Reframing the relationship between service design and operations: a service engineering approach

The significance of services as business and human activities has increased dramatically throughout the world in the last three decades. Becoming a more and more competitive and efficient service provider while still being able to provide unique value opportunities for customers requires new knowledge and ideas. Part of this knowledge is created and utilized in daily activities in every service organization, but not all of it, and therefore an emerging phenomenon in the service context is information awareness. Terms like big data and Internet of things are not only modern buzz-words but they are also describing urgent requirements for a new type of competences and solutions. When the amount of information increases and the systems processing information become more efficient and intelligent, it is the human understanding and objectives that may get separated from the automated processes and technological innovations. This is an important challenge and the core driver for this dissertation: What kind of information is created, possessed and utilized in the service context, and even more importantly, what information exists but is not acknowledged or used? In this dissertation the focus is on the relationship between service design and service operations. Reframing this relationship refers to viewing the service system from the architectural perspective. The selected perspective allows analysing the relationship between design activities and operational activities as an information system while maintaining the tight connection to existing service research contributions and approaches. This type of an innovative approach is supported by research methodology that relies on design science theory. The methodological process supports the construction of a new design artifact based on existing theoretical knowledge, creation of new innovations and testing the design artifact components in real service contexts. The relationship between design and operations is analysed in the health care and social care service systems. The existing contributions in service research tend to abstract services and service systems as value creation, working or interactive systems. This dissertation adds an important information processing system perspective to the research. The main contribution focuses on the following argument: Only part of the service information system is automated and computerized, whereas a significant part of information processing is embedded in human activities, communication and ad-hoc reactions. The results indicate that the relationship between service design and service operations is more complex and dynamic than the existing scientific and managerial models tend to view it. Both activities create, utilize, mix and share information, making service information management a necessary but relatively unknown managerial task. On the architectural level, service system -specific elements seem to disappear, but access to more general information elements and processes can be found. While this dissertation focuses on conceptual-level design artifact construction, the results provide also very practical implications for service providers. Personal, visual and hidden activities of service, and more importantly all changes that take place in any service system have also an information dimension. Making this information dimension visual and prioritizing the processed information based on service dimensions is likely to provide new opportunities to increase activities and provide a new type of service potential for customers.

A Model-Based Development and Verification Framework for Distributed System-on-Chip Architecture

The capabilities and thus, design complexity of VLSI-based embedded systems have increased tremendously in recent years, riding the wave of Moore’s law. The time-to-market requirements are also shrinking, imposing challenges to the designers, which in turn, seek to adopt new design methods to increase their productivity. As an answer to these new pressures, modern day systems have moved towards on-chip multiprocessing technologies. New architectures have emerged in on-chip multiprocessing in order to utilize the tremendous advances of fabrication technology. Platform-based design is a possible solution in addressing these challenges. The principle behind the approach is to separate the functionality of an application from the organization and communication architecture of hardware platform at several levels of abstraction. The existing design methodologies pertaining to platform-based design approach don’t provide full automation at every level of the design processes, and sometimes, the co-design of platform-based systems lead to sub-optimal systems. In addition, the design productivity gap in multiprocessor systems remain a key challenge due to existing design methodologies. This thesis addresses the aforementioned challenges and discusses the creation of a development framework for a platform-based system design, in the context of the SegBus platform - a distributed communication architecture. This research aims to provide automated procedures for platform design and application mapping. Structural verification support is also featured thus ensuring correct-by-design platforms. The solution is based on a model-based process. Both the platform and the application are modeled using the Unified Modeling Language. This thesis develops a Domain Specific Language to support platform modeling based on a corresponding UML profile. Object Constraint Language constraints are used to support structurally correct platform construction. An emulator is thus introduced to allow as much as possible accurate performance estimation of the solution, at high abstraction levels. VHDL code is automatically generated, in the form of “snippets” to be employed in the arbiter modules of the platform, as required by the application. The resulting framework is applied in building an actual design solution for an MP3 stereo audio decoder application.

