Computer Automated Multi-Paradigm Modeling is an emerging field that addresses and integrates three orthogonal directions of research: (i) multi-formalism modeling, concerned with the coupling of and transformation between models described in different formalisms,  (ii) model abstraction, concerned with the relationship between models at different levels of abstraction, and (iii) meta-modeling, concerned with the description (models of models) of classes of models and as such allows formalism specification. Multi-paradigm modeling explores the possible combinations of these notions. It combines and relates formalisms, generates maximally constrained domain- and problem-specific formalisms, methods, and tools, and verifies consistency between multiple views.

Because of the heterogeneous nature of embedded systems and the many implementation technologies, multi-paradigm modeling is a critical enabler for holistic design approaches (e.g., mechatronics) to avoid overdesign and to support system integration. Multi-paradigm techniques have been successfully applied in the field of software architectures, control system design, model integrated computing, and tool interoperability.

To promote and proliferate the use of computer automated multi-paradigm modeling, to bring to the attention of the wider modeling and simulation community some of the successful applications to systems such as software architectures, chemical plants, manufacturing plants, and military operations, and to initiate future avenues to explore towards applicability of this methodology, ACM invites submissions for a special issue on the theory and methodology of Computer Automated Multi-Paradigm Modeling. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• multi-formalism modeling, including
• variable structure modeling with multi-formalism components,
• formalism transformation (e.g., ordinary differential equations to DEVS to facilitate distributed simulation),
• relating formalisms (e.g., architecture description languages), and
• combining formalisms (e.g., hybrid automata).
• meta-modeling, including
• methodological and theoretical issues (e.g., requirements specification for meta-modeling languages),
• meta-model verification to prove the presence or absence of classes of behaviors,
• domain and problem specific constraint formulation, and
• tailored formalism design (e.g., as opposed to the construction of unifying formalisms).
• (multi-)abstraction issues such as
• consistency between hierarchies modeling multiple aspects of a system,
• multiple views (e.g., control law design and process scheduling),
• automated model abstraction and abstraction level selection.
• extending static semantics (e.g., of UML) with dynamic semantics
• tailored execution specifications for formalisms (e.g., by means of graph production rules),
• semantics of interaction between static and dynamic semantics (e.g., the interplay between inheritance and dynamics), and
• dynamic semantics specification languages that support multiple modeling formalisms.
• separating abstract from concrete syntax (e.g., to design efficient data format transformation tools)

Submission details:
Submitted papers must not have been previously published or currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers will be rigorously refereed. Important dates are as follows:

• September 1st 2001 (submissions are due)
• June 1st 2002 (final decision)
• January to March 2003 (expected publication)

The submission process is electronic. Authors should submit the following two files via the specified web submission page:

• ASCII file with the author names, address, email, fax number and 250 word abstract
• Separate file with a Postscript version of the paper
• http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~tomacs/multiparadigm_submit.html

Pieter J. Mosterman
Control Design Engineering Department
Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics
DLR Oberpfaffenhofen
Wessling, Germany

Phone: +49 815 328 2434
Fax: +49 815 328 1441
Email: Pieter.J.Mosterman@dlr.de
URL: http://www.op.dlr.de/~pjm

and

Hans Vangheluwe
McGill University
School of Computer Science
McConnell Engineering Building, room 328
3480 University Street
H3A 2A7 Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Phone: +1 514 398 44 46
Fax: +1 514 398 3883
E-mail: hv@acm.org
URL: http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~hv/