Function Deployment approaches in systems engineering-driven construction projects","authors":"J. Yuventi, S. Weiss","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549983","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549983","url":null,"abstract":"Quality Function Deployment (QFD) matrices are essential to systems engineering approaches as they facilitate stakeholder-value prioritization, requirement analyses, and conflict resolutions through organizing and quantifying qualitative considerations. Unfortunately, there can be concern to the verity of these quantifications and the associated sensitivity of the systems engineering process. We explore this matter through the use of probabilistic models and computer simulations to illustrate how QFD variances can impact decision-making. We use a simplified QFD implementation for large-scale photovoltaic system construction projects-wherein we relate stakeholder prioritization to concept selections that dictate the quality of the constructed systems-to facilitate this discussion. Our results support other research, which indicate that QFD is robust and can provide meaningful results even when faced with significant degrees of uncertainty. This study not only demonstrates the robustness of QFD, it also conveys the importance of meticulous QFD implementation and illustrates an application of systems engineering in construction workflows.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"99 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129689600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549902
Jay Thor Turner, S. Givigi, A. Beaulieu
This paper describes the implementation of a subsumption architecture by using Model Driven Development in a real-time physical platform. The behaviours are implemented as finite state-machines and are guaranteed to be executed in real-time while avoiding deadlocks. The platform used is compatible with Robot Operating System, which is becoming the de facto standard for robotics applications nowadays. The sensors used for supporting the behaviours implemented are a Light Detection and Ranging and an Inertial Measurement Unit. The main contribution of this paper is in experimentally demonstrating a functional implementation, using Model Driven Development, of a multi-layer subsumption based autonomous robotics control. The paper shows, through experimentation, that the implementation of the architecture is reliable and efficient. With the success of the implementation in one platform, future development of subsumption in multiple platforms may be tried.
{"title":"Implementation of a subsumption based architecture using model-driven development","authors":"Jay Thor Turner, S. Givigi, A. Beaulieu","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549902","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549902","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes the implementation of a subsumption architecture by using Model Driven Development in a real-time physical platform. The behaviours are implemented as finite state-machines and are guaranteed to be executed in real-time while avoiding deadlocks. The platform used is compatible with Robot Operating System, which is becoming the de facto standard for robotics applications nowadays. The sensors used for supporting the behaviours implemented are a Light Detection and Ranging and an Inertial Measurement Unit. The main contribution of this paper is in experimentally demonstrating a functional implementation, using Model Driven Development, of a multi-layer subsumption based autonomous robotics control. The paper shows, through experimentation, that the implementation of the architecture is reliable and efficient. With the success of the implementation in one platform, future development of subsumption in multiple platforms may be tried.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"104 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117029084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549989
D. Allaverdi, A. Herberg, U. Lindemann
Drilling systems require large investments while contributing strongly to national and international economies. During their long lifecycles they have various and varying stakeholders with different goals while their utilization is also highly dependent on political and economic developments. The offshore drilling vessels, especially floaters, are also exposed to environmental influences. This social, technical and environmental complexity and the limits in planning operations strategically during design lead to a high level of uncertainty and limited uncertainty handling. This brings along design changes across the entire lifecycle making upgrades usually very expensive and suboptimal, especially after the deployment of drilling systems. This paper explains the special characteristics of the drilling industry discussing both the reasons for the high level of uncertainty and the passiveness for taking actions. Today's limits in maintaining value delivery of drilling systems across the lifecycle are demonstrated and means of changeability are suggested in order to increase this value robustness. This paper concludes by discussing the required framework for this paradigm shift and prevalent tendencies in the industry in this direction.
{"title":"Lifecycle perspective on uncertainty and value robustness in the offshore drilling industry","authors":"D. Allaverdi, A. Herberg, U. Lindemann","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549989","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549989","url":null,"abstract":"Drilling systems require large investments while contributing strongly to national and international economies. During their long lifecycles they have various and varying stakeholders with different goals while their utilization is also highly dependent on political and economic developments. The offshore drilling vessels, especially floaters, are also exposed to environmental influences. This social, technical and environmental complexity and the limits in planning operations strategically during design lead to a high level of uncertainty and limited uncertainty handling. This brings along design changes across the entire lifecycle making upgrades usually very expensive and suboptimal, especially after the deployment of drilling systems. This paper explains the special characteristics of the drilling industry discussing both the reasons for the high level of uncertainty and the passiveness for taking actions. Today's limits in maintaining value delivery of drilling systems across the lifecycle are demonstrated and means of changeability are suggested in order to increase this value robustness. This paper concludes by discussing the required framework for this paradigm shift and prevalent tendencies in the industry in this direction.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124550361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549966
Syed W. Hussaini, S. Kummamuru
This paper presents a model based on systems thinking principles to address the need for understanding the overall business context of a large IT transformation program. This was as a result of the challenges faced in applying the industry standard program management frameworks to understand the context of an IT Transformation program. IT companies so far went after the low-hanging fruits and what looked like emerging technology a few years ago is commodity business today. IT companies have come of age now and are managing billion-dollar plus deals. In today's fast paced business environment most of the programs are very large and complex in nature. Complexity in IT transformation programs is compounded by the changes in business contexts and the technologies they deal with. Still in most organizations, comprehensive program management framework remain more the exception than rule, leaving managers to frame their own rules - pick up the pieces - as each program takes on its own avatar. This often leads to losing focus on the core program objectives. In today's global village teams have become virtual, onshore, near-shore and offshore, cutting across cultures, thus throwing up newer challenges. Issues of uniformity and consistency need to be addressed effectively.
