Showing papers on "Adaptation (computer science) published in 1997"

Career Adaptability: An Integrative Construct for Life-Span, Life-Space Theory

Abstract: The four segments in the life-span, life-space approach to comprehending and intervening in careers (individual differences, development, self, and context), constitute four perspectives on adaptation to life roles. Adaptation serves as a bridging construct to integrate the complexity engendered by viewing vocational behavior from four distinct vantage points. To correspond to adaptation as the core construct, career adaptability should replace career maturity as the critical construct in the developmental perspective on adaptation. Moreover, adaptability could be conceptualized using developmental dimensions similar to those used to describe career maturity, namely planning, exploring, and deciding.

Corporate Elite Networks and Governance Changes in the 1980s

Abstract: Changes in corporate governance practices can be analyzed by linking the adaptations of individual firms to the structures of the networks in which firms' decision makers are embedded. Network structures determine the speed of adaptation and ultimate patterns of prevalence of governance practices by exposing a firm to particular role models and standards of appropriateness. The authors compare the spreads of two governance innovations adopted in response to the 1980s takeover wave: poison pills (which spread rapidly through a board‐to‐board diffusion process) and golden parachutes (which spread slowly through geographic proximity). The study closes with a discussion of networks as links between individual adaptation and collective structures.

Agile application-aware adaptation for mobility

Abstract: In this paper we show that application-aware adaptation, a collaborative partnership between the operating system and applications, offers the most general and effective approach to mobile information access. We describe the design of Odyssey, a prototype implementing this approach, and show how it supports concurrent execution of diverse mobile applications. We identify agility as a key attribute of adaptive systems, and describe how to quantify and measure it. We present the results of our evaluation of Odyssey, indicating performance improvements up to a factor of 5 on a benchmark of three applications concurrently using remote services over a network with highly variable bandwidth.

Adaptation in evolutionary computation: a survey

Abstract: Adaptation of parameters and operators is one of the most important and promising areas of research in evolutionary computation; it tunes the algorithm to the problem while solving the problem. In this paper we develop a classification of adaptation on the basis of the mechanisms used, and the level at which adaptation operates within the evolutionary algorithm. The classification covers all forms of adaptation in evolutionary computation and suggests further research.

Mobile computing with the Rover toolkit

Abstract: Rover is a software toolkit that supports the construction of both mobile-transparent and mobile-aware applications. The mobile-transparent approach aims to enable existing applications to run in a mobile environment without alteration. This transparency is achieved by developing proxies for system services that hide the mobile characteristics of the environment from applications. However, to excel, applications operating in the harsh conditions of a mobile environment must often be aware of and actively adapt to those conditions. Using the programming and communication abstractions present in the Rover toolkit, applications obtain increased availability, concurrency, resource allocation efficiency, fault tolerance, consistency, and adaptation. Experimental evaluation of a suite of mobile applications demonstrates that use of the toolkit requires relatively little programming overhead, allows correct operation, substantially increases interactive performance, and dramatically reduces network utilization.

A multilevel approach to intelligent information filtering: model, system, and evaluation

Abstract: In information-filtering environments, uncertainties associated with changing interests of the user and the dynamic document stream must be handled efficiently. In this article, a filtering model is proposed that decomposes the overall task into subsystem functionalities and highlights the need for multiple adaptation techniques to cope with uncertainties. A filtering system, SIFTER, has been implemented based on the model, using established techniques in information retrieval and artificial intelligence. These techniques include document representation by a vector-space model, document classification by unsupervised learning, and user modeling by reinforcement learning. The system can filter information based on content and a user's specific interests. The user's interests are automatically learned with only limited user intervention in the form of optional relevance feedback for documents. We also describe experimental studies conducted with SIFTER to filter computer and information science documents collected from the Internet and commercial database services. The experimental results demonstrate that the system performs very well in filtering documents in a realistic problem setting.

Intelligent Adaptive Information Agents

Abstract: Adaptation in open, multi-agent information gathering systems is important for several reasons. These reasons include the inability to accurately predict future problem-solving workloads, future changes in existing information requests, future failures and additions of agents and data supply resources, and other future task environment characteristic changes that require system reorganization. We have developed a multi-agent distributed system infrastructure, RETSINA (REusable Task Structure-based Intelligent Network Agents) that handles adaptation in an open Internet environment. Adaptation occurs both at the individual agent level as well as at the overall agent organization level. The RETSINA system has three types of agents. Interface agents interact with the user receiving user specifications and delivering results. They acquire, model, and utilize user preferences to guide system coordination in support of the user‘s tasks. Task agents help users perform tasks by formulating problem solving plans and carrying out these plans through querying and exchanging information with other software agents. Information agents provide intelligent access to a heterogeneous collection of information sources. In this paper, we concentrate on the adaptive architecture of the information agents. We use as the domain of application WARREN, a multi-agent financial portfolio management system that we have implemented within the RETSINA framework.

