Software Integration

Web services have the potential to dramatically reduce the complexities and costs of software integration projects. The most obvious and perhaps most significant difference between Web services and traditional applications is that Web services use a common communication infrastructure, XML and SOAP, to communicate through the Internet. The method of communication introduces complexities to the problems of verifying and validating Web services that do not exist in traditional software. This paper presents a new approach to testing Web services based on data perturbation. Existing XML messages are modified based on rules defined on the message grammars, and then used as tests. Data perturbation uses two methods to test Web services: data value perturbation and interaction perturbation. Data value perturbation modifies values according to the data type. Interaction perturbation classifies the communication messages into two categories: RPC communication and data communication. At present, this method is restricted to peer-to-peer interactions. The paper presents preliminary empirical evidence of its usefulness.

This paper proposes a new supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) based fault isolation system on the low voltage (415/240 V) distribution system. It presents a customized distribution automation system (DAS) for automatic operation and secure fault isolation tested in the Malaysian utility distribution system; Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) distribution system. It presents the first research work on customer side automation for operating and controlling between the consumer and the substation in an automated manner. The paper focuses on the development of very secure automated fault isolation work tested to TNB distribution operating principles as the fault is detected, identified, isolated and cleared in few seconds by just clicking the mouse of laptop or desktop connected to the system. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technique has been developed and utilized to build Human Machine Interface (HMI) that provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI) functions for the engineers and technicians to monitor and control the system. Microprocessor based Remote Monitoring Devices have been used for customized software integrated to the hardware. Power Line Carrier (PLC) has been used as communication media between the consumer and the substation. As a result, complete DAS and fault isolation system has been developed for remote automated operation, cost reduction, maintenance time saving and less human intervention during faults conditions.

Please cite this article in press as: Ali, M.F.M., et al., Development of Java based RFID application programmable interface for heterogeneous RFID system. a b s t r a c t Developing RFID based applications is a painstakingly difficult endeavor. The difficulties include nonstandard software and hardware peripherals from vendors, interoperability problems between different operating systems as well as lack of expertise in terms of low-level programming for RFID (i.e. steep learning curve). In order to address these difficulties, a reusable RFIDTM API (RFID Tracking & Monitoring Application Programmable Interface) for heterogeneous RFID system has been designed and implemented. The API has been successfully employed in a number of application prototypes including tracking of inventories as well as human/object tracking and tagging. Here, the module has been tested on a number of different types and configuration of active and passive readers including that LF and UHF Readers.

Over the last decade we have witnessed the emergence of technologies such as libraries, Object Orientation, software architecture and visual programming. The common goal of these technologies is to achieve software reuse. Even though, many significant advances have been made in areas such as library design, domain analysis, metric of reuse and organization for reuse, there are still unresolved problems such as component inter-operability and framework design . We have investigated the use of interpreted languages to create a programmable, dynamic environment in which components can be tied together at a high level. This work has demonstrated the benefits of such an approach and has taught us about the features of the interpreted language that are key to a successful component integration.

Over the last decade we have witnessed the emergence of technologies such as libraries, Object Orientation, software architecture and visual programming. The common goal of these technologies is to achieve software reuse. Even though, many significant advances have been made in areas such as library design, domain analysis, metric of reuse and organization for reuse, there are still unresolved problems such as component inter-operability and framework design . We have investigated the use of interpreted languages to create a programmable, dynamic environment in which components can be tied together at a high level. This work has demonstrated the benefits of such an approach and has taught us about the features of the interpreted language that are key to a successful component integration.

CITATIONS 2 READS 92 2 authors, including: The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately. http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca G I S -b a s e d w a t e r b a l a n c e s y s t e m f o r i n t e g r a t e d s u s t a i n a b i l i t y m a n a g e m e n t o f w a t e r d i s t r i b u t i o n a s s e t s N R C C -5 0 8 0 7 H a l f a w y , M . R . ; H u n a i d i , O . 2 0 0 8 -1 0 -0 2 A version of this document is published in / Une version de ce document se trouve dans:

La représentation des données techniques, leur échange voire leur partage entre acteurs du processus de construction, tout au long du cycle de vie du bâtiment, constituent des objectifs importants pour tous les intervenants de l'acte de bâtir. L'avènement de logiciels de métiers sophistiqués a transformé dans une certaine mesure les pratiques professionnelles, l'ensemble des tâches depuis la conception jusqu'à la gestion de patrimoine ayant recours à l'informatique pour représenter et manipuler les informations sur les projets. Cependant, loin de faciliter la communication de ces données, les outils de CAO et les logiciels spécialisés ont le plus souvent mis en avant des solutions propriétaires incompatibles. La maquette électronique, à l'instar de ce que d'autres secteurs utilisent déjà (e.g. aéronautique, automobile), au plus grand bénéfice du maître d'ouvrage n'est pas encore une réalité dans le secteur du BTP. néanmoins, les travaux récents conduits dans le cadre de projets européens ou de normes internationales comme STEP laissent augurer l'avènement de solutions informatiques ouvertes qui feront de cette maquette une réalité.

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca G I S -b a s e d w a t e r b a l a n c e s y s t e m f o r i n t e g r a t e d s u s t a i n a b i l i t y m a n a g e m e n t o f w a t e r d i s t r i b u t i o n a s s e t s N R C C -5 0 8 0 7 H a l f a w y , M . R . ; H u n a i d i , O . 2 0 0 8 -1 0 -0 2 A version of this document is published in / Une version de ce document se trouve dans:

This paper shows one possible way to enhance power system software integration by combining RESTful Web services (RESTful WS) and the IEC 61970 set of standards. We also discuss the differences between SOAP and RESTful Web services in the context of this research. We propose a Web service, which wraps the resource oriented power system data model defined in the IEC 61970-301 Common Information Model (CIM) and the generic query interface defined in IEC 61970-403 Generic Data Access (GDA). We will demonstrate that a RESTful WS atop of existing IEC 61970 standards can significantly loose the couplings between different software packages used in power system control centers. We have performed tests on real life power system data models (some used in CIM interoperability tests) to make the tests more realistic. The proposal depicted in this paper provides another powerful tool for creating truly distributed power system software solutions.

In this article, we attempt to document a technical overview on modern miniature unmanned rotorcraft systems. We first give a brief review on the historical development of the rotorcraft unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and then move on to present a fairly detailed and general overview on the hardware configuration, software integration, aerodynamic modeling and automatic flight control system involved in constructing the unmanned system. The applications of the emerging technology in the military and civilian domains are also highlighted.

To integrate dynamic model based climate controlling in real-time with an environmental control computer a system integration interfacedBipsArchdwas developed. The three main objectives were: (1) to supply standard routines for communication with the environmental control computer. (2) to establish a set of databases to represent the current informational environment for the greenhouse.

We present a fully operable security gateway prototype, integrating quantum key distribution and realised as a system-on-chip. It is implemented on a field-programmable gate array and provides a virtual private network with low latency and gigabit throughput. The seamless hard-and software integration of a quantum key distribution layer enables high keyupdate rates for the encryption modules. Hence, the amount of data encrypted with one session key can be significantly decreased. We realise a highly modular architecture and make extensive use of software/hardware partitioning. This work is the first approach towards application of a new key distribution technology in dedicated security processors. In particular, it elaborates requirements for the integration of quantum key distribution on a chip level. SPDB Key Man. IPsec SADB MAC MAC QKD Keystore WAN Quantum System LAN

The Danish EDISON project has been launched to investigate how a large fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) can be integrated in a way that supports the electric grid while benefitting both the individual car owners and society as a whole through reductions in CO2 emissions. The consortium partners include energy companies, technology suppliers and research laboratories and institutes. The aim is to perform a thorough investigation of the challenges and opportunities of EVs and then to deliver a technical platform that can be demonstrated on the Danish island of Bornholm. To reach this goal, a vast amount of research is done in various areas of EV technology by the partners. This paper will focus on the ICT-based distributed software integration, which plays a major role for the success of EDISON. Key solution technologies and standards that will accommodate communication and optimize the coordination of EVs will be described as well as the simulation work that will help to reach the goals of the project. The EDISON project is an international research project partly publically funded through the Danish transmission system operator (TSO) Energinet.dk's research programme FORSKEL. The total budget is approximately 49 millions DKK, with 33 millions DKK thereof coming from FORSKEL.

