Efficient Mitigation of Data and Control Flow Errors in Microprocessors

The use of microprocessor-based systems is gaining importance in application domains where safety is a must. For this reason, there is a growing concern about the mitigation of SEU and SET effects. This paper presents a new hybrid technique aimed to protect both the data and the control-flow of embedded applications running on microprocessors. On one hand, the approach is based on software redundancy techniques for correcting errors produced in the data. On the other hand, control-flow errors can be detected by reusing the on-chip debug interface, existing in most modern microprocessors. Experimental results show an important increase in the system reliability even superior to two orders of magnitude, in terms of mitigation of both SEUs and SETs. Furthermore, the overheads incurred by our technique can be perfectly assumable in low-cost systems.

Use of Tablet Pcs in Higher Education: A new Strategy for Training Engineers in European Bachelors and Masters Programmes

The use of technology in classrooms in Spanish universities has been following an upward path, and in many cases technological devices are substituting other materials that until now have been used, such as books, notebooks and so on. Step by step in higher education, more of these latest generationdevices are being used, and are providing significant improvements in training. Nowadays, there are Spanish universities that use tablets, a device with multiple applications for teaching as well as for students to study differently. They are definitely a notable innovation that will gradually become incorporated into university life. Tablet PCs make teaching more dynamic and available to students through the use of up to date digital materials, something which is key in training engineers. This paper presents their different functions employed in three Spanish universities to support teachingin engineering degrees and masters using the tablet PC, and their impact on the training process. Possible uses in specific programs like the Erasmus Masters Programmes are also assessed. The main objective of using tabletsis to improve the academic performance of students through the use of technology.

Use of an Inverse Method for Time Series to Estimate the Dynamics of and Management Strategies for the Box Jellyfish Carybdea marsupialis

Frequently, population ecology of marine organisms uses a descriptive approach in which their sizes and densities are plotted over time. This approach has limited usefulness for design strategies in management or modelling different scenarios. Population projection matrix models are among the most widely used tools in ecology. Unfortunately, for the majority of pelagic marine organisms, it is difficult to mark individuals and follow them over time to determine their vital rates and built a population projection matrix model. Nevertheless, it is possible to get time-series data to calculate size structure and densities of each size, in order to determine the matrix parameters. This approach is known as a “demographic inverse problem” and it is based on quadratic programming methods, but it has rarely been used on aquatic organisms. We used unpublished field data of a population of cubomedusae Carybdea marsupialis to construct a population projection matrix model and compare two different management strategies to lower population to values before year 2008 when there was no significant interaction with bathers. Those strategies were by direct removal of medusae and by reducing prey. Our results showed that removal of jellyfish from all size classes was more effective than removing only juveniles or adults. When reducing prey, the highest efficiency to lower the C. marsupialis population occurred when prey depletion affected prey of all medusae sizes. Our model fit well with the field data and may serve to design an efficient management strategy or build hypothetical scenarios such as removal of individuals or reducing prey. TThis This sdfsdshis method is applicable to other marine or terrestrial species, for which density and population structure over time are available.