There is a permanent quest for user friendliness in HEP Analysis. This growing need is directly p... more There is a permanent quest for user friendliness in HEP Analysis. This growing need is directly proportional to the growing complexity of the Analysis frameworks’ interfaces. In fact, the user is provided with an Analysis framework that makes use of a General Purpose Language to program the query algorithms. Usually the user finds this overwhelming, since he is presented with the complexity of the intricacies of the systems. This way the final user of HEP experiments becomes a forced programmer or an application developer. In our opinion this inflicts directly or indirectly in the query system performances. For this reason we have decided to invest in a new line of research. We aim to find a solution that balances the complexity and variability of the Analysis queries with the need for simpler query systems interfaces. The ultimate goal is to save time on query algorithms production. We present how we explored the hypothesis of generating a visual query language specific for the HEP...
Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 2009
The BATIC 3 S project 5 (Building Adaptive Three-dimensional Interfaces for Controlling Complex C... more The BATIC 3 S project 5 (Building Adaptive Three-dimensional Interfaces for Controlling Complex Control Systems) proposes a methodology to prototype adaptive graphical user interfaces (GUI) for control systems. We present a domain specific language for the control systems domain, including useful and understandable abstractions for domain experts. This is coupled with a methodology for validation, verification and automatic GUI prototype generation. The methodology is centered on metamodel-based techniques and model transformations, and its foundations rely on formal models. Our approach is based on the assumption that a GUI can be induced from the characteristics of the system to control.
Proceedings of the 3rd ACM SIGPLAN workshop on Evaluation and usability of programming languages and tools, 2011
Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) are claimed to increment productivity, while reducing the requir... more Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) are claimed to increment productivity, while reducing the required maintenance and programming expertise. In this context, DSLs usability is a key factor for its successful adoption. In this paper, we propose a systematic approach based on User Interfaces Experimental validation techniques to assess the impact of the introduction of DSLs on the productivity of domain experts. To illustrate this evaluation approach we present a case study of a DSL for High Energy Physics (HEP). The DSL on this case study, called Pheasant (PHysicist's EAsy Analysis Tool), is assessed in contrast with a pre-existing baseline, using General Purpose Languages (GPLs) such as C++. The comparison combines quantitative and qualitative data, collected with users from a real-world setting. Our assessment includes Physicists with programming experience with two profiles; ones with no experience with the previous framework used in the project and other experienced. This work's contribution highlights the problem of the absence of systematic approaches for experimental validation of DSLs. It also illustrates how an experimental approach can be used in the context of a DSL evaluation during the Software Languages Engineering activity, with respect to its impact on effectiveness and efficiency.
HERA B is a fixed target experiment working on the 920 GeV proton beam of the HERA accelerator at... more HERA B is a fixed target experiment working on the 920 GeV proton beam of the HERA accelerator at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. During the last data taking period (2002-2003), about 150 million dilepton triggers, 220 million minimum bias events and 35 million hard photon triggers were acquired. These large statistics allow detailed studies on the production of charmonium states in proton-nucleus p-A collisions, which extend for the first time into the negative Feynman-x (xF) region. Measurements of the inclusive bb, Υ and open charm cross sections are also ongoing. After a brief discussion of the detector and of the data samples, we report on preliminary results obtained on these physics topics.
IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference Europe, 2011
It is widely acknowledged that Automated Demand Response (ADR) is a key factor for the success of... more It is widely acknowledged that Automated Demand Response (ADR) is a key factor for the success of the Smart Grid. However, for ADR to be realized to its full extent a new generation of Building Automation Systems (BASs) will have to be developed and the existing upgraded to leverage dynamic tariff plans and curtailment calls sent from the grid. It is well known that developing BASs is an involved matter, mostly because application software is costly to develop and maintain. In practice, this state of affairs is slowing the rise of innovative solutions for ADR. In recent years, software engineering practices such as Model-Driven Engineering have been proposed as a means to alleviate the problem of developing BASs, which we believe should be presented to the Smart Grid community. This article presents the main challenges of creating software for BASs (from a modelling perspective), overviews the state-of-the-art and presents an outlook on possible model-driven engineering techniques that can be effectively applied to significantly improve the development of BASs in the near future.