The paper presents a software re-engineering approach that is being used by a consortium of eleven academic institutions facilitated by a software engineering group to re-engineer previously developed natural language processing modules in laboratory environment, for developing eighteen machine translation (MT) systems covering nine pairs of Indic languages. This approach gives field deployable and maintainable MT systems (and modules) that can be reused as customizable components. The paper discusses its symbiotic approach of re-engineering modules, and also the experiences of developing MT systems in consortium mode. Following this approach, already seven MT systems have been developed and deployed on the web.

Economic ideas and processes are becoming increasingly integrated with more traditional engineering and hydrologic models of water management problems. Combining economic management concepts and performance indicators with an engineering-level of understanding of a hydrologic system can provide results and insights more directly relevant for water management decisions and policies. When such models are developed and used with involvement of stakeholders, they can become a basis for shared understanding of water problems as a foundation for negotiated management and policy solutions. When implemented with optimization software, integrated hydro-economic models also can suggest promising innovative solutions for policy-makers to consider. Their applications to river basin management problems are reviewed. Economic and integrated economic-engineering-hydrologic modeling is then discussed in the context of the evolving European Water Framework Directive. Relevant items are cost recovery and water pricing, cost-effectiveness of water management measures, and public participation in decision processes.

Various application domains require the integration of distributed real-time or near-real-time systems with non-real-time systems. Smart cities, smart homes, ambient intelligent systems, or network-centric defense systems are among these application domains. Data Distribution Service (DDS) is a communication mechanism based on Data-Centric Publish-Subscribe (DCPS) model. It is used for distributed systems with real-time operational constraints. Java Message Service (JMS) is a messaging standard for enterprise systems using Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) for non-real-time operations. JMS allows Java programs to exchange messages in a loosely coupled fashion. JMS also supports sending and receiving messages using a messaging queue and a publish-subscribe interface. In this article, we propose an architecture enabling the automated integration of distributed real-time and non-real-time systems. We test our proposed architecture using a distributed Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) system. The system has DDS-based real-time Combat Management System components deployed to naval warships, and SOA-based non-real-time Command and Control components used at headquarters. The proposed solution enables the exchange of data between these two systems efficiently. We compare the proposed solution with a similar study. Our solution is superior in terms of automation support, ease of implementation, scalability, and performance.

Software integration is a crucial aspect of collaborative software applications and systems. It enables a number of different software applications, created by different developers, using different programming languages, and even located at different places to work with each other collaboratively to achieve common goals. Nowadays, a number of techniques are available to enable software integration. Messaging is the most prominent technique in this respect. In this paper, two leading open-source messaging brokers, Apache ActiveMQ and Apache Apollo, have been experimentally compared with each other with regard to their messaging capabilities (message sending and receiving throughputs). Both brokers support exchanging messages between heterogeneous and distributed software applications using several messaging mechanisms including Java Message Service (henceforth JMS). A number of experimental test scenarios have been conducted to obtain the comparison results that indicate the one-to-one JMS messaging performance of each broker. Overall performance evaluation and analysis showed that Apache Apollo outperformed Apache ActiveMQ in all test scenarios regarding message sending throughputs. Whereas, Apache ActiveMQ outperformed Apache Apollo in most test scenarios regarding message receiving throughputs. Moreover, the evaluation methodology (test conditions, test scenarios, and test metrics) proposed in this paper has been carefully chosen to be adopted by software developers to evaluate other messaging brokers to determine the acceptable level of messaging capabilities in distributed environments of heterogeneous software applications.

MULINO, an ongoing project financed by the European Commission, has released the prototype of a Decision Support System software (mDSS) for the sustainable management of water resources at the catchment scale. The software integrates socio-economic and environmental modelling, with geo-spatial information and multi-criteria analysis. The policy background refers to the EU Water Framework Directive. The challenging multi-disciplinary context was approached by developing an innovative and dynamic implementation of the DPSIR framework, originally proposed by the European Environmental Agency. In mDSS integrated assessment modelling provides the values of quantitative indicators to be used for transparent and participated decisions, through the application of value functions, weights and decision rules chosen by the end user. Simple routines for the sensitivity analysis and comparison of alternative weight vectors also provides effective decision support by exploring and finding compromises between conflicting interests/perspectives in a multi-stakeholder context.

