We explore the potential of adding objective functions to OCL operation contracts. If an operation contract includes an objective function, the operation has the obligation to yield results that make the objective function assume an optimal value. Thus, an objective function expresses a preference among the possible operation results that conform to the postconditions of the operation contract ...

In order to incorporate fuzzy goals and constraints in model predictive control, this control technique have recently been integrated with fuzzy decision making. The goals and the constraints of the control problem are combined by using a decision function from the theory of fuzzy sets. This technique have been studied for single-input single-output processes. This paper extends this approach f...

Many randomized algorithms can be derandomized efficiently using either the method of conditional expectations or probability spaces with low independence. A series of papers, beginning with work by Luby (1988), showed that in many cases these techniques can be combined to give deterministic parallel (NC) algorithms for a variety of combinatorial optimization problems, with low time- and proces...

Conventional paradigms of machine learning assume all the training data are available when learning starts. However, in lifelong learning, the examples are observed sequentially as learning unfolds, and the learner should continually explore the world and reorganize and refine the internal model or knowledge of the world. This leads to a fundamental challenge: How to balance long-term and short...

The number partitioning problem is to divide a set of integers into a collection of subsets, so that the sum of the numbers in each subset are as nearly equal as possible. There are at least three natural objective functions for number partitioning. One is to minimize the largest subset sum, another is to maximize the smallest subset sum, and the third is to minimize the difference between the ...

We prove a result concerning objective functions that can be used to obtain eÆcient and balanced solutions to the multi-commodity network ow problem. This type of solution is of interest when routing traÆc in the Internet. A particular case of the result proved here (see Corollary 2 below) was stated without proof in a previous paper. Objective Functions for Balance in TraÆc Engineering? Juan A...

-Fixed-outline floorplanning enables multilevel hierarchical design, where aspect ratios and area of floorplans are usually imposed by higher level floorplanning and must be satisfied. Simulated Annealing is widely used in the floorplanning problem. It is well-known that the solution space, solution perturbation, and objective function are very important for Simulated Annealing. In this paper, ...

Introduction: Science A computer scientist seems an odd choice to speak either about science in the forest, or science in the past. Computer science is more often located in cities and offices than in forests, and is concerned with the challenges of the future rather than the past. ‘Science’ appears to be a point of enquiry shared with this symposium, but even this word is open to debate. It is...

One of the most important stages in data preprocessing for data mining is feature selection. Real-world data analysis, data mining, classification and modeling problems usually involve a large number of candidate inputs or features. Less relevant or highly correlated features decrease, in general, the classification accuracy, and enlarge the complexity of the classifier. Feature selection is a ...

A new approach to clustering multivariate data, based on a multi-level linear mixed model, is proposed. A key feature of the model is that observations from the same cluster are correlated, because they share cluster specific random effects. The inclusion of cluster specific random effects allows parsimonious departure from an assumed base model for cluster mean profiles. This departure is capt...