Kaasupoljinohjeen toteuttaminen hybridilinja-auton säätöjärjestelmälle

Sähkö- ja hybridiajoneuvot yleistyvät tiukentuvien päästömääräysten seurauksena, koska sähkömoottoritekniikan avulla ajoneuvon kokonaishyötysuhdetta on mahdollista parantaa merkittävästi. Akkujen kapasiteettiin, kokoon, painoon ja latausaikoihin liittyvien ongelmien vuoksi sekä nestemäistä polttoainetta että sähköä hyödyntävä hybriditekniikka on toistaiseksi pelkkään sähkökäyttöön verrattuna usein toimivampi toteutus. Vanhojen hyötyajoneuvojen hybridikonversiot saattavatkin yleistyä, jos voidaan osoittaa, että konversio on toteutettavissa järkevin resurssein ja voidaan laatia konversion teknisiä haasteita helpottavia ohjeita. Syksyllä 2012 käynnistyi Lappeenrannan Teknillisen Yliopiston vetämä CAMBUS-projekti, jossa on tarkoitus kehittää kaupallisesti tarjolla olevia järjestelmiä pätevämpi hybriditekniikka linja-autokäyttöön. Tämä kandidaatintyö pyrkii kirjallisuuskatsauksen keinoin selvittämään, minkälainen kaasupolkimen toteutus olisi tätä hybridikonversiota ajatellen paras kuljettajan kontrolloiman säätöohjeen käytännön toteutukseen. Lähdemateriaalina on käytetty mm. Boschin ja Automobiltechnische Zeitschriftin ajoneuvoalan käsikirjoja ja oppikirjoja, Volkswagenin koulutuskäsikirjoja ja täydentävästi tieteellisiä artikkeleita ja patentteja. Niiden pohjalta on koottu yleisimmät tämänhetkiset tekniset toteutustavat, pohdittu tiedonsiirron ja sähkömagneettisen yhteensopivuuden haasteita, sekä kokonaissäätöjärjestelmän näkökulmasta säätöohjeen suuretta. Selvityksen perusteella polkimen asentotunnistuksen kannalta oleellista on turvallisuus, eli lähinnä mekaaninen kestävyys ja riittävä häiriösuojaus. Ajoneuvossa ilmeneviä voimakkaita magneettikenttiä hyvin sietävä digitaalinen väyläjärjestelmä voi hyvin toteutettuna myös yksinkertaistaa ajoneuvon sähköjärjestelmän muuta toteutusta. Aineistojen perusteella vääntömomentti on luonnollisin valinta ohjaussuureeksi. Vääntömomenttiohjeen avulla voidaan helposti luoda selkeä ja johdonmukainen tuntuma kuljettajalle voimanlähteiden turvalliseen hallintaan ja se helpottaa myös kommunikointia pidonhallintajärjestelmän ja muiden ajoneuvon hallintaan liittyvien järjestelmien kanssa.

Intelligent mapping of stresses in a hydraulic crane

Continuous loading and unloading can cause breakdown of cranes. In seeking solution to this problem, the use of an intelligent control system for improving the fatigue life of cranes in the control of mechatronics has been under study since 1994. This research focuses on the use of neural networks as possibilities of developing algorithm to map stresses on a crane. The intelligent algorithm was designed to be a part of the system of a crane, the design process started with solid works, ANSYS and co-simulation using MSc Adams software which was incorporated in MATLAB-Simulink and finally MATLAB neural network (NN) for the optimization process. The flexibility of the boom accounted for the accuracy of the maximum stress results in the ADAMS model. The flexibility created in ANSYS produced more accurate results compared to the flexibility model in ADAMS/View using discrete link. The compatibility between.ADAMS and ANSYS softwares was paramount in the efficiency and the accuracy of the results. Von Mises stresses analysis was more suitable for this thesis work because the hydraulic boom was made from construction steel FE-510 of steel grade S355 with yield strength of 355MPa. Von Mises theory was good for further analysis due to ductility of the material and the repeated tensile and shear loading. Neural network predictions for the maximum stresses were then compared with the co-simulation results for accuracy, and the comparison showed that the results obtained from neural network model were sufficiently accurate in predicting the maximum stresses on the boom than co-simulation.