In object-oriented terms, one of the goals of integration testing is to ensure that messages from objects in one class or component are sent and received in the proper order and have the intended effect on the state of the objects that receive the messages. This research extends an existing single-class testing technique to integration testing of multiple classes. The single-class technique models the behavior of a single class as a finite state machine, transforms the representation into a data flow graph that explicitly identifies the definitions and uses of each state variable of the class, and then applies conventional data flow testing to produce test case specifications that can be used to test the class. This paper extends those ideas to inter-class testing by developing flow graphs, finding paths between pairs of definitions and uses, detecting some infeasible paths, and automatically generating tests for an arbitrary number of classes and components. It introduces flexible representations for message sending and receiving among objects and allows concurrency among any or all classes and components. Data flow graphs are stored in a relational database, and database queries are used to gather def-use information. This approach is conceptually simple, mathematically precise, quite powerful, and general enough to be used for traditional data flow analysis. This testing approach relies on finite state machines, database modeling and processing techniques, and algorithms for analysis and traversal of directed graphs. The paper presents empirical results of the approach applied to an automotive system. This work was prepared by United States Government employees as part of their official duties and is, therefore, a work of the U.S. Government and not subject to copyright.

The UPnP(Universal Plug and Play) architecture offers pervasive peer-to-peer network connectivity of intelligent appliances in dynamic distributed computing environment. This paper shows that internal software integration of robot and robot service in ubiquitous computing environment are the same thing in nature. This paper also proposes to use the UPnP architecture as a unified framework not only for robot internal software integration, but also for ubiquitous robot control. This paper shows that the UPnP technology could provide a unified framework by describing the usefulness of the UPnP and by showing some experimental result regarding it.

initiative that fosters distributed collaborations in biomedical science by utilizing information technology innovations. Morphometry BIRN is one of its testbeds and has the goal to develop the ability to conduct clinical imaging studies across multiple sites, to analyze structural imaging data with the most powerful software regardless of development site, and to test new hypotheses on large collections of subjects with well-characterized image and clinical data. Through large-scale analyses of patient population data acquired and pooled across sites, we are investigating neuroanatomic correlates of Alzheimer's Disease Depression and Mild Cognitive Impairment subjects. This paper describes progress in multisite image calibration and in software integration for multi-site image processing.

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright

This report outlines the evolution of computational geometry, highlights its past accomplishments, and discusses strategic directions for the future. It complements a recent report by Chazelle et al. on the impact of computational geometry on applied elds.

The overall safety integrity of a safety critical system, comprising both software and hardware, is typically specified quantitatively, e.g., in terms of failure rates. However, for software, it is widely accepted that there is a limit on what can be quantitatively demonstrated, e.g., by means of statistical testing and operational experience. To address this limitation, many software standards appeal instead to the quality of the process to assure the sufficient implementation of the software. In this paper, we contend that there is a large inductive gap between the quantitative software integrity required for a safety function and the assurance of the software development process for that function. We propose that this large inductive gap between software integrity and software process assurance could be narrowed down by an explicit definition of a product-based software argument. The role of this argument is to justify the transition from arguing about software integrity to arguing about software assurance by showing how the evidence, in the context of the software product-based argument, provides assurance which is commensurate with the required integrity.

The purpose of this paper is to explore use case maps as a medium for integrating task analysis and usability requirement into the traditional software requirement engineering process. The paper responds to major gaps in user interface specification in HCI, in software development methods for interactive software, and in the communication between usability specialists and software developers. We illustrate, via a concrete example, the usage of use case maps as an approach for specifying user interface and usability requirements. The Use Case Maps (UCMs) is a scenario-based notation for describing, in an abstract way, how the organizational structure of a complex system and the emergent behavior of the system are intertwined. It provides a first-class design model for the "how it works" aspect of both object-oriented and real time systems. Use case maps give a road-map-like view of the causeeffect paths traced through a system by scenarios or use cases .

