What is it about the structure and organisation of science and technology that has led to the spectacularly successful growth of knowledge during this century? This book explores this important and much debated question in an innovative way, by using computer simulations. The computer simulation of societies and social processes is a methodology which is rapidly becoming recognised for its potential in the social sciences. This book applies the tools of simulation systematically to a specific domain: science and technology studies. The book shows how computer simulation can be applied both to questions in the history and philosophy of science and to issues of concern to sociologists of science and technology. Chapters in the book demonstrate the use of simulation for clarifying the notion of creativity and for understanding the logical processes employed by eminent scientists to make their discoveries. The book begins with three introductory chapters. The first introduces simulation for the social sciences, surveying current work and explaining the advantages and pitfalls of this new methodology. The second and third chapters review recent work on theoretical aspects of social simulation, introducing fundamental concepts such as self organisation and complexity and relating these to the simulation of scientific discovery."

Polymers, main components of plastics and rubbers, are being discarded in increasing quantities. But this waste can also be considered as plastic gold'. Public concern, coupled with the inherent value of the material, means that recycling is imperative. The present book presents a survey of current knowledge in the form of case studies, including current legal and educational issues. Topics covered also include regulation and practice in NATO countries, the economics of recycling, the reprocessing of single polymers and mixtures, and future prospects and strategies. Audience: Vital reading for all polymer scientists, technicians and engineers.

Some of the best current research on realistic rendering is included in this volume. It emphasizes the current "hot topics in this field: image based rendering, and efficient local and global-illumination calculations. In the first of these areas, there are several contributions on real-world model acquisition and display, on using image-based techniques for illumination and on efficient ways to parameterize and compress images or light fields, as well as on clever uses of texture and compositing hardware to achieve image warping and 3D surface textures. In global and local illumination, there are contributions on extending the techniques beyond diffuse reflections, to include specular and more general angle dependent reflection functions, on efficiently representing and approximating these reflection functions, on representing light sources and on approximating visibility and shadows. Finally, there are two contributions on how to use knowledge about human perception to concentrate the work of accurate rendering only where it will be noticed, and a survey of computer graphics techniques used in the production of a feature length computer-animated film with full 3D characters.

In twelve selected papers common problems in scientific visualization are discussed: adaptive and multi-resolution methods, feature extraction, flow visualization, and visualization quality. Four papers focus on aspects of mesh reduction, mesh compression, and increasing the quality of the resulting mesh. Two extentions on particle tracing are presented as well as a paper on the simulation of material transport. Two papers are on feature extraction in dynamics systems and on the accuracy of algorithmic extracted features. Three papers focus on stereoscopic volume rendering, on the visualization of atomic collision cascades and of quality of visualization systems in general.

This book contains papers presented at the Noblesse Workshop on Non-linear model based image analysis held in Glasgow, 1-3 July 1998. Current models have mainly been developed for image coding purposes. They are rather simple and far away from being optimal and do not contribute to more complex tasks like those needed in image databases. This book meets the challenging tasks in multimedia applications by discussing new sophisticated model-based schemes for a high-level description of images and image sequences. Novel results are covered in the papers presented in this book, opening new potential fields of application like the support for building databases in multimedia applications, image archiving and image sequence coding, including such topics as: - 3D Image Models; Image/Video Restoration; Segmentation and Object Oriented Coding; Colour Image Processing; Database Retrieval; Image Models; Video Pre- and Post processing

Aiming to "modernise" the course through the integration of Mathematica, this publication introduces students to its multivariable uses, instructs them on its use as a tool in simplifying calculations, and presents introductions to geometry, mathematical physics, and kinematics. The authors make it clear that Mathematica is not algorithms, but at the same time, they clearly see the ways in which Mathematica can make things cleaner, clearer and simpler. The sets of problems give students an opportunity to practice their newly learned skills, covering simple calculations, simple plots, a review of one-variable calculus using Mathematica for symbolic differentiation, integration and numerical integration, and also cover the practice of incorporating text and headings into a Mathematica notebook. The accompanying diskette contains both Mathematica 2.2 and 3.0 version notebooks, as well as sample examination problems for students, which can be used with any standard multivariable calculus textbook. It is assumed that students will also have access to an introductory primer for Mathematica.

