Performance assessment of a kinetically-powered network for herd localization

Developing a herd localization system capable to operate unattended in communication-challenged areas arises from the necessity of improving current systems in terms of cost, autonomy or any other facilities that a certain target group (or overall users) may demand. A network architecture of herd localization is proposed with its corresponding hardware and a methodology to assess performance in different operating conditions. The system is designed taking into account an eventual environmental impact hence most nodes are simple, cheap and kinetically powered from animal movements-neither batteries nor sophisticated processor chips are needed. Other network elements integrating GPS and batteries operate with selectable duty cycles, thus reducing maintenance duties. Equipment has been tested on Scandinavian reindeer in Lapland and its element modeling is integrated into a simulator to analyze such localization network applicability for different use cases. Performance indicators (detection frequency, localization accuracy and delay) are fitted to assess the overall performance; system relative costs are enclosed also for a range of deployments.

Análisis de usabilidad y aplicación de los resultados en el desarrollo de plataformas web

Este trabajo trata cómo se pueden aplicar las técnicas de análisis de usabilidad al desarrollo de plataformas web. Actualmente es común que los servicios sean ofrecidos mediante plataformas web para un grupo muy heterogéneo de personas. Por otra parte, los análisis de usabilidad son una herramienta muy útil para conocer cómo interactúan las personas con los ordenadores y mejorar el diseño de las aplicaciones. Realizar un buen diseño permite mejorar la experiencia de usuario, factor fundamental para el éxito de cualquier producto que requiera interacción con el usuario. A continuación se describen las diferentes fases de los test de usabilidad y se detalla cómo han sido aplicadas durante el desarrollo del proyecto. Finalmente, se presentarán los resultados obtenidos durante la evaluación de la plataforma y el análisis de los mismos indicando cómo han afectado al diseño de la plataforma. ---ABSTRACT---This document discusses how to apply usability test techniques over web platform development. Nowadays, it is common that services are offered through web platforms for a large group of heterogeneous people. Moreover, usability tests are a very useful tool to understand human-computer interaction and improve the design of the applications. A good design can improve user experience, which is essential for the success of any product that requires user interaction. The following pages describes the different phases of usability testing and detail how these have been applied during the development of the project. Finally, the results obtained during the platform evaluation are presented and analysed, explaining how they have affected the design of the platform.

CookieLibs: An Intuitive Software Platform For Controlling Cookies Wireless Sensor Nodes

In this work a complete set of libraries for developing wireless sensor applications in a simple and intuitive way is presented, in contraposition to the most spread application abstraction-level mechanisms based on operating systems. The main target of this software platform, named CookieLibs, is to provide the highest abstraction level on the management of WSNs but in the simplest way for those users who are not familiar with software design, in order to achieve a fast profiling mechanism for reliable prototyping based on the Cookies platform.

Case study on mobile applications UX: effect of the usage of a crosss-platform development framework

Cross-platform development frameworks for mobile applications promise important advantages in cost cuttings and easy maintenance, posing as a very good option for organizations interested in the design of mobile applications for several platforms. Given that platform conventions are especially important for the User eXperience (UX) of mobile applications, the usage of framework where the same code defines the behavior of the app in different platforms could have negative impact in the UX. The objetive of this study is comparing the cross-platform and the native approach for being able to determine if the selected development approach has any impact on the users in terms of UX. To be able to set a base line under this subject, study on cross-platform frameworks was performed to select the most appropriate one from a UX point of view. In order to achieve the objectives of this work, two development teams have developed two versions of the same application; one using framework that generates Android and iOS versions automatically, and another team developing native versions of the same application. The alternative versions for each platform have been evaluated with 37 users with a combination of a laboratory usability test and a longitudinal study. The results show that differences are minimal in the Android version, but in iOS, even if a reasonable good UX can be obtained with the usage of this framework by an UX-conscious design team, a higher level of UX can be obtained directly developing in native code.

A case study on cross-platform development frameworks for mobile applications and UX

Cross-platform development frameworks for mobile applications promise important advantages in cost cuttings and easy maintenance, posing as a very good option for organizations interested in the design of mobile applications for several platforms. Given that platform conventions are especially important for the User eXperience (UX) of mobile applications, the usage of a framework where the same code defines the behavior of the app in different platforms could have a negative impact in the UX. This paper describes a study where two independent teams have designed two different versions of a mobile application, one using a framework that generates Android and iOS versions automatically, and another team using native tools. The alternative versions for each platform have been evaluated with 37 users with a combination of a laboratory usability test and a longitudinal study. The results show that differences are minimal in the Android platform, but in iOS, even if a reasonably good UX can be obtained with the usage of this framework by an UX-conscious design team, a higher level of UX can be obtained directly developing with a native tool.