Savings Calculator for Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal pumps are one of the major energy consuming end-devices in developed coun-tries both in industrial and services sectors. According to recent studies, even 30 % of the energy used in pumping systems could be saved by more careful choosing of devices and system design. One of the most efficient and affordable ways to decrease the energy con-sumption of the pumping system is to substitute traditionally used flow control methods, like valve control, with modern variable speed drive (VSD) control. In this thesis, Microsoft Excel based program, Savings Calculator for Centrifugal Pumps (SCCP), is designed. SCCP calculates the achievable energy and financial savings when throttle control is substituted by VSD control in the pumping system. Compared to the sim-ilar existing programs, the goal is to make SCCP calculations more accurate and require less input information. Also some useful additional features are added to the designed program to make it more user friendly. The reliability of the calculations of designed program seem to vary depending on case. The results are corresponding accurately to the laboratory measurements, but there occurs high deviations in some cases, when the results are compared to the pump information specified by manufacturer. On the basis of verification in this thesis, SCCP seems to be at least as accurate as similar existing programs and it can be used as help in investment decision whether to have VSD or not.

Stiffness based trajectory planning and feedforward based vibration suppression control of parallel robot machines

The dissertation proposes two control strategies, which include the trajectory planning and vibration suppression, for a kinematic redundant serial-parallel robot machine, with the aim of attaining the satisfactory machining performance. For a given prescribed trajectory of the robot's end-effector in the Cartesian space, a set of trajectories in the robot's joint space are generated based on the best stiffness performance of the robot along the prescribed trajectory. To construct the required system-wide analytical stiffness model for the serial-parallel robot machine, a variant of the virtual joint method (VJM) is proposed in the dissertation. The modified method is an evolution of Gosselin's lumped model that can account for the deformations of a flexible link in more directions. The effectiveness of this VJM variant is validated by comparing the computed stiffness results of a flexible link with the those of a matrix structural analysis (MSA) method. The comparison shows that the numerical results from both methods on an individual flexible beam are almost identical, which, in some sense, provides mutual validation. The most prominent advantage of the presented VJM variant compared with the MSA method is that it can be applied in a flexible structure system with complicated kinematics formed in terms of flexible serial links and joints. Moreover, by combining the VJM variant and the virtual work principle, a systemwide analytical stiffness model can be easily obtained for mechanisms with both serial kinematics and parallel kinematics. In the dissertation, a system-wide stiffness model of a kinematic redundant serial-parallel robot machine is constructed based on integration of the VJM variant and the virtual work principle. Numerical results of its stiffness performance are reported. For a kinematic redundant robot, to generate a set of feasible joints' trajectories for a prescribed trajectory of its end-effector, its system-wide stiffness performance is taken as the constraint in the joints trajectory planning in the dissertation. For a prescribed location of the end-effector, the robot permits an infinite number of inverse solutions, which consequently yields infinite kinds of stiffness performance. Therefore, a differential evolution (DE) algorithm in which the positions of redundant joints in the kinematics are taken as input variables was employed to search for the best stiffness performance of the robot. Numerical results of the generated joint trajectories are given for a kinematic redundant serial-parallel robot machine, IWR (Intersector Welding/Cutting Robot), when a particular trajectory of its end-effector has been prescribed. The numerical results show that the joint trajectories generated based on the stiffness optimization are feasible for realization in the control system since they are acceptably smooth. The results imply that the stiffness performance of the robot machine deviates smoothly with respect to the kinematic configuration in the adjacent domain of its best stiffness performance. To suppress the vibration of the robot machine due to varying cutting force during the machining process, this dissertation proposed a feedforward control strategy, which is constructed based on the derived inverse dynamics model of target system. The effectiveness of applying such a feedforward control in the vibration suppression has been validated in a parallel manipulator in the software environment. The experimental study of such a feedforward control has also been included in the dissertation. The difficulties of modelling the actual system due to the unknown components in its dynamics is noticed. As a solution, a back propagation (BP) neural network is proposed for identification of the unknown components of the dynamics model of the target system. To train such a BP neural network, a modified Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm that can utilize an experimental input-output data set of the entire dynamic system is introduced in the dissertation. Validation of the BP neural network and the modified Levenberg- Marquardt algorithm is done, respectively, by a sinusoidal output approximation, a second order system parameters estimation, and a friction model estimation of a parallel manipulator, which represent three different application aspects of this method.