The chapters of this book summarize the lectures delivered du ring the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on Computational Methods in Mechanisms, that took place in the Sts. Constantin and Elena Resort, near Varna, on the Bulgarian Coast of the Black Sea, June 16-28, 1997. The purpose of the ASI was to bring together leading researchers in the area of mechanical systems at large, with special emphasis in the computational issues around their analysis, synthesis, and optimization, during two weeks of lectures and discussion. A total of 89 participants from 23 count ries played an active role during the lectures and sessions of contributed papers. Many of the latter are being currently reviewed for publication in specialized journals. The subject of the book is mechanical systems, Le., systems composed of rigid and flexible bodies, coupled by mechanical means so as to constrain their various bodies in a goal-oriented manner, usually driven under computer con trol. Applications of the discipline are thus of the most varied nature, ranging from transportation systems to biomedical devices. U nder normal operation conditions, the constitutive bodies of a mechanical system can be consid ered to be rigid, the rigidity property then easing dramatically the analysis of the kinematics and dynamics of the system at hand. Examples of these systems are the suspension of a terrestrial vehicle negotiating a curve at speeds within the allowed or recommended limits and the links of multiaxis industrial robots performing conventional pick-and-place operations."

As the use and relevance of robotics for countless scientific purposes grows all the time, research into the many diverse elements of the subject becomes ever more important and in demand. This volume examines in depth the most topical, complex issues of modelling and identification in robotics. The book is divided into three main parts. The !first part is devoted to robot dynamics modelling and identification of robot and load parameters, incorporating friction torques, discussing identification schemes, and presenting simulations and experiment al results of robot and load dynamic parameters identification. A general concept of robot programming language for research and educational purposes is examined and there is a detailed outline of its basic structures along with hardware requirements, which both constitute an open robot controller architecture. Finally a hybrid controller is derived, and several experimental results of this system are outlined. This impressive discussion of the topic covers both the theoretical and practical, illustrated throughout by examples and experimental results, and will be of value to anyone researching or practising within the field of robotics, automation and system i dentification or to control engineers.

Process Technology brings together in one place important contributions and up-to-date research results in this fast moving area. Process Technology serves as an excellent reference, providing insight into some of the most challenging research issues in the field.

Computer Science and Operations Research continue to have a synergistic relationship and this book - as a part of the Operations Research and Computer Science Interface Series - sits squarely in the center of the confluence of these two technical research communities. The research presented in the volume is evidence of the expanding frontiers of these two intersecting disciplines and provides researchers and practitioners with new work in the areas of logic programming, stochastic optimization, heuristic search and post-solution analysis for integer programs. The chapter topics span the spectrum of application level. Some of the chapters are highly applied and others represent work in which the application potential is only beginning. In addition, each chapter contains expository material and reviews of the literature designed to enhance the participation of the reader in this expanding interface.

In 1982, Professor Pawlak published his seminal paper on what he called "rough sets" - a work which opened a new direction in the development of theories of incomplete information. Today, a decade and a half later, the theory of rough sets has evolved into a far-reaching methodology for dealing with a wide variety of issues centering on incompleteness and imprecision of information - issues which playa key role in the conception and design of intelligent information systems. "Incomplete Information: Rough Set Analysis" - or RSA for short - presents an up-to-date and highly authoritative account of the current status of the basic theory, its many extensions and wide-ranging applications. Edited by Professor Ewa Orlowska, one of the leading contributors to the theory of rough sets, RSA is a collection of nineteen well-integrated chapters authored by experts in rough set theory and related fields. A common thread that runs through these chapters ties the concept of incompleteness of information to those of indiscernibility and similarity.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Discrete Geometry for Computer Imagery, DGCI '97, held in Montpellier, France, in December 1997. The volume presents 17 revised full papers together with three invited full papers. The contributions are organized in sections on 2D recognition, discrete shapes and planes, surfaces, topology, features, and from principles to applications.

