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VMI-PL: A monitoring language for virtual platforms using virtual machine introspection
No full textWith the growth of virtualization and cloud computing, more and more forensic
investigations rely on being able to perform live forensics on a virtual
machine using virtual machine introspection (VMI). Inspecting a virtual machine
through its hypervisor enables investigation without risking contamination of
the evidence, crashing the computer, etc.
To further access to these techniques for the investigator/researcher we have
developed a new VMI monitoring language. This language is based on a review of
the most commonly used VMI-techniques to date, and it enables the user to
monitor the virtual machine's memory, events and data streams. A prototype
implementation of our monitoring system was implemented in KVM, though
implementation on any hypervisor that uses the common x86 virtualization
hardware assistance support should be straightforward. Our prototype
outperforms the proprietary VMWare VProbes in many cases, with a maximum
performance loss of 18% for a realistic test case, which we consider
acceptable. Our implementation is freely available under a liberal software
distribution license
A systematic literature review of cloud computing in eHealth
No full textCloud computing in eHealth is an emerging area for only few years. There needs
to identify the state of the art and pinpoint challenges and possible
directions for researchers and applications developers. Based on this need, we
have conducted a systematic review of cloud computing in eHealth. We searched
ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, Inspec, ISI Web of Science and Springer as
well as relevant open-access journals for relevant articles. A total of 237
studies were first searched, of which 44 papers met the Include Criteria. The
studies identified three types of studied areas about cloud computing in
eHealth, namely (1) cloud-based eHealth framework design (n=13); (2)
applications of cloud computing (n=17); and (3) security or privacy control
mechanisms of healthcare data in the cloud (n=14). Most of the studies in the
review were about designs and concept-proof. Only very few studies have
evaluated their research in the real world, which may indicate that the
application of cloud computing in eHealth is still very immature. However, our
presented review could pinpoint that a hybrid cloud platform with mixed access
control and security protection mechanisms will be a main research area for
developing citizen centred home-based healthcare applications
Cooperative multiple-access scheme with antenna selection and incremental relaying
No full textA cooperative multiple-access scheme for wireless communications systems with
antenna selection and incremental relaying is proposed. The scheme aims to
improve the system throughput while preserving good performance in terms of bit
error rate. The system consists of N nodes which send their information to both
the destination node and the multiple-antenna relay station. Based on the
channel state information, the destination node decides whether or not relaying
will be performed. When the relaying is performed, the
decode-remodulate-and-forward protocol is used with the best antenna. Results
reveal that the proposed scheme achieves a good tradeoff between throughput and
bit error rate, which makes suitable to be considered for multi-user networks
In press: An Elicitation Instrument for Operationalising GQM+Strategies (GQM+S-EI)
No full textContext: A recent approach for measurement program planning, GQM+Strategies,
provides an important extension to existing approaches linking measurements and
improvement activities to strategic goals and ways to achieve these goals.
There is a need for instruments aiding in eliciting information from
stakeholders to use GQM+Strategies. The success of GQM+Strategies highly
depends on accurately identifying goals, strategies and information needs from
stakeholders. Objective: The research aims at providing an instrument (called
GQM+SEI), aiding practitioners to accurately elicit information needed by
GQM+Strategies (capturing goals, strategies and information needs). Method: The
research included two phases. In the first phase, using action research method,
the GQM+S-EI was designed in three iterations in Ericsson AB. Thereafter, a
case study was conducted to evaluate whether the information elicited with the
designed instrument following the defined process was accurate and complete.
Results: We identified that the industry requires elicitation instruments that
are capable to elicit information from stakeholders, not having to know about
the concepts (e.g. goals and strategies). The case study results showed that
our proposed instrument is capable of accurately and completely capturing the
needed information from the stakeholders. Conclusions: We conclude that
GQM+S-EI can be used for accurately and completely eliciting the information
needed by goal driven measurement frameworks. The instrument has been
successfully transferred to Ericsson AB for measurement program planning
Using 3D CAD models for value visualization: an approach with SIEMENS NX HD3D Visual Reporting
No full textRecent literature in Systems Engineering has suggested the use of “value” to
drive decision-making activities during preliminary design, in particular when
choosing technologies and components for a complex system. However, to
correctly evaluate design trade-offs, a visual link has to be established
between the results of the value model and a product shape/geometry. This paper
proposes the use of color-coded 3D CAD models to support the visualization of
value analysis results in a Stage-Gate® process. The approach has been
developed and exemplified within a case study related to the design of an
aero-engine component, and has been demonstrated using SIEMENS NX HD3D Visual
Reporting. The results of verification activities conducted in a laboratory
setting show that the use of color-coded 3D CAD models increases the decision
makers’ awareness of value-related information in a Stage-Gate process
In press: Generalized upper bounds on the minimum distance of PSK block codes
No full textThis paper generalizes previous optimal upper bounds on the minimum Euclidean
distance for phase shift
keying (PSK) block codes, that are explicit in three parameters: alphabet size,
block length and code size.