Mobile manipulation involves mobility and manipulation. For the design of a suitable framework for mobile manipulation it is essential to consider the characteristics of the two systems that constitute the mobile manipulator, the mobile base and the manipulator. The framework should maintain the inherent characteristics for each of the two sub-systems, while at the same time provide a basis for cooperation. In this article, we present a framework suitable for the operation of a mobile manipulator. Such framework is an extension of the Acromovi agent-based architecture. In this framework, the characteristics of each sub-system are preserved, whereas the cooperation is provided by the multiagent system. Also, the framework lets the access to the accessories mounted on each sub-system, thus it is possible to access to the stereo of the arm or to the sonars of the base, making possible the coordination of all the elements to perform a certain task.

Software integration has been a solution to the problem of connecting dissimilar systems for many years. Integration is still a challenging issue. EAI is defined as the process of integrating enterprise systems with existing applications. Since software integration research has yielded a variety of different concepts, we survey and discuss this terminology. EAI arises as an evolution of the CASE

A new kind of Web-based application, known as Enterprise Mashups, has been gaining momentum in the last years: Business users with no or limited programming skills are empowered to leverage in a collaborative manner existing Mashup components and to combine and reuse existing Web-based resources within minutes to new value added applications in order to solve individual and adhoc business problems. In the frame of the EU funded research project FAST, we are currently developing a new platform which allows business users to build usercentric, enterprise class Mashups. In contrast to existing approaches focusing on mashing up heteogeneous data sources, the envisioned FAST platform proposes a screen flow design resulting in so called gadgets which can be executed in various environments -reaching from Enterprise Mashup environments, social networks, and mobile devices to local desktop applications. The underlying concepts and a first prototype of the FAST Platform are presented in this poster session.

Background: Medication reconciliation at transitions in care is a national patient safety goal, but its effects on important patient outcomes require further evaluation. We sought to measure the impact of an information technology-based medication reconciliation intervention on medication discrepancies with potential for harm (potential adverse drug events [PADEs]).

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the benefits of pitch insulation and ceiling insulation for air-conditioned buildings in the tropical climate of Malaysia. These are performed via computer simulations using a whole-building thermal energy software ...

BIM stands for Building Information Model. The idea of BIM-based CAD is not new: it has always been foreseen as the ideal way to represent buildings digitally, but it has never been mainstream for commercial products until recently. The building industry has traditionally communicated building construction information through drawings with notes and specifications. CAD technology automated that process. However, cost

The use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products creates a software integration problem. whether a single COTS software component is being integrated into a software system, or the whole system is being built primarily from COTS products. This integration may require considerable effort and affect system quality. A good estimate of integration cost can help in the decision of whether or not to use a COTS solution, the selection of the best COTS products, and determine the amount and type of glueware that needs to be built. In this paper, we introduce a set of variables that have the potential to estimate the integration cost. We present a classification scheme of software architectures with respect to the integration of COTS products. The scheme is based on inter-component interactions within software architectures. The classification scheme allows the comparison of integration costs of different COTS products relative to different software architectures.

Applications are often designed to take advantage of the potential for integration with each other via shared information. Current approaches for integration are limited, affecting both the programmer and end-user. In this paper, we present CyberDesk, a framework for self-integrating software in which integration is driven by user context. It relieves the burden on programmers by removing the necessity to predict how software should be integrated. It also relieves the burden from users by removing the need to understand how to make different software components work together. ᭧

This paper deals with the cellular manufacturing system (CMS) that is based on group technology (GT) concepts. CMS is defined as identifying the similar parts that are processed on the same machines and then grouping them as a cell. The most proposed models for solving CMS problems are focused on cell formation and intracellular machine layout problem while cell layout is considered in few papers. In this paper we apply the multiple attribute decision making (MADM) concept and propose a two-stage method that leads to determine cell formation, intracellular machine layout and cell layout as three basic steps in the design of CMS. In this method, an initial solution is obtained from technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) and then this solution is improved. The results of the proposed method are compared with well-known approaches that are introduced in literature. These comparisons show that the proposed method offers good solutions for the CMS problem. The computational results are also reported.