Comparison of Different Concentrated Solar Power Collector Designs and Development of a Linear Fresnel Solar Collector Model

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a renewable energy technology, which could contribute to overcoming global problems related to pollution emissions and increasing energy demand. CSP utilizes solar irradiation, which is a variable source of energy. In order to utilize CSP technology in energy production and reliably operate a solar field including thermal energy storage system, dynamic simulation tools are needed in order to study the dynamics of the solar field, to optimize production and develop control systems. The object of this Master’s Thesis is to compare different concentrated solar power technologies and configure a dynamic solar field model of one selected CSP field design in the dynamic simulation program Apros, owned by VTT and Fortum. The configured model is based on German Novatec Solar’s linear Fresnel reflector design. Solar collector components including dimensions and performance calculation were developed, as well as a simple solar field control system. The preliminary simulation results of two simulation cases under clear sky conditions were good; the desired and stable superheated steam conditions were maintained in both cases, while, as expected, the amount of steam produced was reduced in the case having lower irradiation conditions. As a result of the model development process, it can be concluded, that the configured model is working successfully and that Apros is a very capable and flexible tool for configuring new solar field models and control systems and simulating solar field dynamic behaviour.

Yrityksen tuoterakenteen määrittäminen olioparadigmalla

Tässä työssä tutkitaan yrityksen tuoterakenteen toteuttamista olioparadigmalla osana vanhenevan tuotannonohjausjärjestelmän uudistamista. Työssä on tunnistettu olioparadigman keskeiset rakenteet sekä tarkasteltu suunnittelumalleja, joita hyödyntämällä voidaan määrittää ja toteuttaa monimutkaisia sekä laajennettavia tuoterakenteita. Työn tavoitteena oli muodostaa tuoterakenteen runko, jota muokkaamalla on mahdollista toteuttaa erityyppisiä tuoterakenteita. Työ on rajattu siten, että todellista tuoterakennetta ei toteuteta. Tutkimuksen tuloksena havaittiin, että oliokeskeisyydellä voidaan toteuttaa tuoterakenteita, joita on mahdollista tulevaisuudessa muokata yrityksen tarpeisiin mukauttaen siten, että tuoterakenteen runkoon ei tarvitse tehdä suuria muutoksia. Olioperusteisella lähestymisellä voidaan mallintaa hyvin erityyppisiä ja ymmärrettäviä käsitteitä. Oliokeskeisellä lähestymistavalla voidaan toteuttaa myös muut vanhenevan tuotannonohjausjärjestelmän osa-alueet.

