African Conference on Research in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics (CARI 2012)

CARI’2012 is the eleventh conference of a series dedicated to African Research in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, result of an international cooperation between African universities, French research centres and international institutions. This new edition will be organized by the Directorate-General of Scientific Research and Technological Development and will take place at Algiers from 13th to 16th October 2012. The Conference will be preceded by three days of parallel tutorials, to be held on 9, 10 and 11 october 2012.

The CARI'2012 Conference will offer six tracks:

Theme1: Complex Systems Modelling;
Theme2: Signal, Image Speech and Multimedia;
Theme3: Scientific Computing and Parallelism
Theme4: Artificial Intelligence & Computer-based Collaborative Environment
Theme5: Distributed Systems, Embarked Systems, Computer Networks, and Mobility
Theme6: Software Engineering: Models, Methods and Applications

Theme1: Complex Systems Modelling The understanding of natural, and social systems is becoming nowadays more and more important for political and economical managers. Therefore, complex systems Science is a growing field of research motivated by global problems regarding Ecology, Epidemiology, social stability and so on. These research topics raise fundamental questions for industrialized as well as developing countries. Complex systems modelling requires the development of new and sophisticated Mathematical and Informatics tools as well a deep understanding of the specific fields of applications. As a consequence, each particular research subject requires a specific type of modelling adapted to this topic. The main research issues are the following ones:

1. Developping new mathematical tools for complex systems analysis.

• Dynamical Systems
• Aggregation of variables
• Spatial dynamics
• Time series analysis
• Percolation modelling
• Mathematical representation of porous media

2. Developping new informatics tools for complex systems analysis.

• Individual based models
• Multi-agent modelling and simulation
• Coupling GIS and multi-agent models
• Participative simulation and modelling

3. Applications for developing countries

• Population, community and ecosystem managing
• Renewable resource management
• Urban dynamics
• Epidemiology
• Natural catastrophies management

Theme2: Signal, Image and Multimedia: The digital processing of information, conveyed by signals, is present in a large spectrum of domains: medicine, geophysics, astrophysics, audio-visual, industrial production… This multi-field aspect results in an increasingly fast development at the theoretical level as well as at the level of technological application, which explains the broad spectrum of the expected contributions where the theoretical speculations will be concerned with a large variety of applications. The explosion of the volume of the audio, video and audio-visual data, and the omnipresence of the image in many applications calls for specific research geared to the 2D and 3D signals taking into account their temporal dimension. Some topics like the enhancement, restoration and the fusion of information are central. To address the issue of multilingual communication, research contributions on handwritten characters and language are also welcomed. The present list of topics given below includes, but not limited to:

1. Signal processing

• Statistical processing (segmentation, detection, classification)
• Inverse problems
• Coding/decoding
• Sampling, Interpolation, Restoration

2. Image and multidimensional signals, Video, Multimedia

• Multi source, multi sensor processing
• Computer vision, 3D reconstruction
• Segmentation, tracking, interpretation and classification
• Data and Information Fusion

3. Characters, speech and Language

• Speech, speaker and language recognition
• Character recognition
• Speech synthesis

4. Applications

• Communications
• Medical applications
• Audio video document indexing and retrieval

Theme3: Scientific Computing and Parallelism This track is concerned with tools relying on high computing resources for numerical modeling with an emphasis on the implementation of numerical algorithms on a network of computers. The sollicited contributions may describe model selection for physical phenomena as long as intensive computing is emphasized. Similarly, papers may be concerned by image or signal processing if they are clearly focused on numerical analysis techniques.

1. Numerical algorithms

• Discretizing techniques (finite differences, finite elements, finite volumes)
• Stochastic models, numerical probabilities, Monte Carlo methods
• Solvers for large systems (direct methods, iterative methods for linear systems ; Newton’s method; eigenvalue solvers),
• Schemes for solving Differential Equation (ordinary or algebraic).

2. Parallelism and Grid computing.

• Parallel numerical algorithms and implementations on network of parallel computers,
• Tools for parallelism (parallelizers, performances, parallel librairies)
• Tools for implementations on grids.

3. Applications

• Hydrology (on surface,groundwater)
• Ecology and Agronomy
• Weather forecast, climatology,
• Economics,
• Communication networks.

Theme4: Artificial Intelligence & Computer-based Collaborative Environment The convergence of Information and Communication Technologies led to the development through the Web of systems increasingly decentralized, inter-connected, distinguished by components of mobility and multi-media, integrating image, sound and speech in particular in the field of E-learning. In this context, Artificial Intelligence technics ranging from ontologies, to Data Mining via multi-agent architecture, computer supported collaborative work and Knowledge Grid take all their true meaning, with in particular the emergence of the Web Intelligence (WI).

The thematic “Artificial Intelligence & Computer-based Collaborative Learning Environment (CCLE)” aims to bring together researchers developing and/or applying different methods, techniques and tools of Artificial Intelligence to the various technologies of the Web with a meaningfully look to the CCLE methodologies. We seek quality papers in all the fields being the subject of this call, the proposals relating new directions of research or new fields will be examined with a special attention. The present list of topics given below include but not limited to:

• E-Learning portals and Virtual Learning Environments,
• Agents and Cooperative Systems
• Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge representation
• Ontology (creation, evolution, evaluation)
• knowledge extraction from text, video, signals and images
• Computer-Human Interaction
• Model Based reasonning
• Symbolic - Learning, Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks
• Multimedia and Semantic Web
• Technics for universal access to the web
• Web Services-based Grid Applications
• Data Mining and Text Mining.

Theme5: Distributed, Embarked Systems, Computer Networks, and Mobility The evolution of both systems and computer networks allows the development of different kinds of efficient distributed systems, applications and services based on these infrastructures. These evolutions bring new challenges regarding protocols, systems and applications in network architectures. It is important to anticipate new needs induced by these evolutions. Topics of interest are the following but not limited to:

• Network Architecture & protocol engineering
• Network management and administration
• Adhoc & Sensors Networks
• Mobile Network, Wireless & Satellits
• High-speed networks
• Multimedia transmission and Quality of service
• Distributed systems and applications
• Real time Embedded systems
• Peer-to-peer networks
• Protocol validation and testing
• Performance evaluation
• Security in distributed systems and networks

Theme6: Formal Methods for Software Engineering This track is concerned by mathematical techniques for the design of methods, tools and environments for the development and validation of computer systems (both software and hardware). Formal Methods are used to design and implement a system as well as to verify that this system satisfies some requirements. We are interested in any contribution promoting the use of formal methods to address concerns such as: (i) deriving software systems from algebraic or logical specifications, (ii) improving the process of software development (modularity, reusability, model driven software architectures, models of objects and components, aspect-oriented programming, domain specific languages, generative programming ...), (iii) improving the reliability and security of systems (model checking, proof assistants, software testing, cryptographic protocols ... ). Topics of interest are the following but not limited to:

• Automata theory and formal languages
• Semantics of programming languages
• Logic and type theory in computer science
• Category theory and algebra in computer science
• Lattice theory and Abstract Interpretation
• Specification and model checking
• Theorem proving, proof assistants
• Software testing
• Model Driven Architectures
• Models of objects and components
• Aspect-oriented programming
• Domain-specific languages
• Generative programming
• Program transformations
• Cryptography