Context: Mobile BIS apps demand is increasing, with shorter time-to-market requirements, but thei... more Context: Mobile BIS apps demand is increasing, with shorter time-to-market requirements, but their production faces problems, such as handling business rules concurrently, multiple platforms, localization and extensibility. Objective: Propose a generative approach for mobile BIS apps that will mitigate the identified problems. Method: We adopted the Design Science Research methodology, that helps gaining problem understanding, identifying systemically appropriate solutions, and in evaluating innovative solutions. Results: We identified the problem and its motivation, defined the objectives for a solution, designed and developed a prototype generative tool for BIS apps, demonstrated its usage and evaluated how well it mitigates a subset of the identified problems in an observational study. Limitations: Several issues are pending such as distributed business rules enforcement and the formalization of the required transformations from the PIM to several platform-specific models (PSMs). Conclusion: We intend to contribute for reducing BIS apps time-to-market, while improving the maintainability of those apps.
Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) can be regarded as User Interfaces (UIs) because they bridge the... more Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) can be regarded as User Interfaces (UIs) because they bridge the gap between the domain experts and the computation platforms. Usability of DSLs by domain experts is a key factor for their successful adoption. The few reports supporting improvement claims are persuasive, but mostly anecdotal. Systematic literature reviews show that evidences on the effects of the introduction of DSLs are actually very scarce. In particular, the evaluation of usability is often skipped, relaxed, or at least omitted from papers reporting the development of DSLs. The few exceptions mostly take place at the end of the development process, when fixing problems is already too expensive. A systematic approach, based on techniques for the experimental evaluation of UIs, should be used to assess suitability of new DSLs. This chapter presents a general experimental evaluation model, tailored for DSLs’ experimental evaluation, and instantiates it in several DSL’s evaluation exa...
The inclusive production cross sections of the charmed mesons D-0, D+, Ds (+) and D*(+) have been... more The inclusive production cross sections of the charmed mesons D-0, D+, Ds (+) and D*(+) have been measured in interactions of 920 GeV protons on C, Ti, and W targets with the HERA-B detector at the HERA storage ring. Differential cross sections as a function of transverse momentum and Feynman's x variable are given for the central rapidity region and for transverse momenta up to p (T)= 3.5 GeV/c. The atomic mass number dependence and the leading to non-leading particle production asymmetries are presented as well.
One of the essential means of supporting Human-Machine Interaction is a (software) language, expl... more One of the essential means of supporting Human-Machine Interaction is a (software) language, exploited to input commands and receive corresponding outputs in a well-defined manner. In the past, language creation and customization used to be accessible to software developers only. But today, as software applications gain more ubiquity, these features tend to be more accessible to application users themselves. However, current language development techniques are still based on traditional concepts of human-machine interaction, i.e. manipulating text and/or diagrams by means of more or less sophisticated keypads (e.g. mouse and keyboard). In this paper we propose to enhance the typical approach for dealing with language intensive applications by widening available human-machine interactions to multiple modalities, including sounds, gestures, and their combination. In particular, we adopt a Multi-Paradigm Modelling approach in which the forms of interaction can be specified by means of appropriate modelling techniques. The aim is to provide a more advanced human-machine interaction support for language intensive applications.
Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) can contribute to increment productivity, while reducing the req... more Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) can contribute to increment productivity, while reducing the required maintenance and programming expertise. We hypothesize that Software Languages Engineering (SLE) developers consistently skip, or relax, Language Evaluation. Based on the experience of engineering other types of software products, we assume that this may potentially lead to the deployment of inadequate languages. The fact that the languages already deal with concepts from the problem domain, and not the solution domain, is not enough to validate several issues at stake, such as its expressiveness, usability, effectiveness, maintainability, or even the domain expert's productivity while using them. We present a systematic review on articles published in top ranked venues, from 2001 to 2008, which report DSLs' construction, to characterize the common practice. This work con?rms our initial hypothesis and lays the ground for the discussion on how to include a systematic approac...