This book constitutes a refereed post-workshop selection of papers presented at the 6th International Workshop on Computer-Aided Systems Theory, EUROCAST'97, held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, in February 1997. The 50 revised full papers presented were carefully selected for inclusion in the volume. The book is divided into sections on design environments and tools, theory and methods, engineering systems, intelligent systems, signal processing, and specific methods and applications.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, ER '97, held in Los Angeles, California, USA, in November 1997.
The 32 revised full papers presented in the book were carefully selected from a total of 93 submissions. Also included are two full invited papers.The volume is divided in topical sections on automated design, temporal modeling, languages, activity modeling, applied modeling, object-oriented modeling, theoretical issues in modeling, experience and applications, distributed systems, integration, and tools.

th This book is devoted to the 19 Meeting of the EURO Working Group on Financial Modelling, held in Chania, Crete, Greece,November28-30, 1996. The EURO Working Group on Financial Modelling was founded in September 1986 in Lisbon. The primary field of interest for the Working Group can be described as "the development of financial models that help to solve problems facedby financial managers in the firm". From this point of view, the following objectivesof the Working Group are distinguished: * providing an international forum for exchange of information and experience on financial modelling; * encouraging research in financial modelling (i. e. new techniques, methodologies, software,empirical studies,etc. ); * stimulating and strengthening the interaction between financial economic theory and the practice of financial decision making; * cooperating and exchanging information with universities and financial institutions throughout Europe. According to the aboveobjectives,the basic aim of this book is to present some new operational approaches (i. e. neural nets, multicriteria analysis, new optimization algorithms, decision software, etc. ) for financial modelling, both in a theoretical and practical levels. Thus, the present volume is divided in nine chapters. The first chapter refers to the new trends in financial modelling and includes two invited papers by Gil-Aluja and Pardalos. The second chapter involves papers on the topic of high performance computing and finance which is a European union project in which participate some members of the EURO Working Group on Financial Modelling (Spronk, Zenios, Dempster, etc. ).

This volume constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th European Workshop on Knowledge Acquisition, Modelling and Management, EKAW '97, held in Sant Feliu de Guixols, Catalonia, Spain, in October 1997.
The 20 revised full papers and 11 short papers presented were carefully selected from numerous submissions. Also included is one invited presentation. Among the topics covered are the mainstream knowledge acquisition issues, but also more innovative ones, knowledge integration, enterprise modelling, knowledge reuse, natural language processing, problem solving, knowledge extraction, Web-based knowledge systems, machine learning, data mining, etc.

A reference for the field of particle modelling - the study of dynamical behaviour of solids and fluids in response to external forces, with the solids and fluids modelled as systems of atoms and molecules.

Visualization is now recognized as a powerful approach to get insight in large datasets produced by scientific experimentations and simulations. The contributions to this book cover technical aspects as well as concrete applications of visualization in various domains such as finance, physics, astronomy and medicine, providing researchers and engineers with valuable information for setting up new powerful environments.

This volume contains the research papers presented at the Eighth Eurographics Workshop on Computer Animation and Simulation which took place in Budapest, Hungary, September 2-3, 1997. The workshop is an international forum for research in human animation, physically-based modeling, motion control, animation systems, and other key aspects of animation and simulation. The problem of realistically and efficiently modeling the motion of people, ob- jects, fluids, etc. remains a significant challenge in computer graphics. This workshop is representative of the continuing interest in this field of study. This year, animation and simulation of human shape and motion is of particular interest. In fact, nine of the papers in this volume deal with techniques which are applicable to human animation. Others are concerned with equally interesting dy- namic natural phenomena, such as clouds, plant development, and coastal scenes. The call for papers required submission of the full papers for review, and each paper was reviewed by at least 3 members on the international program committee, consisting of: Bruno Arnaldi (IRISA/INRIA Rennes, France) Norman Badler (University of Pennsylvania, U. S. A. ) Ronan Boulic (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland) Michael Cohen (Microsoft, U. S. A. ) Sabine Coquillart (INRIA, France) David Forsey (University of British Columbia, Canada) Marie-Paule Gascuel (iMAGIS-IMAG, France) Gerard Hegron (Ecoles des Mines de Nantes, France) Jessica Hodgins (Georgia Institute of Technology, U. S. A.