Contribution to the Analysis, Design and Assessment of Compact Antenna Test Ranges At Millimeter Wavelengths - Contribución al Análisis, Diseño y Caracterización de Sistemas de Medida de Antenas en Rango Compacto para Frecuencias Milimétricas

This Doctoral Thesis entitled Contribution to the analysis, design and assessment of compact antenna test ranges at millimeter wavelengths aims to deepen the knowledge of a particular antenna measurement system: the compact range, operating in the frequency bands of millimeter wavelengths. The thesis has been developed at Radiation Group (GR), an antenna laboratory which belongs to the Signals, Systems and Radiocommunications department (SSR), from Technical University of Madrid (UPM). The Radiation Group owns an extensive experience on antenna measurements, running at present four facilities which operate in different configurations: Gregorian compact antenna test range, spherical near field, planar near field and semianechoic arch system. The research work performed in line with this thesis contributes the knowledge of the first measurement configuration at higher frequencies, beyond the microwaves region where Radiation Group features customer-level performance. To reach this high level purpose, a set of scientific tasks were sequentially carried out. Those are succinctly described in the subsequent paragraphs. A first step dealed with the State of Art review. The study of scientific literature dealed with the analysis of measurement practices in compact antenna test ranges in addition with the particularities of millimeter wavelength technologies. Joint study of both fields of knowledge converged, when this measurement facilities are of interest, in a series of technological challenges which become serious bottlenecks at different stages: analysis, design and assessment. Thirdly after the overview study, focus was set on Electromagnetic analysis algorithms. These formulations allow to approach certain electromagnetic features of interest, such as field distribution phase or stray signal analysis of particular structures when they interact with electromagnetic waves sources. Properly operated, a CATR facility features electromagnetic waves collimation optics which are large, in terms of wavelengths. Accordingly, the electromagnetic analysis tasks introduce an extense number of mathematic unknowns which grow with frequency, following different polynomic order laws depending on the used algorithmia. In particular, the optics configuration which was of our interest consisted on the reflection type serrated edge collimator. The analysis of these devices requires a flexible handling of almost arbitrary scattering geometries, becoming this flexibility the nucleus of the algorithmia’s ability to perform the subsequent design tasks. This thesis’ contribution to this field of knowledge consisted on reaching a formulation which was powerful at the same time when dealing with various analysis geometries and computationally speaking. Two algorithmia were developed. While based on the same principle of hybridization, they reached different order Physics performance at the cost of the computational efficiency. Inter-comparison of their CATR design capabilities was performed, reaching both qualitative as well as quantitative conclusions on their scope. In third place, interest was shifted from analysis - design tasks towards range assessment. Millimetre wavelengths imply strict mechanical tolerances and fine setup adjustment. In addition, the large number of unknowns issue already faced in the analysis stage appears as well in the on chamber field probing stage. Natural decrease of dynamic range available by semiconductor millimeter waves sources requires in addition larger integration times at each probing point. These peculiarities increase exponentially the difficulty of performing assessment processes in CATR facilities beyond microwaves. The bottleneck becomes so tight that it compromises the range characterization beyond a certain limit frequency which typically lies on the lowest segment of millimeter wavelength frequencies. However the value of range assessment moves, on the contrary, towards the highest segment. This thesis contributes this technological scenario developing quiet zone probing techniques which achieves substantial data reduction ratii. Collaterally, it increases the robustness of the results to noise, which is a virtual rise of the setup’s available dynamic range. In fourth place, the environmental sensitivity of millimeter wavelengths issue was approached. It is well known the drifts of electromagnetic experiments due to the dependance of the re sults with respect to the surrounding environment. This feature relegates many industrial practices of microwave frequencies to the experimental stage, at millimeter wavelengths. In particular, evolution of the atmosphere within acceptable conditioning bounds redounds in drift phenomena which completely mask the experimental results. The contribution of this thesis on this aspect consists on modeling electrically the indoor atmosphere existing in a CATR, as a function of environmental variables which affect the range’s performance. A simple model was developed, being able to handle high level phenomena, such as feed - probe phase drift as a function of low level magnitudes easy to be sampled: relative humidity and temperature. With this model, environmental compensation can be performed and chamber conditioning is automatically extended towards higher frequencies. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to go further into the knowledge of millimetre wavelengths involving compact antenna test ranges. This knowledge is dosified through the sequential stages of a CATR conception, form early low level electromagnetic analysis towards the assessment of an operative facility, stages for each one of which nowadays bottleneck phenomena exist and seriously compromise the antenna measurement practices at millimeter wavelengths.