This book presents the proceedings of the 25th Society for Design and Process Science Conference (SDPS 2024), which took place in Bologna, Italy on October 6-9, 2024. The 2024 conference centers on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its impact on academia and industry. The papers focus on the generational challenges that GenAI presents, which industry leaders agree constitutes a sea change in technology not seen since the Industrial Revolution. The conference emphases that, as ...

Applied Cyber-Physical Systems presents the latest methods and technologies in the area of cyber-physical systems including medical and biological applications. Cyber-physical systems (CPS) integrate computing and communication capabilities by monitoring, and controlling the physical systems via embedded hardware and computers.This book brings together unique contributions from renowned experts on cyber-physical systems research and education with applications. It also add...

This book explores the subject of artificial psychology and how the field must adapt human neuro-psychological testing techniques to provide adequate cognitive testing of advanced artificial intelligence systems. It shows how classical testing methods will reveal nothing about the cognitive nature of the systems and whether they are learning, reasoning, and evolving correctly; for these systems, the authors outline how testing techniques similar to/adapted from human psychological testing ...

This book explores the subject of artificial psychology from the standpoint of how online Chatbots have infiltrated and affected societies and the world in general. The book explores the psychological effects of depending on an online entity for our needs – even if it’s a reminder of scheduled events. The author provides insight into the notion of human-Chatbot exchanges, understanding, and false emotions both from the Chatbot and from the human. He goes on to investigate and discuss the d...

The goal of this book is to establish the foundation, principles, theory, and concepts that are the backbone of real, autonomous Artificial Intelligence. Presented here are some basic human intelligence concepts framed for Artificial Intelligence systems. These include concepts like Metacognition and Metamemory, along with architectural constructs for Artificial Intelligence versions of human brain functions like the prefrontal cortex. Also presented are possible hardware and software arch...

This book presents Systems Engineering from a modern, multidisciplinary engineering approach, providing the understanding that all aspects of systems design, systems, software, test, security, maintenance and the full life-cycle must be factored in to any large-scale system design; up front, not factored in later. It lays out a step-by-step approach to systems-of-systems architectural design, describing in detail the documentation flow throughout the systems engineering design process. It ...

Following the end of their quest to find the legendary Owen Deathstalker, Lewis and his group of Madness Maze survivors take the new rebel fleet in search of allies. On the Empire's home world, the exiled King Douglas begins to marshal his own forces amidst the outcasts of the Rookery, enlisting a number of unlikely elements to his cause. And the mightiest Deathstalker of them all plunges into the timestream to confront the relentless mad hunger of the being called the Terror.

Sweet Apple, Texas, is the deadliest town west of the Mississippi-where getting killed is as easy as ordering a beer. Which is why East Coast big shot Cornelius Standish sends his lily-livered nephew, Seymour, to Sweet Apple. With Seymour out of the way, Cornelius will own the company that rightfully belongs to his nephew.His plan backfires, though, when Seymour is dubbed "The Most Cowardly Man in the West" by a newspaper and the hard cases of Sweet Apple are too proud to kill him....

In this captivating volume, renowned historian John Gilmary Shea presents a captivating collection of "Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints." Through vivid illustrations and engaging narratives, Shea brings to life the extraordinary stories of saints from various eras and backgrounds. From the early martyrs to the medieval mystics, each saint's life is depicted with meticulous detail, offering a glimpse into their unwavering faith, heroic deeds, and profound impact on the Christian traditi...

Nearly 100 years ago a Russian thermonuclear device transformed America's amber waves of grain into a sea of nuclear waste. The land of the free has been reduced to a Soviet slave-slate, repeatedly raped and plundered by its Red overlords. One man has led the desperate fight to free the once-great nation. He is Ted Rockson, the ultimate soldier of survival.A small band of survivalists known as the “Macy People” are besieged by a sect of mad cultists called The Caucus. Part of their...

Preacher, against his better judgment, agrees to lead a wagon train of women across the West. He hires a pack of mountain men to assist him, but he gets more than he bargained for when a gang of cutthroats follows the train with murder, rape and slave trafficking in mind. Led by the nefarious Easterner Victor Bedell, the outlaws will accomplish what few have done before: they will get a bullet into Preacher.But they'll make a fatal mistake. They'll leave him for dead.Soon t...

Snake Creek is a shabby little Texas town ruled by a mean-tempered outlaw who fancies himself a king—King Petty. He and his gang do what they want, when they want and right now what Petty wants is the pretty wife of a farmer he just shot in cold blood.But Sam Two Wolves just can't stand by and watch as this King Petty drags the widow down the street and before long he and Matt find themselves in the fight of their lives. It's a fight they never meant to start, but they sure as hell...