14971297
Non-uniform Differential Mesh Deformation
In this paper, we propose a novel mesh deformation approach via manipulating differential properties non-uniformly. Guided by user-specified material properties, our method can deform the surface mesh in a non-uniform way while previous deformation techniques are mainly designed for uniform materials. The non-uniform deformation is achieved by material-dependent gradient field manipulation and Poisson-based reconstruction. Comparing with previous material-oblivious deformation techniques, our method supplies finer control of the deformation process and can generate more realistic results. We propose a novel detail representation that transforms geometric details between successive surface levels as a combination of dihedral angles and barycentric coordinates. This detail representation is similarity-invariant and fully compatible with material properties. Based on these two methods, we implement a multiresolution deformation tool, which allows the user to edit a mesh inside a hierarchy in a material-aware manner. We demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our methods by several examples with real-world data.
28175373
Mesh editing with poisson-based gradient field manipulation
In this paper, we introduce a novel approach to mesh editing with the Poisson equation as the theoretical foundation. The most distinctive feature of this approach is that it modifies the original mesh geometry implicitly through gradient field manipulation. Our approach can produce desirable and pleasing results for both global and local editing operations, such as deformation, object merging, and smoothing. With the help from a few novel interactive tools, these operations can be performed conveniently with a small amount of user interaction. Our technique has three key components, a basic mesh solver based on the Poisson equation, a gradient field manipulation scheme using local transforms, and a generalized boundary condition representation based on local frames. Experimental results indicate that our framework can outperform previous related mesh editing techniques.
40999406
Multi-agent collaboration for B2B workflow monitoring
Business-to-business (B2B) applications environments are exceedingly dynamic and competitive. This dynamism is manifested in the form of changing process requirements and time constraints. However, current workflow management technologies have difficulties to solve the challenges problems, such as: how to deal with the dynamic nature of B2B commerce processes, how to manage the distributed knowledge and recourses, and how to reduce the transaction risk. In this paper, a collaborative multi-agent system has been proposed. Multiple intelligent agents in our system can work together not only to identify the workflow problems, but also to solve such problems, by applying business rules, such as re-organizing the procurement and the transaction processes, and making necessary workflow process changes.
8230807
A Petri Net Based Software Architecture for UAV Simulation
This paper presents a Petri net-based hierarchical architecture for multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) simulations in order to facilitate rapid prototyping via visual modeling and analysis. Using high-level Colored Petri nets, we specify UAV control structure by a hierarchy of mission control net and task nets: the mission control net, built upon task nets, models the decision making process of the UAV simulation; tasks nets are built from primitive UAV behaviors and environmental behaviors. To realize effects of UAV behaviors on the simulation environment, procedures may be associated with transitions in Petri nets. To demonstrate the approach, we describe two experimental UAV mission scenarios: sweeping search and multi-point attack.
342298
Nonlinear information aggregation via evidential reasoning in multiattribute decision analysis under uncertainty
In many decision situations, it is inevitable to deal with both quantitative and qualitative information under uncertainty. Evidence-based reasoning within a multiple criteria decision analysis framework provides an alternative way of handling such information systematically and consistently. In this paper, the evidential reasoning (ER) approach is introduced, which is based on a recursive ER algorithm that, in essence, constitutes a nonlinear information aggregation process. To facilitate the application of the ER approach and as an indispensable part of its development, the nonlinear features of the ER information aggregation process need to be thoroughly investigated and properly understood. This forms the theme of this paper where the nonlinear features are explored by examining typical reasoning patterns in aggregating harmonic, quasi-harmonic, and contradictory decision information. This analytical investigation provides insights into the recursive nature of the ER approach as well as valuable experience that could be useful to other researchers and practitioners interested in developing and applying operation research/artificial intelligence (OR/AI)-based approaches for decision analysis under uncertainty. The analytical study is complemented by the numerical studies of two application examples. The analysis of a quality assessment problem for motor engines is aimed to show the step-by-step process of implementing the ER approach and to illustrate its nonlinear features in a real-life decision situation. The study of a more complex assessment problem in ship design is intended to demonstrate the potential of the ER approach and its supporting software for dealing with general decision problems.
18488788
A preference aggregation method through the estimation of utility intervals
In this paper, a preference aggregation method is developed for ranking alternative courses of actions by combining preference rankings of alternatives given on individual criteria or by individual decision makers. In the method, preference rankings are viewed as constraints on alternative utilities, which are normalized, and linear programming models are constructed to estimate utility intervals, which are weighted and averaged to generate an aggregated utility interval. A simple yet pragmatic interval ranking method is used to compare and/or rank alternatives. The final ranking is generated as the most likely ranking with certain degrees of belief. Three numerical examples are examined to illustrate the potential applications of the proposed method.
14517551
Misuse case-based design and analysis of secure software architecture
This paper presents an approach to the architectural design and analysis of secure software systems based on the system requirements elicited in the form of use cases and misuse cases. We identify architectural components and their connections and analyze whether or not a candidate architecture can address security concerns. This provides a smooth transition from requirements specification to high-level design for engineering secure software systems, and greatly improves the traceability of security concerns, which allows a system developer to know what requirement an architectural component references back to. We demonstrate our approach through a case study on a security-intensive hospital information system.