Biomassakattilan simulointi

Tässä diplomityössä mallinnetaan Apros-simulointiohjelmistolla kylläistä höyryä tuottava KPA Uniconin toimittama Biograte-kattilalaitos. Työ on rajattu käsittelemään vesihöyrypiiri syöttövesisäiliöstä prosessiin lähtevään höyryyn saakka. Savukaasupuoli on mallinnettu polttoaineen ja palamisilman syötöstä savupiippuun asti, mutta savukaasujen puhdistus on jätetty pois simulaatiomallista. Työssä kerrotaan yleisesti biopolttoaineista, kattilalaitoksista ja tulipesäratkaisuista. Simuloitava kattilalaitos ja sen säätöjärjestelmä käydään läpi yksityiskohtaisemmin. Simuloinnista ja sen mahdollisuuksista kerrotaan yleisesti, jonka jälkeen esitellään tehty simulaatiomalli. Simulointituloksia verrataan kattilan mitoitusarvoihin ja tärkeimpien prosessisuureiden muutoksia tutkitaan kuormanmuutostilanteissa. Lopuksi tuloksista tehdään yhteenveto ja esitellään jatkotoimenpidesuunnitelmat. Simuloitu kattilalaitos tuottaa kylläistä höyryä halutun määrän oikeassa paineessa ja lämpötilassa. Kattilan prosessisuureet vastaavat melko hyvin mitoitusarvoja ja simulaatiomalli toimii vakaasti myös kuormanmuutostilanteissa. Suurimmat kompromissit ja yksinkertaistukset on tehty tulipesän ja polttoaineensyötön mallinnuksessa. Näitä osa-alueita kehittämällä simulaation tarkkuutta olisi mahdollista parantaa entisestään. Jatkossa simulointimallia on tarkoitus kehittää laajentamalla se kattamaan myös laitoksen sekundääripuoli kokonaisuudessaan. Tulosten perusteella simulaatiota voidaan pitää onnistuneena mallina Biograte-kattilalaitoksesta.

The Role of HR Management in the Corporate Matrix System

The successful performance of company in the market relates to the quality management of human capital aiming to improve the company's internal performance and external implementation of the core business strategy. Companies with matrix structure focusing on realization and development of innovation and technologies for the uncertain market need to select thoroughly the approach to HR management system. Human resource management has a significant impact on the organization and use a variety of instruments such as corporate information systems to fulfill their functions and objectives. There are three approaches to strategic control management depending on major impact on the major interference in employee decision-making, development of skills and his integration into the business strategy. The mainstream research has focus only on the framework of strategic planning of HR and general productivity of firm, but not on features of organizational structure and corporate software capabilities for human capital. This study tackles the before mentioned challenges, typical for matrix organization, by using the HR control management tools and corporate information system. The detailed analysis of industry producing and selling electromotor and heating equipment in this master thesis provides the opportunity to improve system for HR control and displays its application in the ERP software. The results emphasize the sustainable role of matrix HR input control for creating of independent project teams for matrix structure who are able to respond to various uncertainties of the market and use their skills for improving performance. Corporate information systems can be integrated into input control system by means of output monitoring to regulate and evaluate the processes of teams, using key performance indicators and reporting systems.

Effet de chaperones pharmacologiques sur les formes mutantes du récepteur mélanocortine de type 4 responsables de l'obésité morbide précoce

Le récepteur mélanocortine de type 4 (MC4R) est un récepteur couplé aux protéines G impliqué dans la régulation de la prise alimentaire et de l’homéostasie énergétique. Quatre-vingt pour cent des mutants du MC4R reliés à l’obésité morbide précoce (OMP) sont retenus à l’intérieur de la cellule. Le système de contrôle de qualité (SCQ) est probablement responsable de cette rétention, par la reconnaissance d’une conformation inadéquate des mutants. Le rétablissement de l’expression à la surface cellulaire et de la fonctionnalité de ces mutants est donc d’intérêt thérapeutique. Dans cette optique, des composés lipophiles spécifiques pour le MC4R ont été sélectionnés sur la base de leur sélectivité. Nous avons démontré qu’ils agissent à titre de chaperone pharmacologique (CP) en rétablissant l’expression à la surface cellulaire et la fonctionnalité des récepteurs mutants S58C et R165W, et qu’ils favorisent leur N-glycosylation complexe (maturation). Le suivi par BRET du site d’action des CP du MC4R suggère une action en aval de l’interaction calnexine-MC4R. De manière générale, une CP peut avoir un effet différent selon le mutant traité en induisant des conformations distinctes du récepteur plus ou moins aptes à se dissocier du SCQ et à activer la voie de signalisation, et un mutant peut répondre différemment selon la CP utilisée par des différences d’affinité pour le ligand, la CP et les effecteurs. Une meilleure compréhension du mode d’action des CP pourrait aider au développement de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques non seulement pour l’OMP, mais aussi pour d’autres maladies conformationnelles causées par le mauvais repliement de protéines.

