In this paper an approach to robustness analysis in evolutionary multi-objective optimization is applied to the problem of locating and sizing capacitors for reactive power compensation (VAR planning) in electric radial distribution networks. The main goal of this evolutionary algorithm is to find a non-dominated front containing the most robust non-dominated solutions also ensuring diversity a...

Currently handheld and palmtop computers are widely used for personal information management. In the near future they will also be used to access enterprise data. There are however, numerous technical challenges in enabling an end-to-end system that provides enterprise data access from mobile computers. The challenges include heterogeneity, various resource constraints, scalability, and securit...

Sapa is a domain-independent heuristic forward chaining planner that can handle durative actions, metric resource constraints, and deadline goals. It is designed to be capable of handling the multi-objective nature of metric temporal planning. Our technical contributions include (i) planning-graph based methods for deriving heuristics that are sensitive to both cost and makespan (ii) techniques...

This paper identifies the complex ways in which technical, organisational and political constraints shape the decisions and actions taken by national and international safety organisations. In particular, we assess the interventions made by Swiss Federal agencies and by the Air Navigation Service provider (ANSP) following the Überlingen mid-air collision in July 1 2002. Later sections show that...

A SETAC Technical Workshop titled "The Nexus Between Ecological Risk Assessment and Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under CERCLA: Understanding and Improving the Common Scientific Underpinnings," was held 18-22 August 2008 in Gregson, Montana, USA, to examine the linkage, nexus, and overlap between ecological risk assessment (ERA) and natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) under the Compr...

The solution of the inverse kinematics is required in many technical applications. In this contribution a concept is proposed which reformulates the inverse kinematics (IK) of kinematically redundant manipulators as a linear programming (LP) problem. This formulation enables the explicit consideration of technical constraints as for example mechanical end-stops, velocity and, if necessary, acce...

An active learning activity for a computer design and assembly with practical, technical and budgetary constraints was implemented to study real-life design concepts and project-based design outcomes, supplementing the traditional lecture style, implementing a potential interview process to synthesize the innovative design ideas and requirements, and relevant academic experiences as well as per...

Organizations producing products based on technical standards are interested in the factors that influence a customers’ intention to adopt that product, and accordingly that standard. In general, standards-based products are expected to be affected by factors similar to those that affect ordinary innovations, as described in Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations with the addition of a few factors in...

The task of selecting so&are engineering methods, techniques, metrics, and tools is usually performed manually, based on the expertise of individuals. This paper presents a systematic tool supported approach, that bases its suggestions on the technical situation, the existing goals, and constraints of a spec$c organization or a particular project. A prototype of the decision support system supp...

This paper examines the allocation of inventive effort in complex product systems. I argue that complex product systems, e.g., personal computers (PCs), are distinguished by functional interaction among several components, each guided by a relatively autonomous bundle of technical and economic characteristics. I try to explore whether the dynamics of such interactions between components of comp...