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes are in operation in the U.S. for more than 30 years and used as a tool to alleviate urban freeway congestion. For new HOV projects a need exists to study the feasibility of implementation as well as assess their potential operational and environmental impacts prior to deployment. Equally important is to obtain a clear picture of expected cost and benefits of available options in order to determine the most effective strategy for implementation. This paper reports on a study that was undertaken to determine the need for and impact from the potential deployment of HOV lanes in Birmingham, Alabama. To meet the study objectives, a detailed alternatives analysis and cost-benefit analysis were performed using Traffic Software Integrated System (TSIS) and Integrated Development Assessment System (IDAS) respectively. Three different scenarios and a total of ten options were considered to quantify the operational, environmental, and economic impacts of HOV lanes on traffic operations. The paper provides background information on the models used, data gathered, assumptions made, and outputs obtained. A detailed description of the analysis and results is also presented.

s twin Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs), Spirit and Opportunity, began searching the surface of Mars for evidence of past water activity. To localize and approach scientifically interesting targets, the rovers employ an onboard navigation system. Given the latency in sending commands from Earth to the Martian rovers (and in receiving return data), a high level of navigational autonomy is desirable. Autonomous navigation with hazard avoidance (AutoNav) is currently performed using a local path planner called GESTALT (grid-based estimation of surface traversability applied to local terrain) that incorporates terrain and obstacle information generated from stereo cameras. GESTALT works well at guiding the rovers around narrow and isolated hazards; however, it is susceptible to failure when clusters of closely spaced, nontraversable rocks form extended obstacles. In May 2005, a new technology task was initiated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to address this limitation. Specifically, a version of the Field D * global path planner was integrated into MER flight software, enabling simultaneous local and global planning during AutoNav. A revised version of AutoNav was then uploaded to the rovers during the summer of 2006. In this paper we describe how this

The Danish EDISON project has been launched to investigate how a large fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) can be integrated in a way that supports the electric grid while benefitting both the individual car owners and society as a whole through reductions in CO2 emissions. The consortium partners include energy companies, technology suppliers and research laboratories and institutes. The aim is to perform a thorough investigation of the challenges and opportunities of EVs and then to deliver a technical platform that can be demonstrated on the Danish island of Bornholm. To reach this goal, a vast amount of research is done in various areas of EV technology by the partners. This paper will focus on the ICT-based distributed software integration, which plays a major role for the success of EDISON. Key solution technologies and standards that will accommodate communication and optimize the coordination of EVs will be described as well as the simulation work that will help to reach the goals of the project. The EDISON project is an international research project partly publically funded through the Danish transmission system operator (TSO) Energinet.dk's research programme FORSKEL. The total budget is approximately 49 millions DKK, with 33 millions DKK thereof coming from FORSKEL.

The purpose of this project is to provide a new system for browsing a dance video database by using dance characteristics. A set of features describing dance is proposed, to quantify various aspects of the choreography, from the gestures of the dancer to the stage usage. These features are used to compute similarities between dancers, which in turn serve to guide the visual exploration in the novel browsing methods presented here. The software integrating all these components is part of an interactive touch-screen installation, and is also available online in association with an artistic project. The different components of this new browsing system are presented in this paper.

Background: Medication reconciliation at transitions in care is a national patient safety goal, but its effects on important patient outcomes require further evaluation. We sought to measure the impact of an information technology-based medication reconciliation intervention on medication discrepancies with potential for harm (potential adverse drug events [PADEs]).

This paper presents computational models of creative designing. It commences with describing notions of creative designing within individuals, groups and then societies. In doing so it moves from absolute to situated cognition approaches. The paper then describes various computational approaches that simulate individual create designing processes with exemplars. It then moves on to describe situated cognition as the basis for group creative designing, which is described through a multi-agent example. Finally, the notion of creativity as a social behaviour is explored through simulations.

When initiating a training course, an instructor is faced with the complex task of retrieving the appropriate exercises and building the relevant sequence (a teaching module) to help the trainees gradually acquire a given skill, either as individuals or as a team. Retrieval of an exercise is a complex task because most of the useful selection criteria (e.g. the teaching goals) do not explicitly appear as part of the data set that makes up the exercise. Available exercise data mainly refer to parameter values that the simulation software will further manipulate in real- time. Furthermore, lack of information about the exercise complexity level makes it difficult to arrange exercises in a structured sequence. The availability of a set of training aids that will enable a population of instructors to characterize existing exercises and further extract structured teaching modules therefore represents a significant step forward compared to today's instructional environments. This pape...