Patterns and quality of object-oriented software systems

Lors de ces dix dernières années, le coût de la maintenance des systèmes orientés objets s'est accru jusqu' à compter pour plus de 70% du coût total des systèmes. Cette situation est due à plusieurs facteurs, parmi lesquels les plus importants sont: l'imprécision des spécifications des utilisateurs, l'environnement d'exécution changeant rapidement et la mauvaise qualité interne des systèmes. Parmi tous ces facteurs, le seul sur lequel nous ayons un réel contrôle est la qualité interne des systèmes. De nombreux modèles de qualité ont été proposés dans la littérature pour contribuer à contrôler la qualité. Cependant, la plupart de ces modèles utilisent des métriques de classes (nombre de méthodes d'une classe par exemple) ou des métriques de relations entre classes (couplage entre deux classes par exemple) pour mesurer les attributs internes des systèmes. Pourtant, la qualité des systèmes par objets ne dépend pas uniquement de la structure de leurs classes et que mesurent les métriques, mais aussi de la façon dont celles-ci sont organisées, c'est-à-dire de leur conception, qui se manifeste généralement à travers les patrons de conception et les anti-patrons. Dans cette thèse nous proposons la méthode DEQUALITE, qui permet de construire systématiquement des modèles de qualité prenant en compte non seulement les attributs internes des systèmes (grâce aux métriques), mais aussi leur conception (grâce aux patrons de conception et anti-patrons). Cette méthode utilise une approche par apprentissage basée sur les réseaux bayésiens et s'appuie sur les résultats d'une série d'expériences portant sur l'évaluation de l'impact des patrons de conception et des anti-patrons sur la qualité des systèmes. Ces expériences réalisées sur 9 grands systèmes libres orientés objet nous permettent de formuler les conclusions suivantes: • Contre l'intuition, les patrons de conception n'améliorent pas toujours la qualité des systèmes; les implantations très couplées de patrons de conception par exemple affectent la structure des classes et ont un impact négatif sur leur propension aux changements et aux fautes. • Les classes participantes dans des anti-atrons sont beaucoup plus susceptibles de changer et d'être impliquées dans des corrections de fautes que les autres classes d'un système. • Un pourcentage non négligeable de classes sont impliquées simultanément dans des patrons de conception et dans des anti-patrons. Les patrons de conception ont un effet positif en ce sens qu'ils atténuent les anti-patrons. Nous appliquons et validons notre méthode sur trois systèmes libres orientés objet afin de démontrer l'apport de la conception des systèmes dans l'évaluation de la qualité.

Impact des troubles musculosquelettiques sur les mécanismes du contrôle postural chez les adolescents-hockeyeurs de niveau élite et intervention en Reconstruction Posturale®