{"title":"A cybernetic model to understand the context of complex IT transformation programs Overcoming challenges in current program management frameworks","authors":"Syed W. Hussaini, S. Kummamuru","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549966","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549966","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a model based on systems thinking principles to address the need for understanding the overall business context of a large IT transformation program. This was as a result of the challenges faced in applying the industry standard program management frameworks to understand the context of an IT Transformation program. IT companies so far went after the low-hanging fruits and what looked like emerging technology a few years ago is commodity business today. IT companies have come of age now and are managing billion-dollar plus deals. In today's fast paced business environment most of the programs are very large and complex in nature. Complexity in IT transformation programs is compounded by the changes in business contexts and the technologies they deal with. Still in most organizations, comprehensive program management framework remain more the exception than rule, leaving managers to frame their own rules - pick up the pieces - as each program takes on its own avatar. This often leads to losing focus on the core program objectives. In today's global village teams have become virtual, onshore, near-shore and offshore, cutting across cultures, thus throwing up newer challenges. Issues of uniformity and consistency need to be addressed effectively.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"47 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115585481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549909
K. Mykoniatis, A. Angelopoulou, Kristin E. Schaefer, P. Hancock
Research on Human-Robot Interaction is dedicated to understanding, designing, evaluating and improving the communication between humans and robots. Our present study reports the development of an intelligent autonomous robot (CERBERUS). Cerberus is an autonomous robot that performs face and skeleton recognition. Evaluation of the face and skeleton recognition capabilities are reported. The results were used to improve the system's performance to increase situation awareness and enhance human-robot interaction.
{"title":"CERBERUS: The development of an intelligent autonomous face recognizing robot","authors":"K. Mykoniatis, A. Angelopoulou, Kristin E. Schaefer, P. Hancock","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549909","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549909","url":null,"abstract":"Research on Human-Robot Interaction is dedicated to understanding, designing, evaluating and improving the communication between humans and robots. Our present study reports the development of an intelligent autonomous robot (CERBERUS). Cerberus is an autonomous robot that performs face and skeleton recognition. Evaluation of the face and skeleton recognition capabilities are reported. The results were used to improve the system's performance to increase situation awareness and enhance human-robot interaction.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"9 45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114741887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549947
M. Iskandarani, A. T. Hafez, S. Givigi, A. Beaulieu, C. Rabbath
A Multi-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) team formed from two or more UAVs is used in the encirclement of a target. Encirclement is defined as the situation in which a target is isolated and surrounded by a UAV team in order to maintain awareness and containment of that target. In this paper, the problem of maintaining a circular path around a target is considered and a Linear Model Predictive Control (LMPC) strategy is implemented on a team of Qball-X4 quadrotor aircraft in order to follow the circular path. The linear plant controlled by the LMPC is a combination of process models found through system identification and a linear cartesian to polar transformation. A collision avoidance system, based on potential fields, is successfully implemented between the Qball-X4 quadrotors. The contribution of this paper lay in the application of LMPC to the problem of encirclement using a team of Qball-X4 quadrotors and the ability of these UAVs to apply a collision avoidance policy.
{"title":"Using multiple Quadrotor aircraft and Linear Model Predictive Control for the encirclement of a target","authors":"M. Iskandarani, A. T. Hafez, S. Givigi, A. Beaulieu, C. Rabbath","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549947","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549947","url":null,"abstract":"A Multi-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) team formed from two or more UAVs is used in the encirclement of a target. Encirclement is defined as the situation in which a target is isolated and surrounded by a UAV team in order to maintain awareness and containment of that target. In this paper, the problem of maintaining a circular path around a target is considered and a Linear Model Predictive Control (LMPC) strategy is implemented on a team of Qball-X4 quadrotor aircraft in order to follow the circular path. The linear plant controlled by the LMPC is a combination of process models found through system identification and a linear cartesian to polar transformation. A collision avoidance system, based on potential fields, is successfully implemented between the Qball-X4 quadrotors. The contribution of this paper lay in the application of LMPC to the problem of encirclement using a team of Qball-X4 quadrotors and the ability of these UAVs to apply a collision avoidance policy.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"15 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124098164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549981
Susan Ferreira, Misagh Faezipour, Herbert W. Corley
Emergent properties are an important consideration in the engineering of complex systems. Unfortunately, the possibility of undesirable emergent properties is not always assessed during systems engineering. However, the potential for adverse consequences related to undesirable emergent properties requires that undesirable emergent properties be evaluated and managed as risks. This paper discusses a taxonomy for characterizing emergent properties and how an organization may consider addressing undesirable emergent properties as risks throughout the systems engineering lifecycle.