In recent years, spatial analysis has become an increasingly active field, as evidenced by the establishment of educational and research programs at many universities. Its popularity is due mainly to new technologies and the development of spatial data infrastructures. This book illustrates some recent developments in spatial analysis, behavioural modelling, and computational intelligence. World renown spatial analysts explain and demonstrate their new and insightful models and methods. The applications are in areas of societal interest such as the spread of infectious diseases, migration behaviour, and retail and agricultural location strategies. In addition, there is emphasis on the uses of new technologoies for the analysis of spatial data through the application of neural network concepts.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Conference on Coordination Models and Languages, COORDINATION '97, held in Berlin, Germany, in September 1997.
The 22 revised full papers and 6 posters presented in the book were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 69 submissions. Also included are three invited papers. The papers are devoted to an emerging class of languages and models, which have been variously termed coordination languages, configuration languages, and architectural description languages. These formalisms provide a clean separation between software components and their interaction in the overall software organization, which is particularly important for large-scale applications and open systems.

This book constitutes the strictly refereed post-workshop proceedings of the German Conference on Bioinformatics, GCB'96, held in Leipzig, Germany, in September/October 1996. The volume presents 18 revised full papers together with three invited papers; these contributions were selected after a second round of reviewing from the 91 conference presentations. The book addresses current issues in computational biology and biologically inspired computing. The papers are organized in sections on biological and metabolic pathways, sequence analysis, molecular modeling, visualization, and formal languages, and DNA.

User modeling researchers look for ways of enabling interactive software systems to adapt to their users-by constructing, maintaining, and exploiting user models, which are representations of properties of individual users. User modeling has been found to enhance the effectiveness and/or usability of software systems in a wide variety of situations. Techniques for user modeling have been developed and evaluated by researchers in a number of fields, including artificial intelligence, education, psychology, linguistics, human-computer interaction, and information science. The biennial series of International Conferences on User Modeling provides a forum in which academic and industrial researchers from all of these fields can exchange their complementary insights on user modeling issues. The published proceedings of these conferences represent a major source of information about developments in this area.

This book presents a coherent description of the theoretical and practical aspects of Coloured Petri Nets (CP-nets or CPN). It shows how CP-nets have been de veloped - from being a promising theoretical model to being a full-fledged lan guage for the design, specification, simulation, validation and implementation of large software systems (and other systems in which human beings and/or com puters communicate by means of some more or less formal rules). The book contains the formal definition of CP-nets and the mathematical theory behind their analysis methods. However, it has been the intention to write the book in such a way that it also becomes attractive to readers who are more interested in applications than the underlying mathematics. This means that a large part of the book is written in a style which is closer to an engineering textbook (or a users' manual) than it is to a typical textbook in theoretical computer science. The book consists of three separate volumes. The first volume defines the net model (i. e. , hierarchical CP-nets) and the basic concepts (e. g. , the different behavioural properties such as deadlocks, fair ness and home markings). It gives a detailed presentation of many small exam ples and a brief overview of some industrial applications. It introduces the for mal analysis methods. Finally, it contains a description of a set of CPN tools which support the practical use of CP-nets.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Modeling Techniques and Tools for Computer Performance Evaluation, held in St. Malo, France, in June 1997.
The volume presents 17 revised full papers carefully selected by the program committee for the proceedings; also included is an extended abstract of an invited talk. The collection of papers presented represents state-of-the-art work in computer performance evaluation. Among the issues addressed are fully distributed systems, statistical multiplexing for high-speed networks, and implications of the concept of dependability.