The bounds are primarily generalized from codes over symmetric PSK to codes
over asymmetric PSK
and also to general alphabet size. Furthermore, block codes are optimized in
the presence of other types of
noise than Gaussian, which induces also non-Euclidean distance measures. In
some instances, codes over
asymmetric PSK prove to give higher Euclidean distance than any code over
symmetric PSK with the
same parameters. We also provide certain classes of codes that are optimal
among codes over symmetric PSK
In press: Factors influencing Internet usage in older adults (65 years and above) living in rural and urban Sweden
No full textOlder adults living in rural and urban areas have shown to distinguish
themselves in technology adoption; a clearer profile of their Internet use is
important in order to provide better technological and health-care solutions.
Older adults' Internet use was investigated across large to midsize cities and
rural Sweden. The sample consisted of 7181 older adults ranging from 59 to 100
years old. Internet use was investigated with age, education, gender, household
economy, cognition, living alone/or with someone and rural/urban living.
Logistic regression was used. Those living in rural areas used the Internet
less than their urban counterparts. Being younger and higher educated
influenced Internet use; for older urban adults, these factors as well as
living with someone and having good cognitive functioning were influential.
Solutions are needed to avoid the exclusion of some older adults by a society
that is today being shaped by the Internet
Building up a Virtual Community for Home-Based Chronic Diseases Healthcare
No full textWith the development of Internet, social networks get more and more popular, it
brings us an idea of designing a virtual community for home-based chronic
diseases healthcare. In this paper, we conduct a questionnaire to gather the
requirements of the community and describe them with user stories. Afterwards,
a conceptual prototype is developed based on the requirements. The proposed
virtual community involves healthcare providers, healthcare recipients and
other people relevant to the home-based healthcare into one platform. It will
solve the interoperability problems of current healthcare systems, as well as
provide a technical solution of home-based healthcare
A study on quantitative freight transport analysis models in Denmark and Sweden
No full textPurpose
The aim of this paper is to present a study on freight transport analysis
models. The purpose is to identify different stakeholders’ perceptions of
existing models, e.g., strengths and weaknesses, and of their requirements and
views on future models.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a questionnaire and interviews with representatives of
public authorities, consultancy companies, and universities in Sweden and
Denmark.
Findings
The study shows that there is a need for freight analysis models for supporting
the transport planning in public authorities, including impact assessment of
actions and estimation of freight flows. The respondents work mainly with
macro-level models, whose main strength is their large geographic scopes, which
allow comparative studies on, e.g., the national level using one model.
Weaknesses include poor quality, missing functionality, and inadequate
user-friendliness. In order to achieve improved freight transport analysis, the
respondents wish to include more detailed logistics aspects in their analyses,
which could possibly be achieved by combining macro-level and agent-based
models.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation of this study is that we only included Danish and Swedish
respondents, who mainly work with macro-level models. Moreover, only one Danish
person answered the questionnaire. However, the respondent group represent a
wide knowledge on freight and passenger transport models, and the study
concerns to a large extent model types, not only particular models. Therefore,
we argue that our findings have a wider geographic applicability.
Practical implications
The outcome of our study might be used by researchers and public authorities in
order to, e.g., guide the decision-making on future model development: the
views of the model users and clients are important to consider in order to
assure that the development and research efforts lead to fulfilling their needs.
Original/value
The presented work provides insight into the needs and attitudes of model users
and clients involved in freight transport analysis. This knowledge is
important, e.g., for researchers involved in model development. According to
the best of our knowledge, there is no previous study like the one presented
Overcoming the equivalent mutant problem: A systematic literature review and a comparative experiment of second order mutation
No full textContext. The equivalent mutant problem (EMP) is one of the crucial problems in
mutation testing widely studied over decades.
Objectives. The objectives are: to present a systematic literature review (SLR)
in the field of EMP; to identify, classify and improve the existing, or
implement new, methods which try to overcome EMP and evaluate them.
Method. We performed SLR based on the search of digital libraries. We
implemented four second order mutation (SOM) strategies, in addition to first
order mutation (FOM), and compared them from different perspectives.
Results. Our SLR identified 17 relevant techniques (in 22 articles) and three
categories of techniques: detecting (DEM); suggesting (SEM); and avoiding
equivalent mutant generation (AEMG). The experiment indicated that SOM in
general and JudyDiffOp strategy in particular provide the best results in the
following areas: total number of mutants generated; the association between the
type of mutation strategy and whether the generated mutants were equivalent or
not; the number of not killed mutants; mutation testing time; time needed for
manual classification.
Conclusions. The results in the DEM category are still far from perfect. Thus,
the SEM and AEMG categories have been developed. The JudyDiffOp algorithm
achieved good results in many areas