{"title":"Defining and addressing the risk of undesirable emergent properties","authors":"Susan Ferreira, Misagh Faezipour, Herbert W. Corley","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549981","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549981","url":null,"abstract":"Emergent properties are an important consideration in the engineering of complex systems. Unfortunately, the possibility of undesirable emergent properties is not always assessed during systems engineering. However, the potential for adverse consequences related to undesirable emergent properties requires that undesirable emergent properties be evaluated and managed as risks. This paper discusses a taxonomy for characterizing emergent properties and how an organization may consider addressing undesirable emergent properties as risks throughout the systems engineering lifecycle.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"133 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122140660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549932
F. Stasi, R. Pennell, S. Givigi, A. Beaulieu
This paper discusses the design and implementation of the Silent Wireless Communicator. Night operations are becoming increasingly important in modern warfare. Section commanders that conduct missions rely on audio and visual signals in order to command their troops. The communication device is designed to provide a means to communicate commands in an environment which limits visibility and forbids audible commands. The signal data is collected via a glove worn by the commander. The glove captures the user's hand orientation and finger bend states. This data is fed to a Support Vector Machine algorithm that classifies it into standardized Canadian Forces hand signals in order to be disseminated to the rest of the team. The command is then transmitted wirelessly and displayed on a Heads-Up-Display (HUD) mounted to the ballistic eyewear in order for troops to execute.
{"title":"Systems approach for the development of a Silent Wireless Communicator","authors":"F. Stasi, R. Pennell, S. Givigi, A. Beaulieu","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549932","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549932","url":null,"abstract":"This paper discusses the design and implementation of the Silent Wireless Communicator. Night operations are becoming increasingly important in modern warfare. Section commanders that conduct missions rely on audio and visual signals in order to command their troops. The communication device is designed to provide a means to communicate commands in an environment which limits visibility and forbids audible commands. The signal data is collected via a glove worn by the commander. The glove captures the user's hand orientation and finger bend states. This data is fed to a Support Vector Machine algorithm that classifies it into standardized Canadian Forces hand signals in order to be disseminated to the rest of the team. The command is then transmitted wirelessly and displayed on a Heads-Up-Display (HUD) mounted to the ballistic eyewear in order for troops to execute.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"44 3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123265139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549873
Steven Doskey, T. Mazzuchi, S. Sarkani
In this paper, the authors present an innovative means of gauging systems engineering effectiveness. This research uses a Bayesian Belief Network to model causal relationships present in government acquisitions of complex information systems and to create a Systems Engineering relative effectiveness index model that can be used to identify and analyze Systems Engineering patterns and subsequently predict possible areas of SE performance risk.
{"title":"A measure of systems engineering effectiveness in government acquisition of complex information systems","authors":"Steven Doskey, T. Mazzuchi, S. Sarkani","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549873","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549873","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, the authors present an innovative means of gauging systems engineering effectiveness. This research uses a Bayesian Belief Network to model causal relationships present in government acquisitions of complex information systems and to create a Systems Engineering relative effectiveness index model that can be used to identify and analyze Systems Engineering patterns and subsequently predict possible areas of SE performance risk.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127941729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2013-04-15DOI: 10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549876
C. Insaurralde
Current developments of dependable software systems require that developers from different engineering branches perform a cross-checked analysis to evaluate the impact of diverse viewpoints across multiple models. A change on any representation during the development process increases costs and risks since it requires synchronization of models by updating, and then re-verifying/validating each model. This paper presents a novel approach that reduces the co-development effort by enabling system developers who have different viewpoints of the same system architecture, to deal with a single and shared model (no models interfaced with each other as proposed by existing solutions). The modeling technique initially proposed tackles the above challenge by merging the notation of control and software requirements into a single system model. Thus, the impact of changes in the notation of control design can be reflected in the software ones, and vice versa so that the modifications are automatically included when rechecking each model. This paper shows results from an initial merger of models by combining control and software diagrams, a discussion on suitability of modeling technologies, and future research work.
{"title":"Model-merged development for analysis and design of dependable software systems","authors":"C. Insaurralde","doi":"10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549876","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/SysCon.2013.6549876","url":null,"abstract":"Current developments of dependable software systems require that developers from different engineering branches perform a cross-checked analysis to evaluate the impact of diverse viewpoints across multiple models. A change on any representation during the development process increases costs and risks since it requires synchronization of models by updating, and then re-verifying/validating each model. This paper presents a novel approach that reduces the co-development effort by enabling system developers who have different viewpoints of the same system architecture, to deal with a single and shared model (no models interfaced with each other as proposed by existing solutions). The modeling technique initially proposed tackles the above challenge by merging the notation of control and software requirements into a single system model. Thus, the impact of changes in the notation of control design can be reflected in the software ones, and vice versa so that the modifications are automatically included when rechecking each model. This paper shows results from an initial merger of models by combining control and software diagrams, a discussion on suitability of modeling technologies, and future research work.","PeriodicalId":218073,"journal":{"name":"2013 IEEE International Systems Conference (SysCon)","volume":"125 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116297338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}