Les adolescents-hockeyeurs peuvent être affligés de troubles musculosquelettiques (TMS) résultant d’un excès de tension musculaire lequel peut mener à des déformations ou déséquilibres musculaires ainsi qu’à une attitude posturale inadéquate. Les conséquences de ces changements mènent souvent à une surcharge inutile du système musculosquelettique (SMS), à la perturbation des mécanismes du contrôle postural et éventuellement à l’apparition de douleurs musculaires et articulaires. Les interventions qui s’attaquent aux TMS par une rééquilibration de la tension musculaire sont peu nombreuses. Les interventions qui s’attaquent aux TMS par une normalisation de la tension musculaire sont peu nombreuses. La Reconstruction Posturale® (RP), testée cliniquement, est l’une d’entre elles. Dans un premier temps, cette thèse visait à identifier les caractéristiques du contrôle postural chez les adolescents-hockeyeurs de niveau élite lorsque le système somatosensoriel est mis à l’épreuve en position debout quasi statique pieds nus et en patins. Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons évalué l’impact d’une intervention en RP sur des variables cliniques et biomécaniques, chez ces athlètes qui souffrent de TMS. Soixante-sept adolescents-hockeyeurs de niveau élite âgés de 15 à 18 ans ont participé à l’étude. Le contrôle postural de cinquante-sept joueurs a été évalué en position debout sur deux plateformes de force les yeux ouverts et les yeux fermés, pieds nus sur une surface dure et sur une mousse. De ce groupe, trente-cinq sujets ont également été évalués en patins, les yeux ouverts et les yeux fermés. Par la suite, neuf adolescents-hockeyeurs souffrant de TMS, ont été sélectionnés pour participer au protocole d’intervention thérapeutique en RP qui consistait en l’application de six séances de thérapie prodiguées sur une période de six semaines. Le déplacement du centre de pression (CP) sous les pieds a été calculé dans les directions antéro-postérieure (AP) et médio-latérale (ML). La vélocité moyenne du CP, le déplacement moyen du CP et l’étendue du CP ont été retenus pour rendre compte de la performance du contrôle posturale. D’autre part, l’asymétrie de mise en charge, la trajectoire du CP sous les pieds gauche et droit, le CPc pour rendre compte de la stratégie de chevilles et le CPv pour rendre compte de la stratégie de hanches ont été retenues pour identifier les stratégies utilisées pour maintenir l’équilibre. L’impact de l’intervention en RP a été évalué à l’aide de trois variables cliniques soit la douleur à l’aide de l’échelle visuelle analogue (ÉVA), la capacité fonctionnelle à l’aide d’un un questionnaire autoadministré et des photographies de la posture debout pour rendre compte des variables posturales biomécaniques. Nos résultats montrent que chez les adolescents-hockeyeurs la performance du contrôle postural en position debout statique est davantage perturbée par les changements somatosensoriels en direction ML alors qu’en AP, la perte d’informations visuelles ainsi que des changements somatosensoriels affectent la performance. Dans toutes les conditions expérimentales et dans les deux directions, nous avons observé une vélocité du CP remarquablement élevée, variant entre 18 et 22 mm/s. Au niveau des stratégies et indépendamment de la condition expérimentale, nous avons observé une dominance presque complète de la stratégie de cheville en AP alors qu’en ML, la stratégie de hanche dominait avec une contribution de la stratégie de cheville de plus de 20 %. En patins, en direction ML, aucun changement significatif de la performance n’a été observé. Toutefois en AP, nous avons observé une augmentation significative de la vélocité du CP, yeux ouverts et yeux fermés ainsi qu’une augmentation significative de l’étendue, yeux ouverts seulement. Au niveau des stratégies, la stratégie de cheville domine en AP et la stratégie de hanche domine en ML avec une contribution plus modeste de la stratégie de cheville qui était inférieure à 12 %. Chez les adolescents-hockeyeurs souffrant de TMS, post-intervention, nos résultats indiquent une diminution significative de la douleur et une amélioration des capacités fonctionnelles ainsi que de l’attitude posturale. Pré intervention en direction ML, nous avons observé une contribution significativement plus élevée de la stratégie de cheville au contrôle du CPnet et un retour vers des valeurs normales post-intervention. L’impact de l’intervention thérapeutique sur la performance du contrôle postural s’est avéré non significatif en ML et en AP.

An Error-Localization, Validation and Optimization Tool for Embedded Code Augmentation: an Architecture Oriented Approach

