Open source data sensing software for ultrasonic non-invasive temperature estimation

In this paper, an open source solution for measurement of temperature and ultrasonic signals (RF-lines) is proposed. This software is an alternative to the expensive commercial data acquisition software, enabling the user to tune applications to particular acquisition architectures. The collected ultrasonic and temperature signals were used for non-invasive temperature estimation using neural networks. The existence of precise temperature estimators is an essential point aiming at the secure and effective applica tion of thermal therapies in humans. If such estimators exist then effective controllers could be developed for the therapeutic instrumentation. In previous works the time-shift between RF-lines echoes were extracted, and used for creation of neural networks estimators. The obtained estimators successfully represent the temperature in the time-space domain, achieving a maximum absolute error inferior to the threshold value defined for hyperthermia/diathermia applications.

Algorithms and architectures for real-time control

Algorithm and Architectures for Real-Time Control Workshop had the objective to investigate the state of the art and to present new research and application results in software and hardware for real-timecontrol, as well as to bring together engeneers and computer scientists who are researchers, developers and practitioners, both from the academic and the industrial world.

Preface to the special section on algorithms and architectures for real-time control

Rapid developments in microelectronics and computer science continue to fuel new opportunities for real-time control engineers. The ever-increasing system complexity and sophistication, environmental legislation, economic competition, safety and reliability constitute some of the driving forces for the research themes presented at the IFAC Workshop on Algorithms and Architectures for Real-Time Control (AARTC'2000). The Spanish Society for Automatic Control hosted AARTC'2000, which was held at Palma de Maiorca, Spain, from 15 to 17 May. This workshop was the sixth in the series.

A incorporação das preferências do utilizador no desenvolvimento de software para dados biomédicos: uma contribuição da análise conjunta nas tecnologias de informação da saúde

O aumento significativo de patologias relacionadas com a alimentação, designadamente a obesidade, considerada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde como a “epidemia do século XXI”, remete o profissional da área da nutrição para a necessidade de uma intervenção cada vez mais eficiente. O objectivo deste estudo é avaliar a necessidade do desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias que possibilitem o auxílio aos processos de apoio nutricional, assim como medir as preferências no desenvolvimento de software. Para isso, utilizou-se a Análise Conjunta, na qual os resultados agregados foram hierarquizados mediante uma Análise Categórica de Componentes Principais, para posterior segmentação dos individuos, mediante uma Análise de Clusters Hierárquicos. Neste estudo, pode verificar-se que não existe preferências no desenvolvimento de software genérico, havendo uma grande receptividade dos profissionais de saúde ao desenvolvimento da Telemedicina na área da nutrição. Por fim, existem diferenças, estatisticamente significativas, entre os profissionais da área da nutrição, o que permite a sua caracterização.

Radio over fiber broadband access networks architectures based on wavelength division multiplexing techniques

The recent remarkable growth in bandwidth of both wired optical and wireless access networks supports a burst of new high bandwidth Internet applications such as: peer-topeer file sharing, cloud storage, on-line gaming, video streaming, etc. Within this scenario, the convergence of fixed and wireless access networks offers significant opportunities for network operators to satisfy user demands, and simultaneously reduce the cost of implementing and running separated wireless and wired networks. The integration of wired and wireless network can be accomplished within several scenarios and at several levels. In this thesis we will focus on converged radio over fiber architectures, particularly on two application scenarios: converged optical 60 GHz wireless networks and wireless overlay backhauling over bidirectional colorless wavelength division multiplexing passive optical networks (WDM-PONs). In the first application scenario, optical 60 GHz signal generation using external modulation of an optical carrier by means of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) Mach- Zehnder modulators (MZM) is considered. The performance of different optical modulation techniques, robust against fiber dispersion is assessed and dispersion mitigation strategies are identified. The study is extended to 60 GHz carriers digitally modulated with data and to systems employing subcarrier multiplexed (SCM) mm-wave channels. In the second application scenario, the performance of WDM-PONs employing reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers (RSOAs), transmitting an overlay orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless signal is assessed analytically and experimentally, with the relevant system impairments being identified. It is demonstrated that the intermodulation due to the beating of the baseband signal and wireless signal at the receiver can seriously impair the wireless channel. Performance degradation of the wireless channel caused by the RSOA gain modulation owing to the downstream baseband data is also assessed, and system design guidelines are provided.