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A Formal Specification in B of a Medical Decision Support System

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ZB 2003: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B (ZB 2003)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2651))

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Abstract

We have used the B notation to formally specify an existing medical decision support system. The system runs on a palmtop computer and helps patients with insulin-dependent diabetes decide on a dose of insulin to inject. Using extracts we both qualitatively and quantitatively describe the formal specification and compare it with the existing C/C++ implementation of the system. We also report our experience of the specification process, the benefits derived from and the challenges presented by it. We conclude that the use of an abstract machine notation such as B for the formal specification and documentation of a knowledge-based medical decision support system is both feasible and viable.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computing, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX33 1HX, UK

    Christine Poerschke, David E. Lightfoot & John L. Nealon

Authors
  1. Christine Poerschke
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  2. David E. Lightfoot
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  3. John L. Nealon
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire LSR-IMAG, CNRS, 681, rue de la Passerelle, BP 72, 38402, Saint-Martin-d’Heres Cedex, France

    Didier Bert

  2. CISM, London South Bank University, Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA, UK

    Jonathan P. Bowen

  3. Department of Computer Science, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK

    Steve King

  4. Department of Computer Science, Åbo Akademi University, Lemminkäineng. 14 A, 20520, Turku, Finland

    Marina Waldén

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Poerschke, C., Lightfoot, D.E., Nealon, J.L. (2003). A Formal Specification in B of a Medical Decision Support System. In: Bert, D., Bowen, J.P., King, S., Waldén, M. (eds) ZB 2003: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B. ZB 2003. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2651. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44880-2_29

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44880-2_29

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-40253-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44880-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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