A dynamic policy for grouping maintenance activities

Abstract: textA maintenance activity carried out on a technical system often involves a system-dependent set-up cost that is the same for all maintenance activities carried out on that system. Grouping activities thus saves costs since execution of a group of activities requires only one set-up. Many maintenance models consider the grouping of maintenance activities on a long-term basis with an infinite horizon. This makes it very difficult to incorporate short-term circumstances such as opportunities or a varying use of components because these are either not known beforehand or make the problem intractable. In this paper we propose a rolling-horizon approach that takes a long-term tentative plan as a basis for a subsequent adaptation according to information that becomes available on the short term. This yields a dynamic grouping policy that assists the maintenance manager in his planning job. We present a fast approach that allows interactive planning by showing how shifts from the tentative planning work out. We illustrate our approach with examples.

On adaptive resource allocation for complex real-time applications

Abstract: Resource allocation for high-performance real-time applications is challenging due to the applications' data-dependent nature, dynamic changes in their external environment, and limited resource availability in their target embedded system platforms. These challenges may be met by use of adaptive resource allocation (ARA) mechanisms that can promptly adjust resource allocation to changes in an application's resource needs, whenever there is a risk of failing to satisfy its timing constraints. By taking advantage of an application's adaptation capabilities, ARA eliminates the need for 'over-sizing' real-time systems to meet worst-case application needs. This paper proposes a model for describing an application's adaptation capabilities and the runtime variation of its resource needs. The paper also proposes a satisfiability-driven set of performance metrics for capturing the impact of ARA mechanisms on the performance of adaptable real-time applications. The relevance of the proposed set of metrics is demonstrated experimentally, using a synthetic application designed to represent time-critical applications in C31 systems.

Adaptability and Adaptivity in Learning Systems

Abstract: A good learning system may need to provide a protected learning environment (by restrictions or by warnings) to facilitate efficient learning to the students. From the human-computer interaction point of view a careful examination is necessary of how to adapt the learning environment to the learner’s goal and capability in such protected situations. This paper discusses the applicability of adaptability and adaptivity features to fulfil this purpose. The paper also discusses the adaptation needs of learning systems, with particular attention on Intelligent Learning Systems (ILS) by their comparative study with office application systems, which have been an important area of research in the field of adaptation facilitation.

Interactive systems in domestic environments

Abstract: This paper considers the nature of interactive systems design for domestic environments. As part of this work it highlights @e methodological issues faced in the design of systems for the home. The shortage of detailed knowledge of activities in the home is highlighted. A series of studies of domestic environments is presented alongside the design challenges they raise.

Adaptation to Changing Environments by Means of the Memory Based Thermodynamical Genetic Algorithm.

Abstract: Niching enables a genetic algorithm (GA) to maintain diversity in a population. It is particularly useful when the problem has multiple optima where the aim is to find all or as many as possible of these optima. When the fitness landscape of a problem changes overtime, the problem is called non–stationary, dynamic or time–variant problem. In these problems, niching can maintain useful solutions to respond quickly, reliably and accurately to a change in the environment. In this paper, we present a niching method that works on the problem substructures rather than the whole solution, therefore it has less space complexity than previously known niching mechanisms. We show that the method is responding accurately when environmental changes occur.

The Adaption Knowledge Bottleneck: How to Ease it by Learning from Cases

Abstract: Assuming that adaptation knowledge will continue to be an important part of CBR systems, a major challenge for the area is to overcome the knowledge-engineering problems that arise in its acquisition This paper describes an approach to automating the acquisition of adaptation knowledge overcoming many of the associated knowledge-engineering costs This approach makes use of inductive techniques, which learn adaptation knowledge from case comparison We also show how this adaptation knowledge can be usefully applied and report on how available domain knowledge might be exploited in such an adaptation-rule learning-system

Efficient Techniques for Adaptive Hypermedia

Abstract: Adaptive hypermedia is a new direction of research within the area of adaptive and user model-based interfaces. Adaptive hypermedia (AH) systems build a model of the individual user and apply it for adaptation to that user, for example, to adapt the content of a hypermedia page to the user's knowledge and goals, or to suggest the most relevant links to follow. AH systems are now used in several application areas where the hyperspace is reasonably large and where a hypermedia application is expected to be used by users with different goals, knowledge and backgrounds. This chapter provides a brief survey of existing adaptive hypermedia techniques. Special attention is paid to the techniques implemented in the World Wide Web and to techniques which have been approved by an experimental study and shown to be effective. Among few others approved techniques we describe adaptive annotation techniques developed by our group at the Moscow State University.

