Learning, planning, and representing knowledge at multiple levels of temporal abstraction are key challenges for AI. In this paper we develop an approach to these problems based on the mathematical framework of reinforcement learning and Markov decision processes (MDPs). We extend the usual...

A new method for making software is stealthily gaining ground in the computer industry, offering a promise of better, cheaper software and the empowerment of the user. The open source movement could revolutionize the software industry...if it succeeds. Open source means software that you are...

The fourth edition of Principles of Information Security explores the field of information security and assurance with updated content including new innovations in technology and methodologies. Students will revel in the comprehensive coverage that includes a historical overview of information...

With emergence of biomedical informatics, Web intelligence, and E-business, new challenges are coming for knowledge discovery and data mining modeling problems. In this dissertation work, a framework named Granular Support Vector Machines (GSVM) is proposed to systematically and formally combine...

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore critical issues and challenges that might arise in agile software development processes with Scrum. It also sought to provide management guidelines to help organizations avoid and overcome barriers in adopting the Scrum method as a future software...

Unwanted and untimely interruptions have been a major cause in the loss of productivity in recent years. It has been found that they are mostly detrimental to the immediate task at hand. Multiple approaches have been proposed to address the problem of interruption by calculating cost of it. The...

The rapid decrease in the size of mobile devices, coupled with an increase in capability, has enabled a swift proliferation of small and very capable devices into our daily lives. With such a prevalence of pervasive computing, the interaction among portable devices needs to be continuous and...

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) systems have been studied as an emerging technology for automatic identification of objects and assets in various applications ranging from inventory tracking to point of sale applications and from healthcare applications to e-passport. The expansion of RFID...

Despite a half century of advances, the software construction industry still shows signs of immaturity. Professional software development organizations continue to struggle to produce reliable software in a predictable and repeatable manner. While a variety of development practices are advocated...

This paper presents OpenStreetMap and closely related software as a resource for spatial economic research. The paper demonstrates how information can be extracted from OpenStreetMap, how it can be used as a geographical interface in web-based communication, and illustrates the value of the...