Embedded systems are usually designed for a single or a specified set of tasks. This specificity means the system design as well as its hardware/software development can be highly optimized. Embedded software must meet the requirements such as high reliability operation on resource-constrained platforms, real time constraints and rapid development. This necessitates the adoption of static machine codes analysis tools running on a host machine for the validation and optimization of embedded system codes, which can help meet all of these goals. This could significantly augment the software quality and is still a challenging field.Embedded systems are usually designed for a single or a specified set of tasks. This specificity means the system design as well as its hardware/software development can be highly optimized. Embedded software must meet the requirements such as high reliability operation on resource-constrained platforms, real time constraints and rapid development. This necessitates the adoption of static machine codes analysis tools running on a host machine for the validation and optimization of embedded system codes, which can help meet all of these goals. This could significantly augment the software quality and is still a challenging field.Embedded systems are usually designed for a single or a specified set of tasks. This specificity means the system design as well as its hardware/software development can be highly optimized. Embedded software must meet the requirements such as high reliability operation on resource-constrained platforms, real time constraints and rapid development. This necessitates the adoption of static machine codes analysis tools running on a host machine for the validation and optimization of embedded system codes, which can help meet all of these goals. This could significantly augment the software quality and is still a challenging field.Embedded systems are usually designed for a single or a specified set of tasks. This specificity means the system design as well as its hardware/software development can be highly optimized. Embedded software must meet the requirements such as high reliability operation on resource-constrained platforms, real time constraints and rapid development. This necessitates the adoption of static machine codes analysis tools running on a host machine for the validation and optimization of embedded system codes, which can help meet all of these goals. This could significantly augment the software quality and is still a challenging field.This dissertation contributes to an architecture oriented code validation, error localization and optimization technique assisting the embedded system designer in software debugging, to make it more effective at early detection of software bugs that are otherwise hard to detect, using the static analysis of machine codes. The focus of this work is to develop methods that automatically localize faults as well as optimize the code and thus improve the debugging process as well as quality of the code.Validation is done with the help of rules of inferences formulated for the target processor. The rules govern the occurrence of illegitimate/out of place instructions and code sequences for executing the computational and integrated peripheral functions. The stipulated rules are encoded in propositional logic formulae and their compliance is tested individually in all possible execution paths of the application programs. An incorrect sequence of machine code pattern is identified using slicing techniques on the control flow graph generated from the machine code.An algorithm to assist the compiler to eliminate the redundant bank switching codes and decide on optimum data allocation to banked memory resulting in minimum number of bank switching codes in embedded system software is proposed. A relation matrix and a state transition diagram formed for the active memory bank state transition corresponding to each bank selection instruction is used for the detection of redundant codes. Instances of code redundancy based on the stipulated rules for the target processor are identified.This validation and optimization tool can be integrated to the system development environment. It is a novel approach independent of compiler/assembler, applicable to a wide range of processors once appropriate rules are formulated. Program states are identified mainly with machine code pattern, which drastically reduces the state space creation contributing to an improved state-of-the-art model checking. Though the technique described is general, the implementation is architecture oriented, and hence the feasibility study is conducted on PIC16F87X microcontrollers. The proposed tool will be very useful in steering novices towards correct use of difficult microcontroller features in developing embedded systems.

Design and synthesis of efficient mac architectures for high speed decimal processor

Most of the commercial and financial data are stored in decimal fonn. Recently, support for decimal arithmetic has received increased attention due to the growing importance in financial analysis, banking, tax calculation, currency conversion, insurance, telephone billing and accounting. Performing decimal arithmetic with systems that do not support decimal computations may give a result with representation error, conversion error, and/or rounding error. In this world of precision, such errors are no more tolerable. The errors can be eliminated and better accuracy can be achieved if decimal computations are done using Decimal Floating Point (DFP) units. But the floating-point arithmetic units in today's general-purpose microprocessors are based on the binary number system, and the decimal computations are done using binary arithmetic. Only few common decimal numbers can be exactly represented in Binary Floating Point (BF P). ln many; cases, the law requires that results generated from financial calculations performed on a computer should exactly match with manual calculations. Currently many applications involving fractional decimal data perform decimal computations either in software or with a combination of software and hardware. The performance can be dramatically improved by complete hardware DFP units and this leads to the design of processors that include DF P hardware.VLSI implementations using same modular building blocks can decrease system design and manufacturing cost. A multiplexer realization is a natural choice from the viewpoint of cost and speed.This thesis focuses on the design and synthesis of efficient decimal MAC (Multiply ACeumulate) architecture for high speed decimal processors based on IEEE Standard for Floating-point Arithmetic (IEEE 754-2008). The research goal is to design and synthesize deeimal'MAC architectures to achieve higher performance.Efficient design methods and architectures are developed for a high performance DFP MAC unit as part of this research.