There is a permanent quest for user friendliness in HEP Analysis. This growing need is directly p... more There is a permanent quest for user friendliness in HEP Analysis. This growing need is directly proportional to the growing complexity of the Analysis frameworks’ interfaces. In fact, the user is provided with an Analysis framework that makes use of a General Purpose Language to program the query algorithms. Usually the user finds this overwhelming, since he is presented with the complexity of the intricacies of the systems. This way the final user of HEP experiments becomes a forced programmer or an application developer. In our opinion this inflicts directly or indirectly in the query system performances. For this reason we have decided to invest in a new line of research. We aim to find a solution that balances the complexity and variability of the Analysis queries with the need for simpler query systems interfaces. The ultimate goal is to save time on query algorithms production. We present how we explored the hypothesis of generating a visual query language specific for the HEP...
Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 2009
The BATIC 3 S project 5 (Building Adaptive Three-dimensional Interfaces for Controlling Complex C... more The BATIC 3 S project 5 (Building Adaptive Three-dimensional Interfaces for Controlling Complex Control Systems) proposes a methodology to prototype adaptive graphical user interfaces (GUI) for control systems. We present a domain specific language for the control systems domain, including useful and understandable abstractions for domain experts. This is coupled with a methodology for validation, verification and automatic GUI prototype generation. The methodology is centered on metamodel-based techniques and model transformations, and its foundations rely on formal models. Our approach is based on the assumption that a GUI can be induced from the characteristics of the system to control.
Proceedings of the 3rd ACM SIGPLAN workshop on Evaluation and usability of programming languages and tools, 2011
Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) are claimed to increment productivity, while reducing the requir... more Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) are claimed to increment productivity, while reducing the required maintenance and programming expertise. In this context, DSLs usability is a key factor for its successful adoption. In this paper, we propose a systematic approach based on User Interfaces Experimental validation techniques to assess the impact of the introduction of DSLs on the productivity of domain experts. To illustrate this evaluation approach we present a case study of a DSL for High Energy Physics (HEP). The DSL on this case study, called Pheasant (PHysicist's EAsy Analysis Tool), is assessed in contrast with a pre-existing baseline, using General Purpose Languages (GPLs) such as C++. The comparison combines quantitative and qualitative data, collected with users from a real-world setting. Our assessment includes Physicists with programming experience with two profiles; ones with no experience with the previous framework used in the project and other experienced. This work's contribution highlights the problem of the absence of systematic approaches for experimental validation of DSLs. It also illustrates how an experimental approach can be used in the context of a DSL evaluation during the Software Languages Engineering activity, with respect to its impact on effectiveness and efficiency.
HERA B is a fixed target experiment working on the 920 GeV proton beam of the HERA accelerator at... more HERA B is a fixed target experiment working on the 920 GeV proton beam of the HERA accelerator at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg. During the last data taking period (2002-2003), about 150 million dilepton triggers, 220 million minimum bias events and 35 million hard photon triggers were acquired. These large statistics allow detailed studies on the production of charmonium states in proton-nucleus p-A collisions, which extend for the first time into the negative Feynman-x (xF) region. Measurements of the inclusive bb, Υ and open charm cross sections are also ongoing. After a brief discussion of the detector and of the data samples, we report on preliminary results obtained on these physics topics.
IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference Europe, 2011
It is widely acknowledged that Automated Demand Response (ADR) is a key factor for the success of... more It is widely acknowledged that Automated Demand Response (ADR) is a key factor for the success of the Smart Grid. However, for ADR to be realized to its full extent a new generation of Building Automation Systems (BASs) will have to be developed and the existing upgraded to leverage dynamic tariff plans and curtailment calls sent from the grid. It is well known that developing BASs is an involved matter, mostly because application software is costly to develop and maintain. In practice, this state of affairs is slowing the rise of innovative solutions for ADR. In recent years, software engineering practices such as Model-Driven Engineering have been proposed as a means to alleviate the problem of developing BASs, which we believe should be presented to the Smart Grid community. This article presents the main challenges of creating software for BASs (from a modelling perspective), overviews the state-of-the-art and presents an outlook on possible model-driven engineering techniques that can be effectively applied to significantly improve the development of BASs in the near future.
