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A new approach to programming and operating multi‐sensor systems in flexible assembly automation has been developed. The concepts and strategies are described together with its application to a depalletising task.

This paper presents an interactive system, called POINTY. The goal of this system is to solve problems encountered when a high‐level manipulator lanaguage, as AL, is employed. Those problems are related to the necessity of supplying any manipulation program with a complete description of the objects involved. The object description has an important role in any task description oriented language. In these languages the procedural part, which expresses the assembly steps, is reduced by increasing correspondently the descriptive part, which expresses the knowledge a program has about the physical world. An approach to the generation of object models is presented, and the system based on it is illustrated. The basic idea is to point to the objects with the manipulator for building an incremental model of the world, and then to generate the AL corresponding instructions. The preliminary experiences using it demonstrate that the object model part of an AL program can be easily obtained and tested.

A tailored graphical user interface (GUI) for finite element analysis, fully integrated into Microsoft Windows 3.1, has been developed. The current application is the simulation of flat sheet extrusion of thermoplastics, but many of the features would be common to a wide range of finite element analyses. Microsoft’s C/C++ Professional Development System 7.0, including the Software Development Kit 3.1 (SDK), has been used as the programming tool for the GUI. The interface is based on the Common User Access Advanced Interface Design Guide, which is part of the IBM Systems Application Architecture Library, and The Windows Interface: An Application Design Guide, which is part of the SDK. A memory handling technique is proposed to break the imposed 64 KB data segmentation. Connected finite element calculation routines are written in Fortran and compiled by the Salford FTN77/x86 32‐bit compiler. The protected mode interface of the Fortran compiler allows direct access by the GUI, and allows the computation to run as a 32‐bit background application, without memory limitations, in the multitasking environment. Finite element routines are supported by pre‐ and post‐processors comprising mesh generation, post‐processing for derived results, and graphical displays. A convenient contouring algorithm is proposed to generate contoured plots of nodal quantities in the form of iso‐lines or iso‐fields.

Software tools are programs which perform simple functions and have simple interfaces. They can be easily put together to make complete systems; and their use for library automation represents a middle path between ‘off the shelf’ packaged software and software which is entirely coded in a programming language. After discussing software tools in connection with the UNIX operating system, this paper describes an experimental system for periodicals control. An analysis of the software is presented which indicates the benefits that stem from using software tools, and some figures on machine timing are given.

In a sense Macintosh developments, as of late August when this is being written, are in a static mode that reflects, perhaps, the supposed indolence of summer. MacWorld Expo in Boston was similar to the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco that I attended: more a showcase for existing ideas and a sales‐room than a place for startling new innovations. Perhaps the sense of ennui results from Macintosh users waiting for delivery of three important products: System 7.0, the new Macintosh operating system that has been promised repeatedly during the year, new and less expensive Macintosh models scheduled for production and delivery by the early fall; and implementation of the new HyperCard upgrade that is available now to developers in a Beta test version. This column notes the promise of these developments, continues the series describing Macintosh software, and illustrates the application of HyperCard to library procedures.

Although software systems used to automate business processes have been becoming rather advanced, the existing practice of developing and modifying graphical process models in those software systems is still primitive: users have to manually add, change, or delete each node and arc piece by piece. Since such manual operations are typically tedious, time‐consuming, and prone to errors, it is desirable to develop an alternative approach. This paper aims to address this issue.

In this paper, a novel, human‐understandable process manipulation language (PML) for specifying operations (e.g. insertion, deletion, merging, and split) on process models is developed. A prototype system to demonstrate PML is also developed.

The paper finds that manipulation operations on process models can be standardized and, thus, can be facilitated and automated through using a structured language like PML.

PML can improve manipulation operations on process models over the existing manual approach in two aspects: first, using PML, users only need to specify what operations are to be performed on process models, and then a computer carries out specified operations as well as performs other routine operations (e.g. generating nodes and arcs). This feature minimizes user effort to deal with low‐level details on nodes and arcs. Second, using PML, users can systematically specify operations on process models, thus reducing arbitrary operations and problems in process models.

The opportunity for computer‐related crime in the automated office/distributed environment is greater than in the larger, centrally driven data‐processing facilities, where access to equipment is usually easier and there is no hierarchy of physical controls as in a separate computer data centre. Information is less secure due to the poor definition of roles and responsibilities at end‐user functions, the difficulty in controlling a complex system with simple “system management tools” and the “human text” form of much of the electronically stored data. Standards of security administration within

This chapter analyzes the rules and institutions that have characterized the European Monetary Union (EMU) during its prolonged crisis, stressing the limits of the strategy pursued by the European authorities. It also examines the issues of current account imbalances, economic growth and the problem of debt, and their interconnections. The main purpose of this chapter is to indicate feasible economic solutions and political arrangements in order to complete the institutional system of the EMU. This requires appropriate reforms of its institutional architecture. But such reforms demand changes in the treaties in order to make the Eurosystem more consistent and endowed of democratic legitimacy, so to have appropriate tools, resources and policies that can contribute to the stability, cohesion and development of the Eurozone.

Inspired by an efficacy debate, this paper aims to understand to what extent do entrepreneurs value business accelerators and what contributes to this value. And as entrepreneurs consider accelerators to be a viable alternative to traditional business incubators, the research seeks to compare these startup support options.

Guided by resource-based theory, the researchers constructed a variance model and analyzed it using quantitative methods based upon data collected from 205 accelerators users as well as 66 incubator users for comparison.

Results indicate that the accelerator users find the programs to be very valuable for improving their business outcomes. Moreover, the users feel the program experience to be valuable regardless of whether their businesses ultimately survive. Knowledge- and culture-related resources contribute significantly to users’ perceptions of value. Findings indicate notable differences in the perceptions of accelerator versus incubator users.

The research contributes to the ongoing academic debate concerning the efficacy of accelerators and provides a model for predicting user value. The research is limited to the USA.

Research serves as a practical guide for prospective accelerator users, as well as provides valuable insights to accelerator administrators and marketers for enhancing their programs.

The study uniquely provides a user’s perspective and highlights distinct differences in the perceptions between accelerators and incubators users.