Sophie Piekarec

UML extensions for the specification and evaluation of latency constraints in architectural models

UML Specifications provides some guides for the description of performance requirements, but these requirements are represented with natural language constraints. This paper introduces UML extensions for the representation of temporal requirements and resource usage and their automatic evaluation. They are defined using standard UML extension techniques. These standard extensions introduce a set of formal constraints, tagged values and stereotypes, which allow the representation of general latency and capacity quality of service requirements. We have included these extensions in a commercial UML CASE tool that provides scheduling analysis services and results. We use scheduling analysis and simulation techniques in the evaluation.

Automatic Generation of Simulation Models for the Evaluation of Performance and Reliability of Architectures Specified in UML

Non-functional requirements are especially critical in real-time and distributed systems. UML is progressively becoming a standard of object-oriented analysis and design of systems, it pays attention to software architectures specification, but it does not take into account their evaluation, and the specification of resource restrictions and non-functional requirements. In this paper we introduce an approach for the evaluation of non-functional requirements in UML models, using simulation techniques. Simulation models are generated automatically, and their execution provides results to evaluate the UML architectures. The simulation statistics generated allow the evaluation of some non-functional requirements like resources usage, objects and classes activity and availability, restoration times of errors and throughputs. We associate these results to objects, classes, states, operations, actors, system resources and other UML elements. UML semiformal semantics have associated problems that we reduce with UML extension techniques.

Multimodal notification framework for elderly and professional in a smart nursing home

This article presents a multimodal notification framework allowing the optimal delivery and handling of multimedia requests and medical alerts in a nursing home. Multimodal notifications are automatically adapted to different criteria such as the device characteristics, capabilities and modalities, the emergency of the situation, the semantics of the notification, the recipient, etc. This framework is operated with various applications (e.g., health alert, medicine reminder, activity proposition) that have been supported by user requirement analysis done nearby an elderly population and healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses, caregivers). An acceptability study was performed to understand the users’ expectations regarding this new technology and modalities. This study was followed by the evaluation of proposed services with different real end-users in a pilot site. Results of these studies presented in this paper highlight the added value of the proposed framework to enhance the quality of life of elderly people as well as the efficiency of the medical staff.