Context: Mobile BIS apps demand is increasing, with shorter time-to-market requirements, but thei... more Context: Mobile BIS apps demand is increasing, with shorter time-to-market requirements, but their production faces problems, such as handling business rules concurrently, multiple platforms, localization and extensibility. Objective: Propose a generative approach for mobile BIS apps that will mitigate the identified problems. Method: We adopted the Design Science Research methodology, that helps gaining problem understanding, identifying systemically appropriate solutions, and in evaluating innovative solutions. Results: We identified the problem and its motivation, defined the objectives for a solution, designed and developed a prototype generative tool for BIS apps, demonstrated its usage and evaluated how well it mitigates a subset of the identified problems in an observational study. Limitations: Several issues are pending such as distributed business rules enforcement and the formalization of the required transformations from the PIM to several platform-specific models (PSMs). Conclusion: We intend to contribute for reducing BIS apps time-to-market, while improving the maintainability of those apps.
Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) can be regarded as User Interfaces (UIs) because they bridge the... more Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) can be regarded as User Interfaces (UIs) because they bridge the gap between the domain experts and the computation platforms. Usability of DSLs by domain experts is a key factor for their successful adoption. The few reports supporting improvement claims are persuasive, but mostly anecdotal. Systematic literature reviews show that evidences on the effects of the introduction of DSLs are actually very scarce. In particular, the evaluation of usability is often skipped, relaxed, or at least omitted from papers reporting the development of DSLs. The few exceptions mostly take place at the end of the development process, when fixing problems is already too expensive. A systematic approach, based on techniques for the experimental evaluation of UIs, should be used to assess suitability of new DSLs. This chapter presents a general experimental evaluation model, tailored for DSLs’ experimental evaluation, and instantiates it in several DSL’s evaluation exa...
The inclusive production cross sections of the charmed mesons D-0, D+, Ds (+) and D*(+) have been... more The inclusive production cross sections of the charmed mesons D-0, D+, Ds (+) and D*(+) have been measured in interactions of 920 GeV protons on C, Ti, and W targets with the HERA-B detector at the HERA storage ring. Differential cross sections as a function of transverse momentum and Feynman's x variable are given for the central rapidity region and for transverse momenta up to p (T)= 3.5 GeV/c. The atomic mass number dependence and the leading to non-leading particle production asymmetries are presented as well.
One of the essential means of supporting Human-Machine Interaction is a (software) language, expl... more One of the essential means of supporting Human-Machine Interaction is a (software) language, exploited to input commands and receive corresponding outputs in a well-defined manner. In the past, language creation and customization used to be accessible to software developers only. But today, as software applications gain more ubiquity, these features tend to be more accessible to application users themselves. However, current language development techniques are still based on traditional concepts of human-machine interaction, i.e. manipulating text and/or diagrams by means of more or less sophisticated keypads (e.g. mouse and keyboard). In this paper we propose to enhance the typical approach for dealing with language intensive applications by widening available human-machine interactions to multiple modalities, including sounds, gestures, and their combination. In particular, we adopt a Multi-Paradigm Modelling approach in which the forms of interaction can be specified by means of appropriate modelling techniques. The aim is to provide a more advanced human-machine interaction support for language intensive applications.
Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) can contribute to increment productivity, while reducing the req... more Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) can contribute to increment productivity, while reducing the required maintenance and programming expertise. We hypothesize that Software Languages Engineering (SLE) developers consistently skip, or relax, Language Evaluation. Based on the experience of engineering other types of software products, we assume that this may potentially lead to the deployment of inadequate languages. The fact that the languages already deal with concepts from the problem domain, and not the solution domain, is not enough to validate several issues at stake, such as its expressiveness, usability, effectiveness, maintainability, or even the domain expert's productivity while using them. We present a systematic review on articles published in top ranked venues, from 2001 to 2008, which report DSLs' construction, to characterize the common practice. This work con?rms our initial hypothesis and lays the ground for the discussion on how to include a systematic approac...
Uploads
Papers by Vasco Amaral