Distributed computing systems are being built and used more and more frequently. This distributod computing revolution makes the reliability of distributed systems an important concern. It is fairly well-understood how to connect hardware so that most components can continue to work when others

ABSMAcr Coupled nonlinear differential equations are derived for the dynamics of spatially localized populations containing both excitatory and inhibitory model neurons. Phase plane methods and numerical solutions are then used to investigate population responses to various types of stimuli

properties; for reviews, see Graham (1989), Olzak and Thomas (1986), Pokorny and Smith (1986), and Watson (1986). Researchers in perception have found aspects of visual stimuli that are processed pre-attentively (Beck, 1966; Bergen & Julesz, 1983; Julesz & Bergen, Motion Color Binocular disparity

and uses the methodology of understanding-by-building to learn from the environment and adapt to statistical variations in the input stimuli, with two primary objectives in mind: • highly reliable communication whenever and wherever needed; • efficient utilization of the radio spectrum. Following

comparisons. The mathematical model produces predictions about accuracy, mean reaction time, error latency, and reaction time distributions that are in good accord with experimental data. The theory is applied to four item recognition paradigms (Sternberg, prememorized list, study-test, and continuous

mechanisms. Automatic detection is shown to develop following consistent mapping of stimuli to responses over trials. Controlled search is utilized in varied-mapping paradigms, and in our studies, it takes the form of serial, terminating search. The approach resolves a number of apparent conflicts

and the requirement for exit. The next several decades pose a major challenge for Western firms and political systems as these forces continue to work their way through the worldwide economy.

dimensions are likely to be more successful than are earlier theories attempting to locate a single bottleneck in attention. In 1935, J. R. Stroop published his landmark article on attention and interference, an article more influential now than it was then. Why has the Stroop task continued to fascinate us

? This thesis provides a clarification of trust. We present a formalism for trust which provides us with a tool for precise discussion. The formalism is implementable: it can be embedded in an artificial agent, enabling the agent to make trust-based decisions. Its applicability in the domain of Distributed

We present a suite of algorithms for self-organization of wireless sensor networks, in which there is a scalably large number of mainly static nodes with highly constrained energy resources. The protocols further support slow mobility by a subset of the nodes, energy-efficient routing, and formation of ad hoc subnetworks for carrying out cooperative signal processing functions among a set of the nodes.