An Application of Natural Language Processing to Classify What Terrorists Say They Want

Knowing what perpetrators want can inform strategies to achieve safe, secure, and sustainable societies. To help advance the body of knowledge in counterterrorism, this research applied natural language processing and machine learning techniques to a comprehensive database of terrorism events. A specially designed empirical topic modeling technique provided a machine-aided human decision process to glean six categories of perpetrator aims from the motive text narrative. Subsequently, six different machine learning models validated the aim categories based on the accuracy of their association with a different narrative field, the event summary. The ROC-AUC scores of the classification ranged from 86% to 93%. The Extreme Gradient Boosting model provided the best predictive performance. The intelligence community can use the identified aim categories to help understand the incentive structure of terrorist groups and customize strategies for dealing with them.

Design of a fuzzy controller to prevent wrinkling during rotary draw bending

Rotary draw bending (RDB) is a forming process that is commonly used to bend tubes with small wall thicknesses and small bending radii. One of the limitations of this process is the formation of wrinkles caused by compressive stress on the inner bend. In order to design the bending process without wrinkles and to determine the necessary process parameters, adjustment tests are required. Within this work, a fuzzy controller is to be developed which automatically prevents the formation of wrinkles and thus eliminates the need for time-consuming set-up tests to determine the necessary process parameters. The fuzzy controller is based on fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic. In connection with a rule base it is possible to simulate the human decision process. A fuzzy controller is programmed based on a max-min controller, with the required rules resulting from previous bending tests. After the fuzzy controller has been implemented, it must be connected to the bending machine by suitable interfaces. The input values, which indicate wrinkles, are measured by sensors during the bending process and provide the controller with data. The fuzzy controller then uses the control base to specify the required control variables. After programming has been completed, practical validation tests were carried out. In the validation tests using different tube wall thicknesses and materials, a significant reduction of wrinkles is achieved. Bending of completely wrinkle-free tubes is also possible due to the automated finding of optimal tool settings. Using the fuzzy controller eliminates the need for costly adjustment bends, resulting in significant time and cost savings.

A Wire Rod Rolling Mill Digital Twin for the Simulation of the Rolls Replacement Process

Smart Manufacturing is a goal to be achieved, and the most advanced manufacturing approaches are being used to pursue this objective. Within this context, industry development aims to attain an intelligent manufacturing using, for example, virtual models that simulate production lines. This paper presents the architecture of a Digital Twin for emulating the rolls replacement process within a wire rod rolling mill. The model is developed in Python, using a backtracking algorithm to select the suitable set of rolls as a first basic approach for the validation of the system. It may be used in the future to improve the production system automating the decision for the replacement of rolls as alternative to the current human-decision process.

BIM mediation and users’ behavior

Purpose With building information modeling’s increasing influence, it becomes important to analyze building information model (BIM)’s impact on users’ behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore BIM’s influence on users’ behavior, using the innovative philosophy of technical mediation. This philosophy implies that perceptions and actions are always, to some degree, constituted and transformed by technologies. The question in this study is how the perceptions and actions of users are mediated by BIM. Design/methodology/approach A framework developed by Dorrestijn to assess the impacts of technology is used to explore the different types of impact that BIM has on the perceptions and actions of its users. Through a literature review, this framework is used to categorize the mediating effects of BIM. Following this, expert interviews, a workshop and user interviews explore these effects in practice. Findings Based on Dorrestijn’s framework, it is concluded that guidance and persuasion are important mediating effects of BIM. BIM also impacts the human decision-process through coercive pressures to implement BIM and to embody BIM through acquiring skills. Originality/value With the increasing influence of BIM, analyzing its impact on users’ behavior becomes increasingly relevant. This is the first study to use the technical mediation approach to analyze this impact. In this approach, humans and technologies are seen as interacting with and co-shaping each other.

A Fuzzy Logic-Based Approach for Supporting Decision-Making Process in B2C Electronic Commerce Transaction

The purpose of this article is to present an application of fuzzy logic to human reasoning about electronic commerce (e-commerce) transactions. This article uncovers some of the hidden relationships between critical factors such as security, familiarity, design, and competitiveness. We analyze the effect of these factors on human decision process and how they affect the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) outcome when they are used collectively. This research provides a toolset for B2C vendors to access and evaluate a user’s transaction decision process and also an assisted reasoning tool for the online user.

From Human Decision Making to DMSS Architecture

In this chapter we begin by featuring the main characteristics of the human decision process. Then, from these traits, we separate the decision process between diagnosis and look-ahead. We explain why DMSSs are mainly look-ahead machines. We claim that look-ahead is generally performed via heuristic search and “what-if analysis” at different cognitive levels. This leads to a functional definition of DMSSs and to different architectures adapted to heuristic search and moreover, paves the way for an analysis of the decision support tools.

A Fuzzy Logic-Based Approach for Supporting Decision-Making Process in B2C Electronic Commerce Transaction

The purpose of this article is to present an application of fuzzy logic to human reasoning about electronic commerce (e-commerce) transactions. This article uncovers some of the hidden relationships between critical factors such as security, familiarity, design, and competitiveness. We analyze the effect of these factors on human decision process and how they affect the Business- to-Consumer (B2C) outcome when they are used collectively. This research provides a toolset for B2C vendors to access and evaluate a user’s transaction decision process and also an assisted reasoning tool for the online user.