User as Student: Towards an Adaptive Interface for Advanced Web-Based Applications

Abstract: This paper discusses the problems of developing adaptive self-explaining interfaces for advanced World-Wide Web (WWW) applications. Two kinds of adaptation are considered: incremental learning and incremental interfaces. The key problem for these kinds of adaptation is to decide which interface features should be explained or enabled next. We analyze possible ways to implement incremental learning and incremental interfaces on the WWW and suggest a “user as student” approach. With this approach, the order of learning or enabling of interface features is determined by adaptive sequencing, a popular intelligent tutoring technology, which is based on the pedagogical model of the interface and user knowledge about it. We describe in detail how this approach was implemented in the InterBook system, a shell for developing Web-based adaptive electronic textbooks.

Adapting manufacturing processes for international transfer

Abstract: Identifies factors influencing the adaptation of manufacturing processes for international transfer. Proposes that these factors should be divided into those affecting the operation of the process in its new location, and those that influence the transfer itself. This differentiation generates three constructs which characterize a manufacturing process: appropriateness, robustness, and transferability. Individually, they inform practitioners on questions of process adaptation, location selection, training, and technology choice. Together they describe the ease with which a manufacturing process can be transferred: its fitness for transfer.

Dynamical modelling, analysis, monitoring and control design for nonlinear bioprocesses

Abstract: This paper is a survey on methods which have been developed and applied in the field of dynamical modelling, analysis, monitoring and control design of bioprocesses over the past fifteen years. A key feature of the paper is to show how to incorporate the well-known knowledge about the dynamics of biochemical processes (basically, the reaction network and the material balances) in monitoring and control algorithms. These are moreover capable of dealing with the process uncertainty (in particular on the reaction kinetics) by introducing, for instance in the control algorithms, an adaptation scheme.

Case-based design: A review and analysis of building design applications

Abstract: This paper presents a review of CBD and its application to building design in particular. Case-based design is the application of case-based reasoning to the design process. Design maps well to case-based reasoning because designers use parts of previous design solutions in developing new design solutions. This paper identifies problems of case representation, retrieval, adaptation, presentation, and case-based maintenance along with creativity, legal, and ethical issues that need to be addressed by CBD systems. It provides a comprehensive review of CBD systems developed for building design and provides a detailed comparison of the CBD systems reviewed.

Adaptation in distributed multimedia systems

Abstract: The real-time requirements of continuous media call for careful resource management in distributed multimedia systems. In complex and mobile systems, however, effective resource reservation becomes almost impossible. Recent research suggests adaptive applications as a complementary solution. This article reviews heterogeneous networks and the rationale behind adaptation, gives implementation examples, and discusses some outstanding research issues.

Adaptable and Adaptive Information Access for All Users, Including the Disabled and the Elderly

Abstract: The tremendously increasing popularity of the World Wide Web indicates that hypermedia is going to be the leading online information medium for the years to come and will most likely be the standard gateway to the “information highway”. Visitors of web sites are generally heterogeneous and have different needs, and this trend is likely even to increase in the future. The aim of the AVANTI project is to cater hypermedia information to these different needs by adapting the content and the presentation of web pages to each individual user. The special needs of elderly and handicapped users are also considered to some extent. Our experience from this research is that adaptation and user modeling techniques that have so far almost exclusively focused on adapting interactive software systems to “normal” users also prove useful for adaptation to users with special needs.

Adaptive middleware for mobile multimedia applications

Abstract: The traditional approach to developing middleware platforms is to adopt a "black box" philosophy whereby the platform offers a fixed programming model to applications together with a fixed per-platform implementation. In this paper we describe research which is exploring an open approach to middleware implementation. Our motivation is to accommodate the demanding requirements for quality of service adaptation which are imposed by mobile multimedia applications. We use an extended CORBA computational model which supports the concept of explicit open bindings, which provide an architectural framework for openness and quality of service adaptation. The paper offers examples of the programming style facilitated by our architecture and reports on our implementation experience to date.

Adaptive decision support systems

Abstract: The effectiveness of decision support systems (DSS) is enhanced through dynamic adaptation of support to the needs of the decision maker, to the problem, and to the decision context. We define this enhanced DSS as adaptive decision support systems (ADSS) and propose its architecture. In an ADSS, the decision maker controls the decision process. However, the system monitors the process to match support to the needs. The proposed architecture evolves from the traditional DSS models and includes an additional intelligent‘Adaptation’ component. The ‘Adaptation’ component workd with the data, model, and interface components to provide adaptive support. The architecture also integrates enhancements proposed in the past research. In this paper, we have illustrated the proposed architecture with two examples, a prototype system, and results from a preliminary empirical investigations

Making design patterns explicit in FACE: a frame work adaptive composition environment

Abstract: Tools incorporating design patterns combine the advantage of having a high-abstraction level of describing a system and the possibility of coupling these abstractions to some underlying implementation. Still, all current tools are based on generating source code in which the design patterns become implicit. After that, further extension and adaptation of the software is needed but this can no longer be supported at the same level of abstraction. This paper presents FACE, an environment based on an explicit representation of design patterns, sustaining an incremental development style without abandoning the higher-level design pattern abstraction. A visual composition tool for FACE has been developed in the Self programming language.